The below is taken from the Cline 'Deep Planning' documentation which you can read for yourselves HERE.
/deep-planning
/deep-planning transforms Cline into a meticulous architect who investigates your codebase, asks clarifying questions, and creates a comprehensive implementation plan before writing a single line of code.When you use /deep-planning, Cline follows a four-step process that mirrors how senior developers approach complex features: thorough investigation, discussion & clarification of requirements, detailed planning, and structured task creation with progress tracking.
The Four-Step Process
Step 1: Silent Investigation
Cline becomes a detective, silently exploring your codebase to understand its structure, patterns, and constraints. He examines source files, analyzes import patterns, discovers class hierarchies, and identifies technical debt markers. No commentary, no narration - just focused research.During this phase, Cline runs commands like:
- Finding all class and function definitions across your codebase
- Analyzing import patterns to understand dependencies
- Discovering project structure and file organization
- Identifying TODOs and technical debt
Step 2: Discussion and Questions
Once Cline understands your codebase, he asks targeted questions that will shape the implementation. These aren’t generic questions - they’re specific to your project and the feature you’re building.Questions might cover:
- Clarifying ambiguous requirements
- Choosing between equally valid implementation approaches
- Confirming assumptions about system behavior
- Understanding preferences for technical decisions
Step 3: Implementation Plan Document
Cline creates a structured markdown document (implementation_plan.md) that serves as your implementation blueprint. This isn’t a vague outline - it’s a detailed specification with exact file paths, function signatures, and implementation order.The plan includes eight comprehensive sections:
- Overview: The goal and high-level approach
- Types: Complete type definitions and data structures
- Files: Exact files to create, modify, or delete
- Functions: New and modified functions with signatures
- Classes: Class modifications and inheritance details
- Dependencies: Package requirements and versions
- Testing: Validation strategies and test requirements
- Implementation Order: Step-by-step execution sequence
Step 4: Implementation Task Creation
Cline creates a new task that references the plan document and includes trackable implementation steps. The task comes with specific commands to read each section of the plan, ensuring the implementing agent (whether that’s you or Cline in Act Mode) can navigate the blueprint efficiently.
