| name | to-tickets |
| description | Break a plan or conversation into tracer-bullet vertical slices as a work-tree map (_map.md + leaf docs). Local first; mirror to GitHub only when asked. Use when a goal is too big for one change; helm's Plan phase reaches for this on decomposition. |
to-tickets
Decompose work into tracer-bullet vertical slices. Write helm's work-tree shapes: _map.md plus one leaf doc per ticket (see helm/references/artifacts.md if present).
Publish policy
- Always write local under
.scratch/<goal-slug>/ — this is the program counter.
- Also mirror to GitHub only when the user asks for GitHub, or already pointed at an issue URL/id. If
docs/agents/issue-tracker.md exists, follow its GitHub conventions for that mirror.
- Never skip the local write. Never ask which tracker after a local-only run.
Process
1. Gather context
Work from the conversation. If the user passes a reference (spec path, issue number/URL), fetch and read it.
2. Explore (optional)
If needed, explore the codebase. Prefer any domain vocabulary the repo already has. Look for prefactoring — make the change easy, then make the easy change. Prefactoring is its own ticket, done first.
3. Draft vertical slices
Each ticket:
- Cuts a narrow but complete path through every layer it touches (schema, logic, interface, tests) — vertical, not horizontal
- Is demoable / verifiable on its own
- Fits in one fresh context as one change
Give each ticket blocking edges — tickets that must finish before it starts.
Wide refactors (one mechanical change with huge blast radius) are the exception: sequence as expand → migrate batches → contract, not forced tracer bullets.
4. Quiz the developer
Present a numbered list: Title · Blocked by · What it delivers. Ask granularity, edges, merge/split. Iterate until approved.
5. Write local artifacts
_map.md — overarching intent + ordered task list with status and blockers:
# <goal title>
## Intent
<overarching what + why>
## Tasks
1. [pending] <task-slug>
2. [pending] <task-slug> — blocked by: 1
- One leaf doc per ticket at
.scratch/<goal-slug>/<task-slug>.md — Intent only at creation (Plan comes later when that leaf is planned):
# <ticket title>
## Intent
<what to build — end-to-end behaviour, not a layer checklist>
### Done when
- [ ] <acceptance criterion>
- [ ] <acceptance criterion>
No brittle file paths or code. Exception: decision-encoding prototypes may be inlined.
Do not write under issues/. Do not modify any parent issue on a tracker.
6. GitHub mirror (opt-in)
If publishing to GitHub: create one issue per ticket in dependency order (blockers first). Use native blocking/sub-issue links when available; otherwise put blockers in the body. Apply labels only if the repo already documents them and the user wants them — don't invent a triage vocabulary. Keep local _map.md + leaf docs as the resume source of truth.
