/plan-swarm

description: "Execute a plan file with parallel agent swarm (dependency-aware)"
argument-hint: "<plan_path> [--workers N] [--model MODEL]"
allowed-tools: ["Read", "TaskCreate", "TaskUpdate", "TaskList", "TaskGet", "Task", "Bash"]
model: opus

Plan Swarm Command

Execute a plan file using parallel worker agents. **Requires a plan file.** All workers complete → done.

**Note:** Loop and swarm are interchangeable - swarm is just faster when tasks can run in parallel. Both enforce exit criteria and sync state.

Uses Claude Code's built-in Task Management System for dependency tracking and visual progress (`ctrl+t`).

Supported Plan Types

This command works with plans from:

• `/plan-creator` - Implementation plans
• `/bug-plan-creator` - Bug fix plans
• `/code-quality-plan-creator` - LSP-powered quality plans

Arguments

• `<plan_path>` (required): Path to the plan file
• `--workers N` (optional): Max concurrent workers (default: 3)
• `--model MODEL` (optional): Model for workers: haiku, sonnet, opus (default: sonnet)

Instructions

Step 1: Read the Plan (Only)

Read the plan file and extract tasks. **DO NOT read other files, grep, or explore the codebase** - just parse the plan: 1. **Files to Edit** - existing files that need modification 2. **Files to Create** - new files to create 3. **Implementation Plan** - per-file implementation instructions 4. **Requirements** - acceptance criteria 5. **Exit Criteria** - verification script and success conditions 6. **Dependency Graph** - file dependency phases for execution ordering

Step 2: Create Task Graph

Create a task for each work item and build an **ID map** as you go:

TaskCreate({ "subject": "Create auth types", ... })        // → task "1"
TaskCreate({ "subject": "Implement auth middleware", ... }) // → task "2"
TaskCreate({ "subject": "Add route protection", ... })     // → task "3"
TaskCreate({ "subject": "Run exit criteria", ... })        // → task "4"

Full TaskCreate per item:

TaskCreate({
  "subject": "Implement auth middleware",
  "description": "Full implementation details from plan - self-contained",
  "activeForm": "Implementing auth middleware"
})

**Translate the plan's `## Dependency Graph` table to `addBlockedBy`**. The plan contains a table mapping files to phases and dependencies — use it to set up the task graph:

Plan's Dependency Graph:
| Phase | File                    | Action | Depends On                |
|-------|-------------------------|--------|---------------------------|
| 1     | `src/types/auth.ts`     | create | —                         |
| 2     | `src/middleware/auth.ts` | create | `src/types/auth.ts`       |
| 3     | `src/routes/auth.ts`    | edit   | `src/middleware/auth.ts`   |

File→Task map: types→"1", middleware→"2", routes→"3", exit criteria→"4"

// Phase 1: no deps (task "1" is ready immediately)
// Phase 2: middleware depends on types
TaskUpdate({ "taskId": "2", "addBlockedBy": ["1"] })
// Phase 3: routes depends on middleware
TaskUpdate({ "taskId": "3", "addBlockedBy": ["2"] })
// Exit criteria blocked by all implementation tasks
TaskUpdate({ "taskId": "4", "addBlockedBy": ["1", "2", "3"] })

If the plan has no `## Dependency Graph` section (older plans), infer dependencies from per-file `Dependencies`/`Provides` fields.

A task with non-empty `blockedBy` shows as **blocked** in `ctrl+t`. When a blocking task is marked `completed`, it's automatically removed from the blocked list. A task becomes **ready** when its blockedBy list is empty.

**Task types:**

• File edits/creates → one task per file
• Major requirements → one task each
• Exit criteria verification → final task, blocked by all others

Step 3: Spawn Workers

**Worker limit N** = `--workers` value or **3** if not specified. This is a queue — spawn up to N, then wait for completions before spawning more.

Mark each task `in_progress` before spawning its worker. Spawn up to N background workers in a **SINGLE message** (all Task calls in one response):

Task({
  "description": "Task-1: Implement auth middleware",
  "subagent_type": "general-purpose",
  "model": "sonnet",
  "run_in_background": true,
  "allowed_tools": ["Read", "Edit", "Write", "Bash", "Glob", "Grep"],
  "prompt": "Execute this ONE task then exit:\n\nTask ID: 1\nSubject: Implement auth middleware\nDescription: <full details from plan>\n\nSteps:\n1. Execute the task (read files, make changes, verify)\n2. Output ONLY a one-line summary\n3. Exit immediately"
})

After all Task() calls return, output a status message like "3 workers launched. Waiting for completions." and **end your turn**. The system wakes you when a worker finishes.

Step 4: Process Completions

When a worker finishes, you are automatically woken. Then:

1. **TaskUpdate** — mark the finished worker's task as `completed` 2. **TaskList()** — see overall progress and find newly unblocked tasks 3. **Find ready tasks**: A task is ready when its status is `pending` AND its `blockedBy` list is empty. Completing a task automatically removes it from other tasks' `blockedBy` lists, potentially unblocking them. 4. Mark ready tasks `in_progress` and spawn new workers if slots available (respect worker limit N) 5. Output status and **end your turn** — you will be woken on the next completion

**Task lifecycle**: `pending` → (blocked until deps complete) → `in_progress` → `completed`

Repeat until all tasks completed → say **"Swarm complete"**

Visual Progress

Press `ctrl+t` to see task progress:

Tasks (2 done, 2 in progress, 3 open)
■ #3 Implement auth (Worker-1)
■ #4 Add routes (Worker-2)
□ #5 Integration tests > blocked by #3, #4

Error Handling

| Scenario | Action | |----------|--------| | Plan file not found | Report error and exit | | Worker fails mid-task | Other workers continue; task stays in_progress | | All tasks blocked | Circular dependency - review task graph | | Context compacted | TaskList → spawn re