execute

Execute the active plan by creating an isolated worktree and tracking todos. Supports both simple and phased plans.

Usage

/para:execute                    # Auto-detect plan; prompts for phase if phased
/para:execute --phase=N          # Execute specific phase
/para:execute --no-worktree      # Skip worktree creation; fall back to git checkout -b

What It Does

1. Read the active plan from context/context.md
2. Detect simple vs phased plan (presence of phased_execution in JSON)
3. For phased plans, determine which phase to execute (prompt if not specified; verify previous phases are completed)
4. Fetch latest and create an isolated git worktree: git fetch origin main && git worktree add .para-worktrees/{task-name} -b para/{task-name} origin/main (or para/{task-name}-phase-N)
5. Extract checkbox items (- [ ] ...) from the plan's Implementation Steps section as todos. The checkbox text becomes both the todo item and the eventual commit message.
6. Update context/context.md with the todo list and worktree path (this file lives in the main working tree)
7. Make an empty initial commit in the worktree (see "context/context.md lives in main tree" design note below the Commit-Per-Todo Rule section): git -C .para-worktrees/{task-name} commit --allow-empty -m "chore: Initialize execution context for {task-name}"

--no-worktree Escape Hatch

When --no-worktree is specified, fall back to the legacy branch-based behavior: git checkout -b para/{task-name}. This still creates a branch — it just switches your current working directory to that branch instead of creating a separate worktree directory. There is no isolation: your main working tree moves to the new branch. Use this only for single-developer workflows where you don't need to keep the main working tree on its current branch.

Prerequisites

• context/context.md must exist with an active plan
• If no active plan, error: "No active plan found. Run /para:plan first."
• If dirty git state, warn user and offer to continue or stash first
• Check .gitignore for .para-worktrees/ entry; if missing, warn and suggest running /para:init
• If target worktree directory already exists, ask: continue in it, remove and recreate, or cancel
• If target branch already exists but no worktree, use git worktree add .para-worktrees/{task-name} para/{task-name} (without -b)

Context Update

Replace context/context.md with execution tracking format:

# Current Work Summary

Executing: {Task Name}

**Branch:** `para/{task-name}`
**Worktree:** `.para-worktrees/{task-name}`
**Plan:** context/plans/{plan-filename}

## To-Do List

- [ ] {Step 1 from plan}
- [ ] {Step 2 from plan}
- [ ] {Step 3 from plan}

## Progress Notes

_Update this section as you complete items._

---

```json
{
  "active_context": ["context/plans/{plan-filename}"],
  "completed_summaries": [],
  "execution_branch": "para/{task-name}",
  "worktree_path": ".para-worktrees/{task-name}",
  "execution_started": "{ISO timestamp}",
  "last_updated": "{ISO timestamp}"
}

See `../init/context-schema.md` for the full field reference.

For phased plans, add a `phased_execution` block with phase statuses and `current_phase: N`. The branch becomes `para/{task-name}-phase-N`, the worktree becomes `.para-worktrees/{task-name}-phase-N`, and both master and phase plans are listed in `active_context`. Each phase entry includes `branch` and `worktree_path` fields that are populated when execution begins.

## Commit-Per-Todo Rule (Spec-Driven TDD)

**Committing after each todo is mandatory. The checkbox text from the plan IS the commit message — use it verbatim (or lightly cleaned up for git conventions). Each todo follows a spec-first, tests-first cycle.**

Before starting any todo, verify that the active plan references a spec file (`context/data/*-spec.yaml` or equivalent contract). If missing, prompt the user to create the spec before proceeding.

The agent works inside the worktree directory (`.para-worktrees/{task-name}/`). All file edits, test runs, and git operations happen within this directory, keeping the main working tree untouched.

> **Design note — context/context.md lives in main tree:** `context/context.md` is intentionally kept in the main working tree (not the worktree) so it remains accessible regardless of which worktree is active. All PARA commands read from and write to the main working tree's `context/` directory. This is why the initial commit on each branch is an empty commit — there are no worktree-local files to commit at that point.

For each todo:
1. **Confirm spec + stubs exist** — locate the stub source file(s) for this step. If stubs are missing (planning was skipped), create them now from the spec before writing tests.
2. **Write tests first** — based on the plan's `Tests:` annotation and the spec. Tests import the stub and assert expected behavior.
3. **Run tests to see them fail (red)** — confirm tests fail for the right reason (missing implementation, not syntax errors).
4. **Implement** — replace stub bodies with real logic to make tests pass.
5. **Run tests to see them pass (green)** — verify all tests pass. If any fail, fix before proceeding.
6. **Mark complete + commit** — mark `[x]` in `context/context.md` (in the main working tree), stage changes in the worktree with `git -C .para-worktrees/{task-name} add -A`, commit with the checklist item text as the commit message.

If a todo has no meaningful automated tests (e.g., config changes, documentation, template updates), note this in the commit and skip steps 1–5.

When all todos are complete, suggest running `/para:review --pr` for independent Staff+ review before merging. Then run `/para:summarize`.

## Edge Cases

- **No implementation steps in plan:** Prompt user to provide todos manually.
- **Multiple active plans:** Ask user which one to execute.
- **Worktree directory already exists:** Ask: continue in existing worktree, remove and recreate, or cancel.
- **Branch exists but no worktree:** Use `git worktree add` without `-b` flag to attach to existing branch.
- **Stale worktree (context.md references missing directory):** Warn user, offer to recreate or clean up metadata.
- **`.para-worktrees/` not in .gitignore:** Warn and suggest running `/para:init`.
- **If a todo is too large:** Break it into smaller sub-items before implementing.
- **User runs command from inside worktree:** Detect missing `context/context.md` relative to cwd, warn that commands should be run from the main working tree.

## Notes

- Worktree isolation keeps the main working tree on its current branch while the agent works in `.para-worktrees/`
- Branch naming follows `para/{task-name}` for easy identification
- For phased plans, each phase branches from `main` (assuming previous phases are merged)
- Run `/para:status` anytime to see current progress and worktree state