kata-execute-quick-task

What this skill does

<objective>
Execute small, ad-hoc tasks with Kata guarantees (atomic commits, STATE.md tracking) while skipping optional agents (research, plan-checker, verifier).

Quick mode is the same system with a shorter path:

- Spawns kata-planner (quick mode) + kata-executor(s)
- Skips kata-phase-researcher, kata-plan-checker, kata-verifier
- Quick tasks live in `.planning/quick/` separate from planned phases
- Updates STATE.md "Quick Tasks Completed" table (NOT ROADMAP.md)

Use when: You know exactly what to do and the task is small enough to not need research or verification.
</objective>

<execution_context>
Orchestration is inline - no separate workflow file. Quick mode is deliberately simpler than full Kata.
</execution_context>

<context>
@.planning/STATE.md
</context>

<process>
**Step 0: Resolve Model Profile**

Read model profile for agent spawning:

```bash
MODEL_PROFILE=$(node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/kata-execute-quick-task/scripts/kata-lib.cjs" read-config "model_profile" "balanced")
```

Default to "balanced" if not set.

**Model lookup table:**

| Agent         | quality | balanced | budget |
| ------------- | ------- | -------- | ------ |
| kata-planner  | opus    | opus     | sonnet |
| kata-executor | opus    | sonnet   | sonnet |

Store resolved models for use in Task calls below.

---

**Step 1: Pre-flight validation**

Check that an active Kata project exists:

```bash
if [ ! -f .planning/ROADMAP.md ]; then
  echo "Quick mode requires an active project with ROADMAP.md."
  echo "Run /kata-new-project first."
  exit 1
fi
```

If validation fails, stop immediately with the error message.

Quick tasks can run mid-phase - validation only checks ROADMAP.md exists, not phase status.

---

**Step 1.5: Parse issue argument (optional)**

Check for issue file path argument:

```bash
ISSUE_FILE=""
ISSUE_NUMBER=""
ISSUE_TITLE=""
ISSUE_PROBLEM=""

# Check for --issue flag
if echo "$ARGUMENTS" | grep -q -- "--issue"; then
  ISSUE_FILE=$(echo "$ARGUMENTS" | grep -oE '\-\-issue [^ ]+' | cut -d' ' -f2)

  if [ -f "$ISSUE_FILE" ]; then
    # Extract issue metadata
    ISSUE_TITLE=$(grep "^title:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
    PROVENANCE=$(grep "^provenance:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d' ' -f2)

    if echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -q "^github:"; then
      ISSUE_NUMBER=$(echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -oE '#[0-9]+' | tr -d '#')
    fi

    # Extract problem section for context
    ISSUE_PROBLEM=$(sed -n '/^## Problem/,/^## /p' "$ISSUE_FILE" | tail -n +2 | head -n -1)
  fi
fi
```

If `ISSUE_FILE` provided but file not found: error and exit.
If `ISSUE_FILE` provided and valid: Use issue title as description (skip Step 2 prompt).

---

**Step 2: Get task description**

**If `$ISSUE_FILE` is set (issue-driven quick task):**

```bash
DESCRIPTION="$ISSUE_TITLE"
echo "Using issue title: $DESCRIPTION"
```

Skip the AskUserQuestion prompt — use the issue title as the description.

**If no issue context (standard quick task):**

Prompt user interactively for the task description:

```
AskUserQuestion(
  header: "Quick Task",
  question: "What do you want to do?",
  followUp: null
)
```

Store response as `$DESCRIPTION`.

If empty, re-prompt: "Please provide a task description."

**Generate slug from description (both paths):**

Generate slug from description:

```bash
slug=$(echo "$DESCRIPTION" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | sed 's/[^a-z0-9]/-/g' | sed 's/--*/-/g' | sed 's/^-//;s/-$//' | cut -c1-40)
```

---

**Step 3: Calculate next quick task number**

Ensure `.planning/quick/` directory exists and find the next sequential number:

```bash
# Ensure .planning/quick/ exists
mkdir -p .planning/quick

# Find highest existing number and increment
last=$(ls -1d .planning/quick/[0-9][0-9][0-9]-* 2>/dev/null | sort -r | head -1 | xargs -I{} basename {} | grep -oE '^[0-9]+')

if [ -z "$last" ]; then
  next_num="001"
else
  next_num=$(printf "%03d" $((10#$last + 1)))
fi
```

---

**Step 4: Create quick task directory**

Create the directory for this quick task:

```bash
QUICK_DIR=".planning/quick/${next_num}-${slug}"
mkdir -p "$QUICK_DIR"
```

Report to user:

```
Creating quick task ${next_num}: ${DESCRIPTION}
Directory: ${QUICK_DIR}
```

Store `$QUICK_DIR` for use in orchestration.

---

**Step 4.5: Read context files**

Read files before spawning agents using the Read tool. The `@` syntax does not work across Task() boundaries - content must be inlined.

**Read these files:**

- `.planning/STATE.md` (required) — store as `STATE_CONTENT`
- `skills/kata-plan-phase/references/planner-instructions.md` (cross-skill reference) — store as `planner_instructions_content`
- `skills/kata-execute-phase/references/executor-instructions.md` (cross-skill reference) — store as `executor_instructions_content`

Store content for use in Task prompts below.

---

**Step 5: Spawn planner (quick mode)**

Spawn kata-planner with quick mode context:

```
Task(
  prompt="<agent-instructions>\n{planner_instructions_content}\n</agent-instructions>\n\n" +
"<planning_context>

**Mode:** quick
**Directory:** ${QUICK_DIR}
**Description:** ${DESCRIPTION}

**Project State:**
${STATE_CONTENT}

**Issue Context (if from issue):**
${ISSUE_FILE:+Issue File: $ISSUE_FILE}
${ISSUE_NUMBER:+GitHub Issue: #$ISSUE_NUMBER}
${ISSUE_PROBLEM:+
Problem:
$ISSUE_PROBLEM}

</planning_context>

<constraints>
- Create a SINGLE plan with 1-3 focused tasks
- Quick tasks should be atomic and self-contained
- No research phase, no checker phase
- Target ~30% context usage (simple, focused)
</constraints>

<output>
Write plan to: ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-PLAN.md
Return: ## PLANNING COMPLETE with plan path
</output>
",
  subagent_type="general-purpose",
  model="{planner_model}",
  description="Quick plan: ${DESCRIPTION}"
)
```

After planner returns:

1. Verify plan exists at `${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-PLAN.md`
2. Extract plan count (typically 1 for quick tasks)
3. Report: "Plan created: ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-PLAN.md"

If plan not found, error: "Planner failed to create ${next_num}-PLAN.md"

---

**Step 6: Spawn executor**

Read the plan content before spawning using the Read tool:

- `${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-PLAN.md`

Spawn kata-executor with inlined plan (use the STATE_CONTENT from step 4.5):

```
Task(
  prompt="<agent-instructions>\n{executor_instructions_content}\n</agent-instructions>\n\n" +
"Execute quick task ${next_num}.

<plan>
${PLAN_CONTENT}
</plan>

<project_state>
${STATE_CONTENT}
</project_state>

<constraints>
- Execute all tasks in the plan
- Commit each task atomically
- Create summary at: ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-SUMMARY.md
- Do NOT update ROADMAP.md (quick tasks are separate from planned phases)
</constraints>
",
  subagent_type="general-purpose",
  model="{executor_model}",
  description="Execute: ${DESCRIPTION}"
)
```

After executor returns:

1. Verify summary exists at `${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-SUMMARY.md`
2. Extract commit hash from executor output
3. Report completion status

If summary not found, error: "Executor failed to create ${next_num}-SUMMARY.md"

Note: For quick tasks producing multiple plans (rare), spawn executors in parallel waves per phase-execute patterns.

---

**Step 7: Update STATE.md**

Update STATE.md with quick task completion record.

**7a. Check if "Quick Tasks Completed" section exists:**

Read STATE.md and check for `### Quick Tasks Completed` section.

**7b. If section doesn't exist, create it:**

Insert after `### Blockers/Concerns` section:

```markdown
### Quick Tasks Completed

| #   | Description | Date | Commit | Directory |
| --- | ----------- | ---- | ------ | --------- |
```

**7c. Append new row to table:**

```markdown
| ${next_num} | ${DESCRIPTION} | $(date +%Y-%m-%d) | ${commit_hash} | [${next_num}-${slug}](./quick/${next_num}-${slug}/) |
```

**7d. Update "Last activity" line:**

Find and update the line:

```
Last activity: $(date +%Y-%m-%d) - Completed quick task ${next_num}: ${DESCRIPTION}
```

Use Edit tool to make these changes atomically

---

**Ste