Manus-style file-based planning for complex tasks. Creates and maintains task_plan.md, findings.md, and progress.md under .kiro/plan/. Use when planning, breaking down work, resuming a multi-step task, tracking phases, or restoring context after compaction. Trigger phrases include start planning, continue task, resume work, current phase, restore context.
Work like Manus: use persistent markdown as your working memory on disk while the model context behaves like volatile RAM. Deep background: references/manus-principles.md.
Kiro complements this with:
.kiro/steering/planning-context.md uses inclusion: auto and #[[file:…]] live references (Steering docs).Hooks are not bundled: project-level hooks affect every chat in the workspace. Prefer this skill + steering + the reminder block below.
From the workspace root:
sh .kiro/skills/planning-with-files/assets/scripts/bootstrap.sh
Windows (PowerShell):
pwsh -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .kiro/skills/planning-with-files/assets/scripts/bootstrap.ps1
Creates:
.kiro/plan/task_plan.md, findings.md, progress.md.kiro/steering/planning-context.md (auto + #[[file:.kiro/plan/…]])Idempotent: existing files are not overwritten.
Import as a workspace skill (optional): Kiro → Agent Steering & Skills → Import a skill → choose this planning-with-files folder (Skills docs).
Append the following block to the end of your reply, and repeat it at the end of subsequent replies while this planning session is active:
[Planning Active]Before each turn, read.kiro/plan/task_plan.mdand.kiro/plan/progress.mdto restore context.
.kiro/plan/task_plan.md — goal, phases, status.kiro/plan/progress.md — recent actions.kiro/plan/findings.md for research and decisionsIf .kiro/plan/ is missing, run STEP 0.
Summaries + file mtimes (compare with git diff --stat if needed):
$(command -v python3 || command -v python) \
.kiro/skills/planning-with-files/assets/scripts/session-catchup.py "$(pwd)"
Windows:
python .kiro/skills/planning-with-files/assets/scripts/session-catchup.py (Get-Location)
Then reconcile planning files with the actual codebase.
From workspace root (defaults to .kiro/plan/task_plan.md):
sh .kiro/skills/planning-with-files/assets/scripts/check-complete.sh
pwsh -File .kiro/skills/planning-with-files/assets/scripts/check-complete.ps1
Full detail: references/planning-rules.md. Inline template skeletons: references/planning-templates.md.
task_plan.md.findings.md.task_plan.md into attention.in_progress → complete, log errors.Use: multi-step work, research, refactors, anything that spans many tool calls.
Skip: one-off questions, tiny single-file edits.
| Avoid | Prefer |
|---|---|
| Goals only in chat | .kiro/plan/task_plan.md |
| Silent retries | Log errors; change approach |
| Huge pasted logs in chat | Append to findings.md or progress.md |