minimal plan.yaml: a top-level stages list, each stage holds steps, each step has a name, a role (backend, qa, docs, ...), and an instruction string. file paths under files: scope the worktree. dependencies via depends_on: keep ordering tight. example: stages: [{ name: feat-x, steps: [{ name: design, role: architect, instruction: ...}, { name: implement, role: backend, depends_on: [design], instruction: ...}]}]. run with bernstein run plan.yaml. for ad-hoc goals skip the yaml entirely: bernstein -g "goal" --max-agents 5 lets bernstein decompose the goal into a synthetic plan on the fly. full schema: https://bernstein.run/docs/plan-yaml.
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