incremental-implementation

1# Incremental Implementation
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3## Overview
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5Build in thin vertical slices — implement one piece, test it, verify it, then expand. Avoid implementing an entire feature in one pass. Each increment should leave the system in a working, testable state. This is the execution discipline that makes large features manageable.
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7## When to Use
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9- Implementing any multi-file change
10- Building a new feature from a task breakdown
11- Refactoring existing code
12- Any time you're tempted to write more than ~100 lines before testing
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14**When NOT to use:** Single-file, single-function changes where the scope is already minimal.
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16## The Increment Cycle
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18```
19┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
20│                                      │
21│   Implement ──→ Test ──→ Verify ──┐  │
22│       ▲                           │  │
23│       └───── Commit ◄─────────────┘  │
24│              │                       │
25│              ▼                       │
26│          Next slice                  │
27│                                      │
28└──────────────────────────────────────┘
29```
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31For each slice:
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331. **Implement** the smallest complete piece of functionality
342. **Test** — run the test suite (or write a test if none exists)
353. **Verify** — confirm the slice works as expected (tests pass, build succeeds, manual check)
364. **Commit** -- save your progress with a descriptive message (see `git-workflow-and-versioning` for atomic commit guidance)
375. **Move to the next slice** — carry forward, don't restart
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