claude-engineering-plugin/plugins/compound-engineering/commands/workflows/work.md

---
name: workflows:work
description: Execute work plans efficiently while maintaining quality and finishing features
argument-hint: "[plan file, specification, or todo file path]"
---

# Work Plan Execution Command

Execute a work plan efficiently while maintaining quality and finishing features.

## Introduction

This command takes a work document (plan, specification, or todo file) and executes it systematically. The focus is on **shipping complete features** by understanding requirements quickly, following existing patterns, and maintaining quality throughout.

## Input Document

<input_document> #$ARGUMENTS </input_document>

## Execution Workflow

### Phase 1: Quick Start

1. **Read Plan and Clarify**

   - Read the work document completely
   - Review any references or links provided in the plan
   - If anything is unclear or ambiguous, ask clarifying questions now
   - Get user approval to proceed
   - **Do not skip this** - better to ask questions now than build the wrong thing

2. **Setup Environment**

   First, check the current branch:

   ```bash
   current_branch=$(git branch --show-current)
   default_branch=$(git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD 2>/dev/null | sed 's@^refs/remotes/origin/@@')

   # Fallback if remote HEAD isn't set
   if [ -z "$default_branch" ]; then
     default_branch=$(git rev-parse --verify origin/main >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo "main" || echo "master")
   fi
   ```

   **If already on a feature branch** (not the default branch):
   - Ask: "Continue working on `[current_branch]`, or create a new branch?"
   - If continuing, proceed to step 3
   - If creating new, follow Option A or B below

   **If on the default branch**, choose how to proceed:

   **Option A: Create a new branch**
   ```bash
   git pull origin [default_branch]
   git checkout -b feature-branch-name
   ```
   Use a meaningful name based on the work (e.g., `feat/user-authentication`, `fix/email-validation`).

   **Option B: Use a worktree (recommended for parallel development)**
   ```bash
   skill: git-worktree
   # The skill will create a new branch from the default branch in an isolated worktree
   ```

   **Option C: Continue on the default branch**
   - Requires explicit user confirmation
   - Only proceed after user explicitly says "yes, commit to [default_branch]"
   - Never commit directly to the default branch without explicit permission

   **Recommendation**: Use worktree if:
   - You want to work on multiple features simultaneously
   - You want to keep the default branch clean while experimenting
   - You plan to switch between branches frequently

3. **Create Todo List**
   - Use TodoWrite to break plan into actionable tasks
   - Include dependencies between tasks
   - Prioritize based on what needs to be done first
   - Include testing and quality check tasks
   - Keep tasks specific and completable

### Phase 2: Execute

1. **Task Execution Loop**

   For each task in priority order:

   ```
   while (tasks remain):
     - Mark task as in_progress in TodoWrite
     - Read any referenced files from the plan
     - Look for similar patterns in codebase
     - Implement following existing conventions
     - Write tests for new functionality
     - Run tests after changes
     - Mark task as completed in TodoWrite
     - Mark off the corresponding checkbox in the plan file ([ ] → [x])
     - Evaluate for incremental commit (see below)
   ```

   **IMPORTANT**: Always update the original plan document by checking off completed items. Use the Edit tool to change `- [ ]` to `- [x]` for each task you finish. This keeps the plan as a living document showing progress and ensures no checkboxes are left unchecked.

2. **Incremental Commits**

   After completing each task, evaluate whether to create an incremental commit:

   | Commit when... | Don't commit when... |
   |----------------|---------------------|
   | Logical unit complete (model, service, component) | Small part of a larger unit |
   | Tests pass + meaningful progress | Tests failing |
   | About to switch contexts (backend → frontend) | Purely scaffolding with no behavior |
   | About to attempt risky/uncertain changes | Would need a "WIP" commit message |

   **Heuristic:** "Can I write a commit message that describes a complete, valuable change? If yes, commit. If the message would be 'WIP' or 'partial X', wait."

   **Commit workflow:**
   ```bash
   # 1. Verify tests pass (use project's test command)
   # Examples: bin/rails test, npm test, pytest, go test, etc.

   # 2. Stage only files related to this logical unit (not `git add .`)
   git add <files related to this logical unit>

   # 3. Commit with conventional message
   git commit -m "feat(scope): description of this unit"
   ```

   **Handling merge conflicts:** If conflicts arise during rebasing or merging, resolve them immediately. Incremental commits make conflict resolution easier since each commit is small and focused.

   **Note:** Incremental commits use clean conventional messages without attribution footers. The final Phase 4 commit/PR includes the full attribution.

3. **Follow Existing Patterns**

   - The plan should reference similar code - read those files first
   - Match naming conventions exactly
   - Reuse existing components where possible
   - Follow project coding standards (see CLAUDE.md)
   - When in doubt, grep for similar implementations

4. **Test Continuously**

   - Run relevant tests after each significant change
   - Don't wait until the end to test
   - Fix failures immediately
   - Add new tests for new functionality

5. **Figma Design Sync** (if applicable)

   For UI work with Figma designs:

   - Implement components following design specs
   - Use figma-design-sync agent iteratively to compare
   - Fix visual differences identified
   - Repeat until implementation matches design

6. **Track Progress**
   - Keep TodoWrite updated as you complete tasks
   - Note any blockers or unexpected discoveries
   - Create new tasks if scope expands
   - Keep user informed of major milestones

### Phase 3: Quality Check

1. **Run Core Quality Checks**

   Always run before submitting:

   ```bash
   # Run full test suite (use project's test command)
   # Examples: bin/rails test, npm test, pytest, go test, etc.

   # Run linting (per CLAUDE.md)
   # Use linting-agent before pushing to origin
   ```

2. **Consider Reviewer Agents** (Optional)

   Use for complex, risky, or large changes. Read agents from `compound-engineering.local.md` frontmatter (`review_agents`). If no settings file, invoke the `setup` skill to create one.

   Run configured agents in parallel with Task tool. Present findings and address critical issues.

3. **Final Validation**
   - All TodoWrite tasks marked completed
   - All tests pass
   - Linting passes
   - Code follows existing patterns
   - Figma designs match (if applicable)
   - No console errors or warnings

4. **Prepare Operational Validation Plan** (REQUIRED)
   - Add a `## Post-Deploy Monitoring & Validation` section to the PR description for every change.
   - Include concrete:
     - Log queries/search terms
     - Metrics or dashboards to watch
     - Expected healthy signals
     - Failure signals and rollback/mitigation trigger
     - Validation window and owner
   - If there is truly no production/runtime impact, still include the section with: `No additional operational monitoring required` and a one-line reason.

### Phase 4: Ship It

1. **Create Commit**

   ```bash
   git add .
   git status  # Review what's being committed
   git diff --staged  # Check the changes

   # Commit with conventional format
   git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
   feat(scope): description of what and why

   Brief explanation if needed.

   🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

   Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
   EOF
   )"
   ```

2. **Capture and Upload Screenshots for UI Changes** (REQUIRED for any UI work)

   For **any** design changes, new views, or UI modifications, you MUST capture and upload screenshots:

   **Step 1: Start dev server** (if not running)
   ```bash
   bin/dev  # Run in background
   ```

   **Step 2: Capture screenshots with agent-browser CLI**
   ```bash
   agent-browser open http://localhost:3000/[route]
   agent-browser snapshot -i
   agent-browser screenshot output.png
   ```
   See the `agent-browser` skill for detailed usage.

   **Step 3: Upload using imgup skill**
   ```bash
   skill: imgup
   # Then upload each screenshot:
   imgup -h pixhost screenshot.png  # pixhost works without API key
   # Alternative hosts: catbox, imagebin, beeimg
   ```

   **What to capture:**
   - **New screens**: Screenshot of the new UI
   - **Modified screens**: Before AND after screenshots
   - **Design implementation**: Screenshot showing Figma design match

   **IMPORTANT**: Always include uploaded image URLs in PR description. This provides visual context for reviewers and documents the change.

3. **Create Pull Request**

   ```bash
   git push -u origin feature-branch-name

   gh pr create --title "Feature: [Description]" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
   ## Summary
   - What was built
   - Why it was needed
   - Key decisions made

   ## Testing
   - Tests added/modified
   - Manual testing performed

   ## Post-Deploy Monitoring & Validation
   - **What to monitor/search**
     - Logs:
     - Metrics/Dashboards:
   - **Validation checks (queries/commands)**
     - `command or query here`
   - **Expected healthy behavior**
     - Expected signal(s)
   - **Failure signal(s) / rollback trigger**
     - Trigger + immediate action
   - **Validation window & owner**
     - Window:
     - Owner:
   - **If no operational impact**
     - `No additional operational monitoring required: <reason>`

   ## Before / After Screenshots
   | Before | After |
   |--------|-------|
   | ![before](URL) | ![after](URL) |

   ## Figma Design
   [Link if applicable]

   ---

   [![Compound Engineered](https://img.shields.io/badge/Compound-Engineered-6366f1)](https://github.com/EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin) 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
   EOF
   )"
   ```

4. **Notify User**
   - Summarize what was completed
   - Link to PR
   - Note any follow-up work needed
   - Suggest next steps if applicable

---

## Swarm Mode (Optional)

For complex plans with multiple independent workstreams, enable swarm mode for parallel execution with coordinated agents.

### When to Use Swarm Mode

| Use Swarm Mode when... | Use Standard Mode when... |
|------------------------|---------------------------|
| Plan has 5+ independent tasks | Plan is linear/sequential |
| Multiple specialists needed (review + test + implement) | Single-focus work |
| Want maximum parallelism | Simpler mental model preferred |
| Large feature with clear phases | Small feature or bug fix |

### Enabling Swarm Mode

To trigger swarm execution, say:

> "Make a Task list and launch an army of agent swarm subagents to build the plan"

Or explicitly request: "Use swarm mode for this work"

### Swarm Workflow

When swarm mode is enabled, the workflow changes:

1. **Create Team**
   ```
   Teammate({ operation: "spawnTeam", team_name: "work-{timestamp}" })
   ```

2. **Create Task List with Dependencies**
   - Parse plan into TaskCreate items
   - Set up blockedBy relationships for sequential dependencies
   - Independent tasks have no blockers (can run in parallel)

3. **Spawn Specialized Teammates**
   ```
   Task({
     team_name: "work-{timestamp}",
     name: "implementer",
     subagent_type: "general-purpose",
     prompt: "Claim implementation tasks, execute, mark complete",
     run_in_background: true
   })

   Task({
     team_name: "work-{timestamp}",
     name: "tester",
     subagent_type: "general-purpose",
     prompt: "Claim testing tasks, run tests, mark complete",
     run_in_background: true
   })
   ```

4. **Coordinate and Monitor**
   - Team lead monitors task completion
   - Spawn additional workers as phases unblock
   - Handle plan approval if required

5. **Cleanup**
   ```
   Teammate({ operation: "requestShutdown", target_agent_id: "implementer" })
   Teammate({ operation: "requestShutdown", target_agent_id: "tester" })
   Teammate({ operation: "cleanup" })
   ```

See the `orchestrating-swarms` skill for detailed swarm patterns and best practices.

---

## Key Principles

### Start Fast, Execute Faster

- Get clarification once at the start, then execute
- Don't wait for perfect understanding - ask questions and move
- The goal is to **finish the feature**, not create perfect process

### The Plan is Your Guide

- Work documents should reference similar code and patterns
- Load those references and follow them
- Don't reinvent - match what exists

### Test As You Go

- Run tests after each change, not at the end
- Fix failures immediately
- Continuous testing prevents big surprises

### Quality is Built In

- Follow existing patterns
- Write tests for new code
- Run linting before pushing
- Use reviewer agents for complex/risky changes only

### Ship Complete Features

- Mark all tasks completed before moving on
- Don't leave features 80% done
- A finished feature that ships beats a perfect feature that doesn't

## Quality Checklist

Before creating PR, verify:

- [ ] All clarifying questions asked and answered
- [ ] All TodoWrite tasks marked completed
- [ ] Tests pass (run project's test command)
- [ ] Linting passes (use linting-agent)
- [ ] Code follows existing patterns
- [ ] Figma designs match implementation (if applicable)
- [ ] Before/after screenshots captured and uploaded (for UI changes)
- [ ] Commit messages follow conventional format
- [ ] PR description includes Post-Deploy Monitoring & Validation section (or explicit no-impact rationale)
- [ ] PR description includes summary, testing notes, and screenshots
- [ ] PR description includes Compound Engineered badge

## When to Use Reviewer Agents

**Don't use by default.** Use reviewer agents only when:

- Large refactor affecting many files (10+)
- Security-sensitive changes (authentication, permissions, data access)
- Performance-critical code paths
- Complex algorithms or business logic
- User explicitly requests thorough review

For most features: tests + linting + following patterns is sufficient.

## Common Pitfalls to Avoid

- **Analysis paralysis** - Don't overthink, read the plan and execute
- **Skipping clarifying questions** - Ask now, not after building wrong thing
- **Ignoring plan references** - The plan has links for a reason
- **Testing at the end** - Test continuously or suffer later
- **Forgetting TodoWrite** - Track progress or lose track of what's done
- **80% done syndrome** - Finish the feature, don't move on early
- **Over-reviewing simple changes** - Save reviewer agents for complex work