para-status

name	para-status
description	Display the current PARA workflow state and suggest the next action. Triggers on: "what's the para status", "show workflow state", "para status", "where are we in the workflow", "what's our current task", "show me the context".

Skill: para-status

Display the current state of PARA context and workflow progress.

Usage

para-status                  # Show current workflow state
para-status --verbose        # Include preview of active plan file contents
para-status --files          # List all context files with dates

What to Do

1. Check if context/context.md exists. If not, output:

   No PARA context found.
   Next: Run para-init to initialize PARA in this project.
   

   Then stop.

2. Read and parse context/context.md:

   • Human-readable summary section (above the JSON block)
   • JSON block: active_context, completed_summaries, research_docs, last_updated, phased_execution, workflow (if present)

3. Check git status for uncommitted changes (run git status --short)

4. Determine workflow state and next action:

   • Idle (active_context is empty, no research_docs) -> suggest para-research or para-plan
   • Researching (research_docs present, active_context is empty) -> "Research complete. Run para-plan to create an implementation plan using the research."
   • Planning (active_context has a plan, no execution_branch) -> "Run para-review --plan for Staff+ review, then para-execute"
   • Executing (execution_branch present, todos in context) -> "Continue working through todos, or run para-summarize when done"
   • Workflow Active (workflow object present) -> "Workflow in progress: phase {current_phase}, step {current_step}. Run para-workflow to resume."
   • Summarized (completed_summaries updated, active_context empty) -> suggest para-archive

5. Display output:

PARA Status

Current Work:
   {human-readable summary from context.md}

Active Plans:
   {list of active_context entries, or "None"}

Research Docs:
   {list of research_docs, or "None"}

Completed Summaries:
   {list of completed_summaries, or "None"}

Last Updated: {last_updated timestamp}

{If workflow present:}
Workflow:
   Mode: {mode}
   Phase {current_phase}, Step: {current_step}
   Completed: {phases_completed}

{If phased_execution present:}
Phase Progress:
   Phase 1: complete
   Phase 2: in_progress  ← current

Uncommitted Changes: {Yes/No — file count if yes}

Next Action:
   {Suggested next step}

Flags

• --verbose: After the status block, print the first 20 lines of each active plan file
• --files: List all files in context/plans/, context/summaries/, and context/archives/ with modification dates

Notes

• This skill is read-only -- it never modifies any files
• Run this anytime to reorient yourself in the workflow