Skip to main content

ralph-starter plan

Create an implementation plan from specifications.

Synopsis​

ralph-starter plan [options]

Description​

The plan command analyzes specs in the specs/ directory and generates an IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md with prioritized tasks.

Options​

OptionDescriptionDefault
--autoRun in automated mode (skip prompts)false

Prerequisites​

  • Ralph Playbook initialized (ralph-starter init)
  • At least one spec file in specs/ directory

Examples​

# Interactive planning
ralph-starter plan

# Automated planning
ralph-starter plan --auto

How It Works​

  1. Read Specs: Scans specs/ for markdown files
  2. Analyze: AI analyzes requirements and dependencies
  3. Prioritize: Creates ordered task list
  4. Generate: Writes IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md

Generated Plan Format​

# Implementation Plan

## Overview
Brief summary of the project.

## Tasks

### Phase 1: Setup
- [ ] Initialize project structure
- [ ] Set up development environment
- [ ] Configure build tools

### Phase 2: Core Features
- [ ] Implement user authentication
- [ ] Create main dashboard
- [ ] Add data persistence

### Phase 3: Polish
- [ ] Add error handling
- [ ] Write tests
- [ ] Documentation

## Dependencies
- Task B depends on Task A
- Task C depends on Task B

## Notes
Additional context for the AI agent.

Spec File Format​

For best results, write detailed specs:

# Feature: User Authentication

## Description
Add email/password authentication to the application.

## Requirements
- Login form with email and password
- Registration with email verification
- Password reset flow
- Session management

## Technical Notes
- Use NextAuth.js
- Store sessions in database
- Implement rate limiting

## Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] User can register with email
- [ ] User can log in
- [ ] User can reset password
- [ ] Sessions persist across page loads

Workflow​

# 1. Initialize
ralph-starter init

# 2. Write specs
echo "# My Feature\n\nDescription here..." > specs/feature.md

# 3. Create plan
ralph-starter plan

# 4. Review plan
cat IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md

# 5. Start building
ralph-starter run

Tips​

  1. One spec per feature - Keep specs focused
  2. Include acceptance criteria - Helps AI know when task is complete
  3. Add technical notes - Specify tech preferences
  4. Review the plan - Check the generated plan before running

See Also​