# Planning with Files — Manus-Style Persistent Planning Skill

> Claude Code skill implementing persistent markdown planning with 96.7% benchmark pass rate. Uses a 3-file pattern (task_plan.md, findings.md, progress.md) to survive context resets.

## Install

Save the content below to `.claude/skills/` or append to your `CLAUDE.md`:

## Quick Use

Install the planning skill globally:

```bash
npx skills add OthmanAdi/planning-with-files --skill planning-with-files -g
```

Or manually:
1. Copy the SKILL.md content below
2. Save to `.claude/skills/planning-with-files.md` in your project
3. Claude Code loads it automatically on next conversation

---

## Intro

Planning with Files is a Claude Code skill that implements Manus-style persistent markdown planning, with 18,000+ GitHub stars and a 96.7% benchmark pass rate (29/30 assertions vs 6.7% without). It uses a 3-file pattern — `task_plan.md` for tracking phases, `findings.md` for storing research, and `progress.md` for session logs — treating the filesystem as persistent disk while the context window is volatile RAM. The skill survived 3/3 blind A/B tests and supports 16+ platforms.

Best for developers working on complex, multi-session projects where context continuity matters. Works with: Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Kiro, Copilot, Mastra Code. Setup time: under 1 minute.

---

## The 3-File Pattern

The core concept is simple but powerful:

```
Context Window = RAM (volatile)
Filesystem = Disk (persistent)
→ Anything important gets written to disk.
```

### task_plan.md — Track phases and progress
```markdown
# Task Plan

## Phase 1: Research
- [x] Investigate existing solutions
- [x] Document findings
- [ ] Choose approach

## Phase 2: Implementation
- [ ] Build core feature
- [ ] Add tests
```

### findings.md — Store research and discoveries
```markdown
# Findings

## API Options
- Option A: REST API (simpler, documented)
- Option B: GraphQL (flexible, newer)
→ Decision: Option A — better docs, team familiarity
```

### progress.md — Session log and test results
```markdown
# Progress

## Session 2026-04-04
- Completed Phase 1 research
- Found 3 API options, chose REST
- Next: Start Phase 2 implementation
```

### Key Features

- **Session Recovery**: When context resets, the skill reads planning files to restore full project context
- **2-Action Rule**: After every 2 significant actions, update planning files
- **3-Strike Error Protocol**: If the same error occurs 3 times, document it in findings.md and try a different approach
- **Security Boundaries**: Planning files never contain secrets, API keys, or credentials

### Benchmark Results

| Metric | With Skill | Without Skill |
|--------|-----------|--------------|
| Assertion Pass Rate | 96.7% (29/30) | 6.7% (2/30) |
| Blind A/B Wins | 3/3 | 0/3 |
| Context Recovery | Full | None |

### FAQ

**Q: What is Planning with Files?**
A: A Claude Code skill that implements persistent markdown planning using a 3-file pattern, achieving 96.7% benchmark pass rate for complex multi-session projects.

**Q: Is Planning with Files free?**
A: Yes, fully free and open source under the MIT license.

**Q: How do I install Planning with Files?**
A: Run `npx skills add OthmanAdi/planning-with-files --skill planning-with-files -g` for global installation.

---

## Source & Thanks

> Created by [Ahmad Othman Ammar Adi](https://github.com/OthmanAdi). Licensed under MIT.
>
> [planning-with-files](https://github.com/OthmanAdi/planning-with-files) — ⭐ 18,000+

Thank you for bringing structured planning persistence to AI coding workflows.

---

<!-- ZH -->


## Quick Use

Install the planning skill globally:

```bash
npx skills add OthmanAdi/planning-with-files --skill planning-with-files -g
```

---

## Intro

Planning with Files is a Claude Code skill that implements Manus-style persistent Markdown planning. It has 18,000+ GitHub stars and a 96.7% pass rate in benchmarks (29/30 assertions vs. 6.7% without the skill). It uses a three-file pattern — `task_plan.md` tracks phases, `findings.md` stores discoveries, and `progress.md` records session logs — turning the filesystem into persistent storage that counteracts the volatility of the context window.

Best for developers working on complex, multi-session projects. Supports Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, and 16+ other platforms.

---

## Three-File Pattern

Core idea: context window = memory (volatile) / filesystem = disk (persistent) → write anything important to disk.

- **task_plan.md** — Track phases and progress
- **findings.md** — Store research and findings
- **progress.md** — Session logs and test results

Benchmark: pass rate jumped from 6.7% to 96.7%, winning blind A/B tests 3 out of 3 times.

---

## Source & Thanks

> Created by [Ahmad Othman Ammar Adi](https://github.com/OthmanAdi). Licensed under MIT.
>
> [planning-with-files](https://github.com/OthmanAdi/planning-with-files) — ⭐ 18,000+



---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/planning-files-manus-style-persistent-planning-skill-034be597
Author: Skill Factory