build

name: build description: Feature development pipeline - research, plan, track, and implement major features. argument-hint: [subcommand] [name] metadata: author: Shpigford version: "1.0"

Feature development pipeline - research, plan, track, and implement major features.

When to Use

• You need a structured workflow for building a major feature across research, planning, implementation, and tracking.
• The task involves moving a feature through named phases such as research, implementation, progress, or phase.
• You want one command to coordinate status, next steps, and phased delivery for a feature effort.

Instructions

This command manages a 4-phase feature development workflow for building major features. Parse $ARGUMENTS to determine which subcommand to run.

Arguments provided: $ARGUMENTS

Argument Parsing

Parse the first word of $ARGUMENTS to determine the subcommand:

• research [name] → Run the Research phase
• implementation [name] → Run the Implementation phase
• progress [name] → Run the Progress phase
• phase [n] [name] → Run Phase n of the implementation
• status [name] → Show current status and suggest next step
• (empty or unrecognized) → Show usage help

If the feature name is not provided in arguments, you MUST use AskUserQuestion to prompt for it.

Subcommand: Help (empty args)

If no arguments provided, display this help:

/build - Feature Development Pipeline

Subcommands:
  /build research [name]        Deep research on a feature idea
  /build implementation [name]  Create phased implementation plan
  /build progress [name]        Set up progress tracking
  /build phase [n] [name]       Execute implementation phase n
  /build status [name]          Show status and next steps

Example workflow:
  /build research chat-interface
  /build implementation chat-interface
  /build progress chat-interface
  /build phase 1 chat-interface

Then use AskUserQuestion to ask what they'd like to do:

• question: "What would you like to do?"
• header: "Action"
• multiSelect: false
• options:
  • label: "Start new feature research" description: "Begin deep research on a new feature idea"
  • label: "Continue existing feature" description: "Work on a feature already in progress"
  • label: "Check status" description: "See what step to do next for a feature"

Subcommand: research

Step 1: Get Feature Name

If feature name not in arguments, use AskUserQuestion:

• question: "What's a short identifier for this feature? (lowercase, hyphens ok - e.g., 'chat-interface', 'user-auth', 'data-export'). Use 'Other' to type it."
• header: "Feature name"
• multiSelect: false
• options:
  • label: "I'll type the name" description: "Enter a short, kebab-case identifier for the feature"

Step 2: Check for Existing Research

Check if docs/{name}/RESEARCH.md already exists.

If it exists, use AskUserQuestion:

• question: "A RESEARCH.md already exists for this feature. What would you like to do?"
• header: "Existing doc"
• multiSelect: false
• options:
  • label: "Overwrite" description: "Replace existing research with fresh exploration"
  • label: "Append" description: "Add new research below existing content"
  • label: "Skip" description: "Keep existing research, suggest next step"

If "Skip" selected, suggest running /build implementation {name} and exit.

Step 3: Gather Feature Context

Use AskUserQuestion to understand the feature:

• question: "Describe the feature you want to build. What problem does it solve? What should it do? (Use 'Other' to describe)"
• header: "Description"
• multiSelect: false
• options:
  • label: "I'll describe it" description: "Provide a detailed description of the feature"

Step 4: Research Scope

Use AskUserQuestion:

• question: "What aspects should the research focus on?"
• header: "Focus areas"
• multiSelect: true
• options:
  • label: "Technical implementation" description: "APIs, libraries, architecture patterns"
  • label: "UI/UX design" description: "Interface design, user flows, interactions"
  • label: "Data requirements" description: "What data to store, schemas, privacy"
  • label: "Platform capabilities" description: "OS APIs, system integrations, permissions"

Step 5: Conduct Deep Research

Now conduct DEEP research on the feature:

1. Codebase exploration: Understand existing patterns, similar features, relevant code
2. Web search: Research best practices, similar implementations, relevant APIs
3. Technical deep-dive: Explore specific technologies, libraries, frameworks
4. Use AskUserQuestion FREQUENTLY: Validate assumptions, clarify requirements, get input on decisions

Research should cover:

• Problem definition and user needs
• Technical approaches and trade-offs
• Required data models and storage
• UI/UX considerations
• Integration points with existing code
• Potential challenges and risks
• Recommended approac