Planning mode / Specs for development workflow

[poborin]

Feature Request: Planning Mode / Specs for Development Workflow

Summary

Add a planning mode or specs feature to Zed that allows developers to create structured, atomic, trackable tasks for development projects. This would integrate a systematic planning workflow directly into the editor, similar to features being adopted by other major AI-powered code editors.

Background

Currently, I manually create plan markdown files with atomic trackable tasks and implement them one by one. This workflow significantly improves my development organization and progress tracking, but having it integrated into Zed would streamline the process and provide better tooling support.

Reference Implementations in Other Editors

Several major AI-powered code editors have already implemented similar planning/specs features:

Windsurf Planning Mode

Link: https://docs.windsurf.com/windsurf/cascade/planning-mode

• Native interface for long-term AI collaboration with persistent planning files
• Generates local markdown files that AI refers back to throughout the project
• AI seeks approval before implementing steps and updates plans automatically
• Plans stored locally in ~/.codeium/windsurf/brain directory (not version controlled)
• Specialized planning agent iterates on long-term plans while selected model takes short-term actions

Amazon Kiro Specs

Link: https://kiro.dev/docs/specs/index

• Three-phase workflow: Requirements → Design → Implementation
• Structured artifacts that formalize development process for complex features
• Break down requirements into user stories with acceptance criteria
• Build design docs with sequence diagrams and architecture plans
• Track implementation progress across discrete tasks
• Designed for collaboration between product and engineering teams

Cursor Planning Agent

Link: https://docs.cursor.com/agent/planning

• AI agent automatically creates structured to-do lists for complex tasks
• Tasks can have dependencies on other tasks
• Real-time updates as work progresses with automatic completion marking
• To-dos visible in chat interface and Slack integration
• Message queuing system allows follow-up instructions while agent works
• Tasks broken down with clear visibility and progress tracking

Proposed Feature

A planning mode/specs system that would allow developers to:

1. Create structured development plans with atomic, trackable tasks
2. Break down complex features into manageable components
3. Track progress on individual tasks within the editor
4. Integrate with AI assistance for task generation and refinement
5. Link tasks to code changes for better traceability
6. Export/import plans in standard formats (markdown, etc.)

Benefits

• Improved development workflow - systematic approach to feature development
• Better project organization - clear breakdown of work items
• Enhanced collaboration - shared understanding of project scope and progress
• AI integration opportunities - leverage AI for task generation and suggestions
• Competitive positioning - align with industry trends in AI-powered development tools

Use Cases

• Planning new features before implementation
• Breaking down complex refactoring tasks
• Project management for solo developers
• Team collaboration on development roadmaps
• Documentation of development decisions and progress

Implementation Considerations

• Integration with existing Zed panels and workflow
• File format compatibility (markdown, JSON, etc.)
• AI assistant integration for plan generation
• Task status tracking and visualization
• Git integration for linking tasks to commits

This feature would significantly enhance Zed's value proposition as a modern development environment and align it with the planning capabilities being adopted across the industry.