Task Breakdown Skill

Purpose

Transform architecture plans into atomic, executable tasks with clear verification criteria.

When to Use

• After architecture plan is approved
• Converting design to implementation steps
• Creating detailed work breakdown
• Estimating implementation effort

Task Template

Use templates/task-template.md for consistent task format.

Task Criteria

Atomic Tasks Must Be:

1. Single-concern: One logical change per task
2. Verifiable: Clear success criteria
3. Bounded: Defined start and end
4. Estimated: Size/complexity indicated
5. Ordered: Dependencies explicit

Task Size Guidelines

Size	Description	Typical Scope
XS	Single line change	Typo fix, constant update, config tweak
S	Single function	Add/modify one function, simple test
M	Single file	Multiple functions in one file
L	Multiple files, one concern	Feature spanning 2-4 files
XL	Too large - split further	Break into smaller tasks

Rule: If a task is XL, it must be broken down further.

File Operation Types

CREATE

Create new file from scratch.

| Action | File | Details |
|--------|------|---------|
| CREATE | `src/services/auth.ts` | New auth service, follow UserService pattern |

Include:

• Full file path
• Template or pattern to follow
• Key exports/functions to include

MODIFY

Change existing file.

| Action | File | Details |
|--------|------|---------|
| MODIFY | `src/routes/index.ts` | Lines 45-60, add auth routes |

Include:

• File path
• Line range
• Description of change
• Before/after state

DELETE

Remove file or code.

| Action | File | Details |
|--------|------|---------|
| DELETE | `src/old/legacy-auth.ts` | Remove deprecated auth system |

Include:

• File path
• Reason for deletion
• Confirmation of no dependencies

MOVE

Relocate file.

| Action | File | Details |
|--------|------|---------|
| MOVE | `src/auth.ts` → `src/services/auth.ts` | Reorganize to services directory |

Include:

• Source and destination paths
• Import updates needed
• Git history preservation note

Verification Approaches

Type	Command	Use Case
Type Check	npm run typecheck	TypeScript changes
Lint	npm run lint	Style/format compliance
Unit Test	npm test -- [pattern]	Logic verification
Integration Test	npm run test:integration	Component interaction
E2E Test	npm run e2e	Full workflow
Build	npm run build	Compilation verification
Manual	[Specific instructions]	UI/UX, visual changes

Framework-Specific Commands

Node.js/TypeScript:

npm run typecheck
npm run lint
npm test -- --testPathPattern=auth

Python:

python -m pytest tests/test_auth.py
python -m mypy src/auth.py
python -m flake8 src/auth.py

Go:

go test ./auth/...
go vet ./auth/...
golint ./auth/...

Dependency Types

Hard Dependency

Must complete before next task starts.

**Dependencies:** Task 1.1 (hard) - Needs auth service to exist

Soft Dependency

Should complete first but can proceed if needed.

**Dependencies:** Task 1.2 (soft) - Ideally after tests written

None

Independent task, can run in parallel.

**Dependencies:** None

Commit Message Conventions

Follow conventional commits format:

<type>(<scope>): <description>

[optional body]

[optional footer]

Types

• feat: New feature
• fix: Bug fix
• refactor: Code change without feature/fix
• docs: Documentation only
• test: Adding tests
• chore: Maintenance tasks

Examples

feat(auth): implement JWT token service

- Add token generation with configurable expiry
- Add token validation with signature verification
- Integrate with user service for claims

Closes #123

Priority Levels

Priority	Meaning	When to Use
P1	Critical	Blocking other work, core functionality
P2	High	Important, should be done soon
P3	Medium	Standard priority
P4	Low	Nice to have, can defer

Phase Organization

Group tasks into logical phases:

1. Foundation: Core infrastructure, shared utilities
2. Core Features: Main functionality
3. Integration: Connecting components
4. Testing: Test implementation
5. Documentation: Docs and cleanup

Output Quality Checklist

Before finalizing implementation plan:

• All tasks are appropriately sized (no XL tasks)
• File paths are complete and accurate
• Line numbers included for modifications
• Current and expected state shown for changes
• Verification commands are runnable
• Commit messages follow project conventions
• Dependencies clearly marked
• Phases organized logically
• All architecture components covered
• No orphan tasks (everything connects)

Output Location

Save implementation plans to: docs/plans/implementation-{session}.md

Integration with Workflow

1. Architecture document provides component design
2. Task breakdown creates executable tasks (this skill)
3. Implementation follows tasks exactly
4. Validation verifies each task's success criteria