| description | Task list template for feature implementation |
|---|
Input: Design documents from /specs/[###-feature-name]/
Prerequisites: plan.md (required), spec.md (required for user stories), research.md, data-model.md, contracts/
Tests: The examples below include test tasks. Tests are OPTIONAL - only include them if explicitly requested in the feature specification.
Organization: Tasks are grouped by user story to enable independent implementation and testing of each story.
- [P]: Can run in parallel (different files, no dependencies)
- [Story]: Which user story this task belongs to (e.g., US1, US2, US3)
- Include exact file paths in descriptions
- For governed operations (commands the constitution defines with specific syntax): append the exact command — e.g.,
Push packages: \dotnet nuget push "*.nupkg" --api-key $KEY --source $URL``
- Single project:
src/,tests/at repository root - Web app:
backend/src/,frontend/src/ - Mobile:
api/src/,ios/src/orandroid/src/ - Paths shown below assume single project - adjust based on plan.md structure
Purpose: Project initialization and basic structure
- T001 Create project structure per implementation plan
- T002 Initialize [language] project with [framework] dependencies
- T003 [P] Configure linting and formatting tools
Purpose: Core infrastructure that MUST be complete before ANY user story can be implemented
Examples of foundational tasks (adjust based on your project):
- T004 Setup database schema and migrations framework
- T005 [P] Implement authentication/authorization framework
- T006 [P] Setup API routing and middleware structure
- T007 Create base models/entities that all stories depend on
- T008 Configure error handling and logging infrastructure
- T009 Setup environment configuration management
Checkpoint: Foundation ready - user story implementation can now begin in parallel
Goal: [Brief description of what this story delivers]
Independent Test: [How to verify this story works on its own]
NOTE: Write these tests FIRST, ensure they FAIL before implementation
- T010 [P] [US1] Contract test for [endpoint] in tests/contract/test_[name].py
- T011 [P] [US1] Integration test for [user journey] in tests/integration/test_[name].py
- T012 [P] [US1] Create [Entity1] model in src/models/[entity1].py
- T013 [P] [US1] Create [Entity2] model in src/models/[entity2].py
- T014 [US1] Implement [Service] in src/services/[service].py (depends on T012, T013)
- T015 [US1] Implement [endpoint/feature] in src/[location]/[file].py
- T016 [US1] Add validation and error handling
- T017 [US1] Add logging for user story 1 operations
Checkpoint: At this point, User Story 1 should be fully functional and testable independently
Goal: [Brief description of what this story delivers]
Independent Test: [How to verify this story works on its own]
- T018 [P] [US2] Contract test for [endpoint] in tests/contract/test_[name].py
- T019 [P] [US2] Integration test for [user journey] in tests/integration/test_[name].py
- T020 [P] [US2] Create [Entity] model in src/models/[entity].py
- T021 [US2] Implement [Service] in src/services/[service].py
- T022 [US2] Implement [endpoint/feature] in src/[location]/[file].py
- T023 [US2] Integrate with User Story 1 components (if needed)
Checkpoint: At this point, User Stories 1 AND 2 should both work independently
Goal: [Brief description of what this story delivers]
Independent Test: [How to verify this story works on its own]
- T024 [P] [US3] Contract test for [endpoint] in tests/contract/test_[name].py
- T025 [P] [US3] Integration test for [user journey] in tests/integration/test_[name].py
- T026 [P] [US3] Create [Entity] model in src/models/[entity].py
- T027 [US3] Implement [Service] in src/services/[service].py
- T028 [US3] Implement [endpoint/feature] in src/[location]/[file].py
Checkpoint: All user stories should now be independently functional
[Add more user story phases as needed, following the same pattern]
Purpose: Improvements that affect multiple user stories
- TXXX [P] Documentation updates in docs/
- TXXX Code cleanup and refactoring
- TXXX Performance optimization across all stories
- TXXX [P] Additional unit tests (if requested) in tests/unit/
- TXXX Security hardening
- TXXX Run quickstart.md validation
- Setup (Phase 1): No dependencies - can start immediately
- Foundational (Phase 2): Depends on Setup completion - BLOCKS all user stories
- User Stories (Phase 3+): All depend on Foundational phase completion
- User stories can then proceed in parallel (if staffed)
- Or sequentially in priority order (P1 → P2 → P3)
- Polish (Final Phase): Depends on all desired user stories being complete
- User Story 1 (P1): Can start after Foundational (Phase 2) - No dependencies on other stories
- User Story 2 (P2): Can start after Foundational (Phase 2) - May integrate with US1 but should be independently testable
- User Story 3 (P3): Can start after Foundational (Phase 2) - May integrate with US1/US2 but should be independently testable
- Tests (if included) MUST be written and FAIL before implementation
- Models before services
- Services before endpoints
- Core implementation before integration
- Story complete before moving to next priority
- All Setup tasks marked [P] can run in parallel
- All Foundational tasks marked [P] can run in parallel (within Phase 2)
- Once Foundational phase completes, all user stories can start in parallel (if team capacity allows)
- All tests for a user story marked [P] can run in parallel
- Models within a story marked [P] can run in parallel
- Different user stories can be worked on in parallel by different team members
# Launch all tests for User Story 1 together (if tests requested):
Task: "Contract test for [endpoint] in tests/contract/test_[name].py"
Task: "Integration test for [user journey] in tests/integration/test_[name].py"
# Launch all models for User Story 1 together:
Task: "Create [Entity1] model in src/models/[entity1].py"
Task: "Create [Entity2] model in src/models/[entity2].py"- Complete Phase 1: Setup
- Complete Phase 2: Foundational (CRITICAL - blocks all stories)
- Complete Phase 3: User Story 1
- STOP and VALIDATE: Test User Story 1 independently
- Deploy/demo if ready
- Complete Setup + Foundational → Foundation ready
- Add User Story 1 → Test independently → Deploy/Demo (MVP!)
- Add User Story 2 → Test independently → Deploy/Demo
- Add User Story 3 → Test independently → Deploy/Demo
- Each story adds value without breaking previous stories
With multiple developers:
- Team completes Setup + Foundational together
- Once Foundational is done:
- Developer A: User Story 1
- Developer B: User Story 2
- Developer C: User Story 3
- Stories complete and integrate independently
- [P] tasks = different files, no dependencies
- [Story] label maps task to specific user story for traceability
- Each user story should be independently completable and testable
- Verify tests fail before implementing
- Commit after each task or logical group
- Stop at any checkpoint to validate story independently
- Avoid: vague tasks, same file conflicts, cross-story dependencies that break independence