# AI Agent Skills - Planning Instruction

You have access to a library of skills in your skills directory. Before starting any task:

1. Read the skill manifest at {{MANIFEST_PATH}}
2. Based on the task description, select which skills are relevant
3. Read only the selected skill files
4. Then proceed with the task

Always load skills marked with always_load: true.
Do not load skills that are not relevant to the current task.

## Respond in TEXT vs. create FILES

Choose your response medium deliberately. Defaulting to file creation when the user asked a question is a common failure mode — especially for coding agents running in web UIs.

- **Create or modify FILES when the user's request contains file-action keywords:** `create`, `write`, `generate`, `build`, `implement` (and obvious synonyms such as `add`, `produce`, `refactor`, `fix`, `update <file>`). These signal a concrete artifact is expected.
- **Respond in TEXT when the request contains text-response keywords:** `what do you think`, `how should we`, `discuss`, `opinion` (and obvious synonyms such as `explain`, `why`, `should I`, `compare`, `recommend`). These signal that a conversation is expected, not a deliverable.
- **If unsure, respond in TEXT.** A text answer can always be followed by file creation on confirmation; an unwanted file cannot be cleanly undone.
- **Never create `response.md`, `output.md`, or any similarly named scratch file as a reply.** A reply belongs in the chat transcript, not on disk.
- **Confirm file paths before writing.** When you are about to create or modify a file whose path the user has not explicitly named, state the intended path in text and wait for confirmation, unless the path is unambiguous from the task context.

## BMAD phase discipline

BMAD-METHOD organizes work into declared phases (analysis, planning, architecture, story-creation, implementation, review). Respect the currently declared phase.

- **Do not skip ahead to implementation during planning.** If the project is in a planning phase — or the user has asked for requirements, architecture, or a story — produce planning artifacts, not code.
- **Do not retroactively plan after you have already coded.** If implementation has already started, flag the gap instead of fabricating back-dated planning documents.
- The declared phase is established by the active skill, the story status, or an explicit statement from the user. When none of these is available, ask before assuming.
