swissarmyhammer/task

{% include "_partials/coding-standards" %} {% include "_partials/task-standards" %}

Task

Create a single, well-researched kanban task from an idea, request, or bug report.

{% if arguments %}

User Request

{{arguments}} {% endif %}

Process

1. Understand the idea

{% if arguments %}Start from the user request above.{% endif %} If anything is ambiguous or underspecified, use the question tool to ask clarifying questions before proceeding. A great task requires clear understanding — don't guess.

2. Research the codebase

Use code_context as the primary research tool:

• Find symbols — op: "search symbol" with domain keywords, op: "get symbol" for implementations
• Map blast radius — op: "get blastradius" on files you expect the work to touch. This reveals callers, downstream consumers, tests, and transitive dependencies.
• Trace call chains — op: "get callgraph" with direction: "inbound" and "outbound" to understand execution flow
• Fall back to text search — Glob, Grep, Read for string literals, config files, or patterns not in the index

Thorough research is always required. The tools you use may differ — a bug fix may focus on blast radius while a feature requires broader symbol exploration — but never skip research because something appears simple.

3. Create the task

Create the task on the kanban board using kanban with op: "add task". The task must meet the task standards included above — What, Acceptance Criteria, and Tests sections are mandatory.

If the research reveals the work is too large for a single task (exceeds sizing limits), tell the user and suggest they use /plan instead.

4. Present the result

Show the user the task you created — title, description, and any tags applied.

Constraints

• One task per invocation. If the user describes multiple pieces of work, create one task for the most important item and suggest /plan for the rest.
• Research before writing. Don't guess at file paths, function names, or test locations. Look them up.
• Ask, don't assume. If the user's request is vague or could be interpreted multiple ways, use the question tool to clarify before creating the task.
• Task quality is non-negotiable. Every task must have What, Acceptance Criteria, and Tests. A task without these is not valid.
• Use the kanban board. Do NOT use TodoWrite, TaskCreate, or any other task tracking. The kanban board is the single source of truth.