Break a PRD into independently-grabbable issues using tracer-bullet vertical slices. Use when the user wants to convert a PRD to issues, create implementation tickets, or break down a PRD into work items.
Break a PRD into independently-grabbable issues using vertical slices (tracer bullets).
Ask the user for the PRD file. Ask the user for the format, name, and location where the issue list should be saved.
If you have not already explored the codebase, do so to understand the current state of the implementation. Focus on the modules identified in the PRD's Module Design section.
Break the PRD into tracer bullet issues. Each issue is a thin vertical slice that cuts through ALL integration layers end-to-end — schema, logic, API, UI, and tests — not a horizontal slice of a single layer.
Slices may be HITL or AFK:
Prefer AFK over HITL wherever possible.
Present the proposed breakdown as a numbered list. For each slice show:
Ask the user:
Flag any slice that addresses more than 2–3 user stories or would likely take more than half a day — it is probably too coarse and should be split.
Iterate until the user approves the breakdown.
Write all approved issues to the file the user specified. Number issues sequentially and use those numbers for cross-references within the file.
Use the issue template below for each issue. Write issues in dependency order (blockers first).
Do NOT modify the PRD file.
Type: HITL / AFK Blocked by: Issue <n> / None — can start immediately
<prd-filename>
A concise description of this vertical slice. Describe the end-to-end behaviour, not layer-by-layer implementation steps. Reference sections of the PRD rather than duplicating content.
Exactly how a developer (or the AI implementing this) confirms the slice is complete: