Executing Plans Inline
obra/superpowers
Has the agent carry out an implementation plan itself, task by task in the current session, keeping a ledger, proving each step with a test and ending with one whole-branch review.
A skill your agent uses when user explicitly requests planning with files, or asks for persistent tracking of a complex task.
Install Planning With Files
$ npx skills add NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules --skill planning-with-files -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules planning-with-files --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/planning-with-files .claude/skills/planning-with-files && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "planning-with-files" agent skill from https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules/tree/main/.github/skills/planning-with-files into .claude/skills/planning-with-files/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "planning-with-files", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules/tree/main/.github/skills/planning-with-filesType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules --skill planning-with-files -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules planning-with-files --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/planning-with-files .agents/skills/planning-with-files && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "planning-with-files" agent skill from https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules/tree/main/.github/skills/planning-with-files into .agents/skills/planning-with-files/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "planning-with-files", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules --skill planning-with-files -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules planning-with-files --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/planning-with-files .cursor/skills/planning-with-files && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "planning-with-files" agent skill from https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules/tree/main/.github/skills/planning-with-files into .cursor/skills/planning-with-files/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "planning-with-files", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules.git --path .github/skills/planning-with-files--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules --skill planning-with-files -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules planning-with-files --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/planning-with-files .gemini/skills/planning-with-files && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "planning-with-files" agent skill from https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules/tree/main/.github/skills/planning-with-files into .gemini/skills/planning-with-files/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "planning-with-files", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules planning-with-filesInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules --skill planning-with-files -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/planning-with-files .github/skills/planning-with-files && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "planning-with-files" agent skill from https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules/tree/main/.github/skills/planning-with-files into .github/skills/planning-with-files/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "planning-with-files", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules --skill planning-with-files -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules planning-with-files --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/planning-with-files .opencode/skills/planning-with-files && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "planning-with-files" agent skill from https://github.com/NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules/tree/main/.github/skills/planning-with-files into .opencode/skills/planning-with-files/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "planning-with-files", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
planning-with-files- GitHub stars
- 134
- Token cost
- ~1.1k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 437 words
- Files
- 3
- Skills in repo
- 1
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
At a glance
A skill your agent uses when user explicitly requests planning with files, or asks for persistent tracking of a complex task.
- Works in 4 steps: Store, Don't Stuff → Log All Errors → Decisions Need Rationale → …
- User explicitly requests planning with files
- SKILL.md covers When to Use, When NOT to Use, Directory Convention and File Types, plus 6 more sections
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
Planning With Files is an agent skill from NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules. Use when user explicitly requests planning with files, or asks for persistent tracking of a complex task.
Its SKILL.md is about 1.1k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 2 other files (for example `examples.md` and `reference.md`).
It sits in Agent Workflows, covering Planning. The repository describes itself as: A collection of GitHub Copilot AI customizations and Best Practices. The licence is Apache-2.0.
When your agent uses it
- User explicitly requests planning with files
- Asks for persistent tracking of a complex task
Example prompts
- “/planning-with-files”
Workflow steps
4 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit f3fb825. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are markdown).
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Planning With Files loads about 1.1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 31 tokens; SKILL.md has 437 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules at commit f3fb825, republished under its Apache-2.0 licence (© NikiforovAll). 437 words, ~1,142 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/planning-with-files/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 2 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.- name
- planning-with-files
- description
- Use when user explicitly requests planning with files, or asks for persistent tracking of a complex task.
Planning with Files
Use persistent markdown files as external memory for complex tasks. Files survive context limits and session boundaries.
Use TodoWrite to decompose phases into executable tasks. Before closing session, use Question to confirm findings, decisions, and deliverables are satisfactory.
When to Use
- User explicitly requests planning/tracking with files
- Complex multi-session tasks
- Research-heavy work requiring persistent notes
- Tasks where decisions and rationale need to be preserved
When NOT to Use
- Simple single-session tasks (use Plan agent instead)
- Quick fixes or small changes
- Tasks with clear requirements needing no research
Directory Convention
All planning files go in _plans/ with date-prefixed task folders:
_plans/
2026-01-08-dark-mode-toggle/
plan.md
research.md
decisions.md
2026-01-09-api-auth-refactor/
plan.md
scratch.mdNaming: YYYY-MM-DD-task-name (kebab-case, concise description)
File Types
Create files based on what the task needs, not a fixed pattern:
| Type | When to Create | Content |
|---|---|---|
plan.md | Always | Goal, phases, status, errors encountered |
research.md | Research-heavy tasks | Sources, findings, synthesized data |
decisions.md | Tradeoff decisions | ADRs, options considered, rationale |
scratch.md | Complex reasoning | Drafts, working notes, exploratory code |
[deliverable].md | Final outputs | Reports, summaries, documentation |
plan.md Template
# Plan: [Brief Description]
## Goal
[One sentence describing the end state]
## Phases
- [ ] Phase 1: [Description]
- [ ] Phase 2: [Description]
- [ ] Phase 3: [Description]
## Status
**Current:** [What's happening now]
## Decisions
- [Decision]: [Rationale]
## Errors Encountered
- [Error]: [Resolution]research.md Template
# Research: [Topic]
## Sources
- [Source]: [Key findings]
## Findings
### [Category]
- [Finding]decisions.md Template
# Decisions: [Task]
## [Decision Title]
**Status:** Decided | Pending
**Options:**
1. [Option A] - [Pros/Cons]
2. [Option B] - [Pros/Cons]
**Choice:** [Selected option]
**Rationale:** [Why]Task System Integration
Planning files are for investigation; TodoWrite tasks are for execution.
Workflow:
- Create
_plans/directory andplan.md - Research and document findings
- Make decisions, document rationale
- Decompose phases into executable TodoWrite tasks
Recommended Tools
| Tool | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Explore subagent | Search codebase, find patterns, understand existing structure before planning |
| Question | Clarify requirements, validate assumptions, confirm decisions before proceeding |
Use these proactively during investigation to avoid wrong assumptions and wasted effort.
Success Criteria
Planning is complete when:
-
plan.mdexists with clear goal and phases - All phases marked complete or explicitly deferred
- Key decisions documented with rationale
- Errors encountered are logged with resolutions
- User confirms deliverables via
Question
Show full SKILL.md (159 more words)Show less
Critical Rules
Refresh Goals When Context Gets Long
After many tool calls (~20+), re-read plan.md before major decisions. This brings goals back into the attention window.
1. Store, Don't Stuff
Large outputs go to files, not context. Keep paths in working memory, content in files.
2. Log All Errors
Every error goes in plan.md under "Errors Encountered". This builds knowledge and shows recovery.
3. Decisions Need Rationale
Don't just record what you decided - record WHY. Future-you needs this context.
4. Update Status Immediately
Mark phases complete as soon as they're done. Don't batch status updates.
Anti-Patterns
| Don't | Do Instead |
|---|---|
| Create files in project root | Use _plans/YYYY-MM-DD-name/ |
| State goals once and forget | Re-read plan.md when context is long |
| Hide errors and retry silently | Log errors with resolution |
| Stuff everything in context | Store large content in files |
| Start executing immediately | Create plan.md first for complex tasks |
See Also
- reference.md - Manus context engineering principles
- examples.md - Real task examples with different file combinations
© NikiforovAll, Apache-2.0. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
SKILL.md and 2 other files in .github/skills/planning-with-files of NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules.
- SKILL.md
- examples.md
- reference.md
Open the folder on GitHubat commit f3fb825
Compare with similar skills
Planning With Files next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planning With Files this skillNikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules | 134 | — | ~1.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Executing Plans Inlineobra/superpowers | 297k | 2 repos | ~5.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Interview Meaddyosmani/agent-skills | 104k | 6 repos | ~3.8k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| OpenSpec Guided OnboardingFission-AI/OpenSpec | 72k | 1 repos | ~4.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Writing Plansgeeksblabla/stateofdev.ma | 163 | 57 repos | ~661 | Automated safety check: Pass | None | |
| Subagent Driven DevelopmentAsvarox/allkaraoke | 261 | 37 repos | ~1.2k | Automated safety check: Pass | None |
Similar skills
Interview Me
addyosmani/agent-skills
Asks one question at a time, each with a best guess attached, until the agent is about 95 percent sure what you really want, before any plan, spec or code.
OpenSpec Guided Onboarding
Fission-AI/OpenSpec
Walks you through a complete OpenSpec workflow cycle with narration while doing real work in your codebase.
Writing Plans
geeksblabla/stateofdev.ma
A skill your agent uses when design is complete and you need detailed implementation tasks for engineers with zero codebase context - creates comprehensive implementation plans with exact file…
Subagent Driven Development
Asvarox/allkaraoke
A skill your agent uses when executing implementation plans with independent tasks in the current session
Planning With Files
jd-opensource/JoySafeter
Implements Manus-style file-based planning for complex tasks.
Related
Categories
Questions about Planning With Files
What does Planning With Files do?
A skill your agent uses when user explicitly requests planning with files, or asks for persistent tracking of a complex task. Planning With Files is an agent skill from NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules. Use when user explicitly requests planning with files, or asks for persistent tracking of a complex task.
When should I use Planning With Files?
Planning With Files fits situations like: user explicitly requests planning with files; asks for persistent tracking of a complex task.
How do I install Planning With Files in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules --skill planning-with-files -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (.github/skills/planning-with-files in NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules) into .claude/skills/planning-with-files in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Planning With Files in Codex?
Run `npx skills add NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules --skill planning-with-files -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (.github/skills/planning-with-files in NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules) into .agents/skills/planning-with-files in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Planning With Files in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules --skill planning-with-files -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/planning-with-files, .gemini/skills/planning-with-files, .github/skills/planning-with-files and .opencode/skills/planning-with-files in your project.
What does Planning With Files need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Planning With Files is instructions for the agent only.
Does Planning With Files access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Planning With Files safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Planning With Files use?
Planning With Files is published under the Apache-2.0 licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Planning With Files use?
About 1.1k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 4.6k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Planning With Files?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Planning With Files: Executing Plans Inline (obra/superpowers, 297k stars), Interview Me (addyosmani/agent-skills, 104k stars), OpenSpec Guided Onboarding (Fission-AI/OpenSpec, 72k stars) and Writing Plans (geeksblabla/stateofdev.ma, 163 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Planning With Files?
NikiforovAll (a GitHub user) maintains it in NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules, which has 134 GitHub stars. The repository was last updated on February 28, 2026.
Source: NikiforovAll/github-copilot-rules on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.