planning-with-files▌
charon-fan/agent-playbook · updated Apr 8, 2026
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"Work like Manus" — Uses persistent markdown files for planning, progress tracking, and knowledge storage.
Planning with Files
"Work like Manus" — Uses persistent markdown files for planning, progress tracking, and knowledge storage.
Description
A Claude Code skill that transforms your workflow to use persistent markdown files for planning and progress tracking — the pattern that made Manus AI worth billions.
The Problem
Claude Code (and most AI agents) suffer from:
- Volatile memory — TodoWrite tool disappears on context reset
- Goal drift — Original goals get forgotten after many tool calls
- Hidden errors — Failures aren't tracked, mistakes repeat
- Context stuffing — Everything crammed into context instead of stored
The Solution: 3-File Pattern
For every complex task, create THREE files:
task_plan.md → Track phases and progress
notes.md → Store research and findings
[deliverable].md → Final output
The Workflow Loop
1. Create task_plan.md with goal and phases
2. Research → save to notes.md → update task_plan.md
3. Read notes.md → create deliverable → update task_plan.md
4. Deliver final output
When to Use
Use this pattern for:
- Multi-step tasks (3+ steps)
- Research tasks
- Building/creating projects
- Tasks spanning many tool calls
- Anything requiring organization
Skip for:
- Simple questions
- Single-file edits
- Quick lookups
Installation
This skill is typically installed globally at ~/.claude/skills/planning-with-files/.
From this repository:
ln -s /path/to/agent-playbook/skills/planning-with-files ~/.claude/skills/planning-with-files
If you prefer the standalone workflow, see the upstream repository in the Links section.
The Manus Principles
| Principle | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Filesystem as memory | Store in files, not context |
| Attention manipulation | Re-read plan before decisions |
| Error persistence | Log failures in plan file |
| Goal tracking | Checkboxes show progress |
| Append-only context | Never modify history |
Example
You: "Research the benefits of TypeScript and write a summary"
Claude creates:
# Task Plan: TypeScript Benefits Research
## Goal
Create a research summary on TypeScript benefits.
## Phases
- [x] Phase 1: Create plan ✓
- [ ] Phase 2: Research and gather sources (CURRENT)
- [ ] Phase 3: Synthesize findings
- [ ] Phase 4: Deliver summary
## Status
**Currently in Phase 2** - Searching for sources
Links
How to use planning-with-files on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
- ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
- ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with
node --version) - ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add planning-with-files
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
The skills CLI fetches planning-with-files from GitHub repository charon-fan/agent-playbook and configures it for Cursor.
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Reload or restart Cursor to activate planning-with-files. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /planning-with-files) or your agent's skill management interface.
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
List & Monetize Your Skill
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Use Cases▌
User Story & Requirements Generation
Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs
Example
Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios
Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage
Competitive Analysis
Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps
Example
Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities
Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days
Roadmap Prioritization
Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs
Example
Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale
Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster
Stakeholder Communication
Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations
Example
Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement
Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead
Implementation Guide▌
Prerequisites
- ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
- ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
- ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
- ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels
Time Estimate
30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements
Installation Steps
- 1.Install product management skill
- 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
- 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
- 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
- 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
- 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
- 7.Share effective prompts with product team
Common Pitfalls
- ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
- ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
- ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
- ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
- ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements
Best Practices▌
✓ Do
- +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
- +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
- +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
- +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
- +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
- +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition
✗ Don't
- −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
- −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
- −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
- −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
- −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture
💡 Pro Tips
- ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
- ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
- ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
- ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs
When to Use This▌
✓ Use When
Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.
✗ Avoid When
Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.
Learning Path▌
- 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
- 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
- 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
- 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation
Discussion
Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)- No comments yet — start the thread.
Ratings
4.5★★★★★34 reviews- ★★★★★Maya Khan· Dec 12, 2024
I recommend planning-with-files for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.
- ★★★★★Dhruvi Jain· Dec 8, 2024
planning-with-files fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Hassan Verma· Dec 8, 2024
planning-with-files fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Oshnikdeep· Nov 27, 2024
planning-with-files is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Anaya Flores· Nov 27, 2024
planning-with-files is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Anika Iyer· Nov 23, 2024
planning-with-files reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
- ★★★★★Kaira Perez· Nov 3, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: planning-with-files is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Kiara Gonzalez· Oct 22, 2024
planning-with-files has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
- ★★★★★Ganesh Mohane· Oct 18, 2024
Keeps context tight: planning-with-files is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
- ★★★★★Anaya Farah· Oct 18, 2024
Keeps context tight: planning-with-files is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
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