File-Based Task Tracking Skill

Overview

The tasks directory contains a file-based tracking system for managing code review feedback, technical debt, feature requests, and work items. Each task is a markdown file with YAML frontmatter and structured sections.

This skill should be used when:

• Creating new tasks from findings or feedback
• Managing task lifecycle (pending → ready → complete)
• Triaging pending items for approval
• Checking or managing dependencies
• Converting PR comments or code findings into tracked work
• Updating work logs during task execution

If you are unsure whether a repo uses file-based tasks or Beads, use the tasks-router skill first.

File Naming Convention

Task files follow this naming pattern:

{issue_id}-{status}-{priority}-{description}.md

Components:

• issue_id: Sequential number (001, 002, 003...) - never reused
• status: pending (needs triage), ready (approved), complete (done)
• priority: p1 (critical), p2 (important), p3 (nice-to-have)
• description: kebab-case, brief description

Examples:

001-pending-p1-mailer-test.md
002-ready-p1-fix-n-plus-1.md
005-complete-p2-refactor-csv.md

File Structure

Each task is a markdown file with YAML frontmatter and structured sections. Use the template at task-template.md as a starting point when creating new tasks.

Required sections:

• Problem Statement - What is broken, missing, or needs improvement?
• Findings - Investigation results, root cause, key discoveries
• Proposed Solutions - Multiple options with pros/cons, effort, risk
• Recommended Action - Clear plan (filled during triage)
• Acceptance Criteria - Testable checklist items
• Work Log - Chronological record with date, actions, learnings

Optional sections:

• Technical Details - Affected files, related components, DB changes
• Resources - Links to errors, tests, PRs, documentation
• Notes - Additional context or decisions

YAML frontmatter fields:

---
status: ready              # pending | ready | complete
priority: p1              # p1 | p2 | p3
issue_id: "002"
tags: [rails, performance, database]
dependencies: ["001"]     # Issue IDs this is blocked by
---

Common Workflows

Creating a New Task

To create a new task from findings or feedback:

1. Determine next issue ID: ls tasks/ | grep -o '^[0-9]\+' | sort -n | tail -1
2. Copy template: cp assets/task-template.md tasks/{NEXT_ID}-pending-{priority}-{description}.md
3. Edit and fill required sections:
   • Problem Statement
   • Findings (if from investigation)
   • Proposed Solutions (multiple options)
   • Acceptance Criteria
   • Add initial Work Log entry
4. Determine status: pending (needs triage) or ready (pre-approved)
5. Add relevant tags for filtering

When to create a task:

• Requires more than 15-20 minutes of work
• Needs research, planning, or multiple approaches considered
• Has dependencies on other work
• Requires manager approval or prioritization
• Part of larger feature or refactor
• Technical debt needing documentation

When to act immediately instead:

• Issue is trivial (< 15 minutes)
• Complete context available now
• No planning needed
• User explicitly requests immediate action
• Simple bug fix with obvious solution

Triaging Pending Items

To triage pending tasks:

1. List pending items: ls tasks/*-pending-*.md
2. For each task:
   • Read Problem Statement and Findings
   • Review Proposed Solutions
   • Make decision: approve, defer, or modify priority
3. Update approved tasks:
   • Rename file: mv {file}-pending-{pri}-{desc}.md {file}-ready-{pri}-{desc}.md
   • Update frontmatter: status: pending → status: ready
   • Fill "Recommended Action" section with clear plan
   • Adjust priority if different from initial assessment
4. Deferred tasks stay in pending status

Use slash command: /triage for interactive approval workflow

Managing Dependencies

To track dependencies:

dependencies: ["002", "005"]  # This task blocked by issues 002 and 005
dependencies: []               # No blockers - can work immediately

To check what blocks a task:

grep "^dependencies:" tasks/003-*.md

To find what a task blocks:

grep -l 'dependencies:.*"002"' tasks/*.md

To verify blockers are complete before starting:

for dep in 001 002 003; do
  [ -f "tasks/${dep}-complete-*.md" ] || echo "Issue $dep not complete"
done

Updating Work Logs

When working on a task, always add a work log entry:

### YYYY-MM-DD - Session Title

**By:** Claude Code / Developer Name

**Actions:**
- Specific changes made (include file:line references)
- Commands executed
- Tests run
- Results of investigation

**Learnings:**
- What worked / what didn't
- Patterns discovered
- Key insights for future work

Work logs serve as:

• Historical record of investigation
• Documentation of approaches attempted
• Knowledge sharing for team
• Context for future similar work

Completing a Task

To mark a task as complete:

1. Verify all acceptance criteria checked off
2. Update Work Log with final session and results
3. Rename file: mv {file}-ready-{pri}-{desc}.md {file}-complete-{pri}-{desc}.md
4. Update frontmatter: status: ready → status: complete
5. Check for unblocked work: grep -l 'dependencies:.*"002"' tasks/*-ready-*.md
6. Commit with issue reference: feat: resolve issue 002

Integration with Development Workflows

Quick Reference Commands

Finding work:

# List highest priority unblocked work
grep -l 'dependencies: \[\]' tasks/*-ready-p1-*.md

# List all pending items needing triage
ls tasks/*-pending-*.md

# Find next issue ID
ls tasks/ | grep -o '^[0-9]\+' | sort -n | tail -1 | awk '{printf "%03d", $1+1}'

# Count by status
for status in pending ready complete; do
  echo "$status: $(ls -1 tasks/*-$status-*.md 2>/dev/null | wc -l)"
done

Dependency management:

# What blocks this task?
grep "^dependencies:" tasks/003-*.md

# What does this task block?
grep -l 'dependencies:.*"002"' tasks/*.md

Searching:

# Search by tag
grep -l "tags:.*rails" tasks/*.md

# Search by priority
ls tasks/*-p1-*.md

# Full-text search
grep -r "payment" tasks/

Key Distinctions

Tasks-file system (this skill):

• Markdown files in tasks/ directory
• Standalone files with YAML frontmatter
• Human-readable, git-friendly
• Use when repo has no .beads/ directory

Tasks-beads system:

• SQLite + JSONL in .beads/ directory
• Managed via br CLI
• Structured fields, richer queries
• Use when repo has .beads/ directory
• See tasks-beads skill for details

Tasks-router skill:

• Routes to tasks-file or tasks-beads based on repo state
• Use when unsure which system applies

TodoWrite tool:

• In-memory task tracking during agent sessions
• Temporary tracking for single conversation
• Not persisted to disk
• Different from both persistent systems above