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illuminatedworm/terrarium-tavern

Only use when the user explicitly asks to review an existing plan. Probes implicit decisions, adds objective validation and prototype comparison as needed, outputs a second-edition plan that replaces the original draft, without initiating formal implementation.

What is terrarium-tavern?

The illuminatedworm/terrarium-tavern skill is a specialized AI agent skill designed to critically review an existing plan without starting from scratch. It preserves the original goals, scope, and reasonable design decisions, and first checks project documents and existing knowledge to avoid redundant questions. If no previous plan exists, it asks for one before proceeding. The skill has three core phases: Grill (mandatory), which surfaces hidden assumptions and high-consequence decisions by examining defaults, error handling, state recovery, cross-module contracts, compatibility, and permissions with concrete counterexamples; Oracle (optional), which applies objective validation criteria from trusted sources like specifications, reference implementations, or user-confirmed invariants; and Prototype (optional), which creates minimal prototypes for subjective comparison of UI/interaction when text alone cannot decide. The skill converges after key decisions are confirmed, delegated, or deferred, outputting a complete second-edition plan with decisions, implementation steps, validation gates, and remaining assumptions. This skill is particularly useful for developers using AI-assisted coding tools like Claude Code, Cursor, or Codex who need rigorous plan reviews without repeating work. It operates through systematic questioning and evidence-based validation, ensuring that the final plan is actionable and risk-aware without prematurely triggering implementation.

Works with~Claude Code~Codex CLI~Cursor
npx skills add https://github.com/illuminatedworm/terrarium-tavern/tree/HEAD/.agents/skills/plan-refine

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Documentation

Review the latest version of the plan, preserving the original goals, scope, and reasonable design without redoing requirements interviews. First check project assets and documentation without repeating already answered questions; if a previous plan is missing, request it.

1. Grill: Implicit Decisions (Required)

Identify hidden decisions the plan has implicitly made for the user or high-consequence behaviors it has omitted. Follow the user's workflow to examine defaults, error/cancel/retry paths, state recovery, cross-module contracts, compatibility migrations, and permission boundaries. Challenge assumptions with concrete counterexamples rather than mechanically running a checklist.

Only ask about real tradeoffs that would significantly affect experience, architecture, data, security, or cost; resolve factual or low-cost reversible details on your own. For each question, state the assumption/gap, consequences, and a suggested path. Multiple rounds are allowed; ask many questions per round, grouped by topic, starting with prerequisite decisions. Wait for user responses before finalizing; silence does not imply consent.

2. Oracle: Objective Validation (Optional)

Enable only when credible, cost-effective objective criteria exist; the user may skip this. For each critical requirement, specify the criterion source, inspection method, and pass condition; prioritize specifications, reference implementations, user-confirmed examples, and invariants. For optimization tasks, list baselines, metrics, and constraints that must not regress. Do not treat model self-evaluation or agent metrics as ground truth; parts that cannot be automatically verified retain manual acceptance.

3. Prototype: Subjective Comparison (Optional)

Enable only when appearance or interaction quality influences decisions and text alone is insufficient; the user may skip this. Use references or a small number of minimally different prototypes for comparison, without continuing to probe abstract preferences. Only create isolated prototypes if the current mode permits and the user has authorized it; otherwise, write "Prototype comparison → User selection → Related implementation" into the second edition, leaving corresponding open items. Do not claim validation without showing or comparing.

Convergence

Converge after important decisions are confirmed, explicitly delegated, or deferred; also converge when the user requests to end. Output a complete, independently usable second-edition plan that integrates decisions, implementation steps, and applicable validation/prototype gates, along with a brief summary of changes and remaining assumptions; for deferred items, note when the decision is needed and what it blocks. Do not deliver only a questionnaire or patch; do not claim to have exhausted all risks. After output, stop; do not self-implement or restart the review.

Individual skills in this repo

This repo contains 2 individual skills — each has its own dedicated page.

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