---
name: executing-plans
description: Use when you have a written implementation plan to execute in a separate session with review checkpoints
---

# Executing Plans

## Overview

Load plan, review critically, execute all tasks, report when complete.

**Announce at start:** "I'm using the executing-plans skill to implement this plan."

**Note:** Tell your human partner that Aegis works much better with access to subagents. The quality of its work will be significantly higher if run on a platform with subagent support (such as Claude Code or Codex). If subagents are available, use aegis:subagent-driven-development instead of this skill.

## The Process

### Step 1: Load and Review Plan
1. Read plan file
2. Review critically - identify any questions or concerns about the plan
3. If concerns: Raise them with your human partner before starting
4. If no concerns: Create TodoWrite and proceed

### Step 1.5: Long-Task Checkpoint Setup

If the plan has multiple tasks, may span sessions, or includes architecture / contract / workflow changes:

1. Announce: "I'm using the long-task-continuation skill to keep this plan checkpointed and drift-aware."
2. Load aegis:long-task-continuation.
3. Create the initial checkpoint from the plan:
   - current todo
   - active task
   - completed tasks
   - evidence refs
   - blockers
   - next step
4. Before each task, restate the current checkpoint.
5. After each task, update checkpoint, evidence refs, and drift check.

### Step 2: Execute Tasks

For each task:
1. Mark as in_progress
2. Follow each step exactly (plan has bite-sized steps)
3. Before any non-trivial source edit, run the plan's
   `Pre-Edit Complexity Check` or create a compact one:

   ```text
   Pre-Edit Complexity Check:
   - Safer edit boundary:
   - Decision: edit-in-place | extract helper | add owner file | split task | pause for plan update
   ```

   If the check contradicts the plan's file boundary, pause and return to plan
   review instead of silently stuffing logic into an overloaded owner.
4. Run verifications as specified
5. Update `TodoCheckpointDraft` and `DriftCheckDraft` before marking the task completed
6. Mark as completed

### Step 3: Complete Development

After all tasks complete and verified:
- Announce: "I'm using the finishing-a-development-branch skill to complete this work."
- **REQUIRED SUB-SKILL:** Use aegis:finishing-a-development-branch
- Follow that skill to verify tests, present options, execute choice

## When to Stop and Ask for Help

**STOP executing immediately when:**
- Hit a blocker (missing dependency, test fails, instruction unclear)
- Plan has critical gaps preventing starting
- You don't understand an instruction
- Verification fails repeatedly

**Ask for clarification rather than guessing.**

## When to Revisit Earlier Steps

**Return to Review (Step 1) when:**
- Partner updates the plan based on your feedback
- Fundamental approach needs rethinking

**Don't force through blockers** - stop and ask.

## Remember
- Review plan critically first
- Follow plan steps exactly
- Don't skip verifications
- Reference skills when plan says to
- Stop when blocked, don't guess
- Never start implementation on main/master branch without explicit user consent

## Integration

**Required workflow skills:**
- **aegis:using-git-worktrees** - REQUIRED: Set up isolated workspace before starting
- **aegis:writing-plans** - Creates the plan this skill executes
- **aegis:finishing-a-development-branch** - Complete development after all tasks