§ reference · skill
implement
Executes an approved phased plan one phase at a time, applies changes, runs each phase's success criteria, and only advances when they pass.
§ 01 · purpose
Purpose
The execution arm of the pipeline. implement reads a plan, applies the edits for one phase, runs the success-criteria checks, ticks the - [x] boxes, and refuses to advance until verification is green. Plans approved via design/blueprint/plan land in the codebase here.
§ 02 · when to use
When to use it
- You have a phased plan under
.rpiv/artifacts/plans/ready to execute. - You want to run a single phase only (
/skill:implement <plan> Phase 2). - Skip for tiny bug fixes. Apply the change inline off the research artifact instead of building a plan.
§ 03 · inputs
Inputs
| Name | Required | Source |
|---|---|---|
$1 (plan path) | yes | Path to .rpiv/artifacts/plans/*.md |
${@:2} (phase scope) | no | e.g. Phase 2 (empty runs all phases sequentially) |
§ 04 · outputs
Outputs
| Artifact | Path | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Code changes | working tree | edits + commits per phase |
| Plan checkmarks | same plan file | - [x] updates in place |
§ 05 · key steps
Key steps
- Read plan + cited files fully Why: Implementation runs against the actual codebase, not against the plan's summary of it. Reading mentioned files without limits prevents partial-context surprises mid-phase.
- Follow the plan's intent while adapting to reality Why: Plans are designed, but reality drifts. On a genuine mismatch the agent stops, presents the deviation, and asks the developer to pick (follow the plan, skip the change, or revise the plan).
- Verify each phase against its success criteria Why: After each phase the agent runs the criteria (
make check testor equivalent) before advancing. No green, no progress. - Tick checkboxes in the plan file Why:
- [x]updates double as resume markers. Re-runs and validate read the same source of truth. - Chain to the next phase or close out Why: When the last in-scope phase is complete,
implementemits a completion block that signals downstream skills (validate,commit) to start.
§ 06 · related skills
Related skills
downstream validatecommitcode-review