task-orchestrator

Migrates an already-populated, unscoped Task Orchestrator database in place to the project-scoping convention — creates a project anchor root, re-parents existing work trees under it, and writes rootId back to config.yaml. Use when a user says: adopt project scope, migrate this database to project scoping, make this DB multi-project, project-scope this workspace, adopt existing database, or set up project scoping for an existing DB.

Creates an MCP work item from conversation context. Scans existing containers to anchor the item in the right place (Bugs, Features, Tech Debt, Observations, etc.), infers type and priority, creates single items or work trees, and pre-fills required notes. Use when the conversation surfaces a bug, feature idea, tech debt item, or observation worth tracking persistently. Also use when user says: track this, log this bug, create a task for, or add this to the backlog.

Creates, views, edits, deletes, and validates note schemas for the MCP Task Orchestrator in .taskorchestrator/config.yaml — the templates that define which notes agents must fill at each workflow phase. Also manages the actor_authentication config block: set actor authentication policy, configure degraded mode, show actor_authentication config, set degradedModePolicy to reject, what's the current degraded mode policy. Use when user says: create schema, show schemas, edit schema, delete schema, validate config, what schemas exist, add a note to schema, remove note from schema, or configure gates.

Interactive onboarding for the MCP Task Orchestrator. Detects empty or populated workspaces and walks through how plan mode, persistent tracking, and the MCP work together. Use when a user says "get started", "how do I use this", "quick start", "first time setup", "onboard me", "what can this MCP do", or "help me learn task orchestrator".

Compatibility assessment for items with the needs-api-compat-review trait. Evaluates the MCP tool surface and the REST surface separately, since their compatibility models differ. Invoked via skillPointer when filling api-compatibility notes.

Guides the full lifecycle of a feature-implementation tagged MCP item (the feature container) — from queue through review. Creates or resumes the feature container, fills gate-enforced notes at each phase (feature-summary, implementation-notes, session-tracking, review-checklist), dispatches implementation subagents, and advances through queue, work, and review to terminal. Use when the user says: implement a feature, start a new feature, feature workflow, resume feature work, guide feature lifecycle, or references a feature-implementation item UUID.

End-to-end workflow for taking MCP work items from backlog to merged PR. Handles git branching, schema-driven planning, implementation, independent review, and PR creation. Composes spec-quality, review-quality, and schema-workflow skills into a single pipeline. Use when a user says "implement this", "work on this item", "fix these bugs", "pick up the next task", "create a PR for this", "go through the backlog", or references specific MCP item IDs for implementation.

SQLite migration assessment for items with the needs-migration-review trait. Evaluates schema changes, table recreation patterns, data migration strategy, and Flyway migration correctness. Invoked via skillPointer when filling migration-assessment notes.

Review quality framework for the work-to-review transition gate. Guides verification of plan alignment, test quality, and code simplification before marking implementation complete. Referenced by schema guidance fields during review-phase note filling. Use when filling review-checklist notes or when asked to review completed implementation work.

Analyzes the current implementation run — evaluates schema effectiveness, delegation alignment, note quality, and plan-to-execution fit. Captures cross-session trends and proposes improvements when patterns repeat. Use after implementation runs, or when user says 'retrospective', 'session review', 'what did we learn', 'analyze this run', 'how did that go', 'evaluate our process', 'wrap up', 'end of session review'. Also use when the output style's retrospective nudge fires after complete_tree.

Completes or cancels multiple items at once — closes out features, cleans up old work, and archives completed workstreams. Use when a user says: close out this feature, complete everything under X, cancel this workstream, clean up old items, bulk complete, finish this feature, or archive completed work.

Visualizes, creates, and diagnoses dependencies between MCP work items. Use when a user says: what blocks this, add a dependency, show dependency graph, why can't this start, link these items, unblock this, remove dependency, or show blockers.

Internal, hook-triggered: materializes MCP items from the approved plan and dispatches implementation.

Generates a project dashboard from MCP work items. Default is a lean, attention-first view: what's in flight, what's blocked, what to do next, what's queued. Use when the user says: project status, what's active, show me the dashboard, work summary, what should I work on, project health, what's blocked, where did I leave off, show items, what's in the backlog, overview, or any request to see or review the current state of work items. Also use at session start when gathering current project context.

Internal, hook-triggered: gathers existing MCP items and schema gate requirements to set the definition floor before planning.

Launcher for the Ralph-style queue drain script — emits the right `node ralph-loop.mjs` invocation based on the user's filter and bounds. The actual loop runs as a Node script that spawns one `claude -p --worktree` per iteration; this skill is the configurator, not the loop. Use when a user says: drain the backlog, ralph the queue, run Ralph loop, work the queue, batch through queue items, autonomous queue worker.

Navigates role transitions for MCP work items using advance_item. Shows current role, gate status, required notes, and the correct trigger to use. Use when a user says: advance this item, move to work, start this task, complete this item, what's the next status, why can't I advance, unblock this, cancel this item, or check gate status.

Configures how the MCP Task Orchestrator SERVER runs and is reached — transport (HTTP vs STDIO), the REST API, port publishing, config mounts, and config-sync. Use when a user says: run the server, register the image, set up the Docker container, enable the REST API, set up config-sync, reconfigure the server, change transport, expose the API, or reconnect to a different endpoint. NOT for first-time onboarding (that's quick-start) and NOT for note schemas / gates / traits / actor_authentication policy (that's manage-schemas) — this skill only decides how the container is launched and reached.

Specification quality framework for planning. Defines the minimum bar for what a plan must address — alternatives, non-goals, blast radius, risk flags, and test strategy. Referenced by schema guidance fields during queue-phase note filling. Use when filling requirements or design notes for any MCP work item.

End-to-end release automation — reads commits since last tag, infers semver bump, drafts changelog, creates release PR, merges it, waits for CI green, tags, and monitors the Docker build to completion. Use when the user says: prepare release, cut a release, bump version, create release PR, ship a new version, tag a release, deploy new version, or when all feature PRs are merged and it is time to release.

Internal, hook-triggered: drives a schema-typed MCP item through its gate-enforced phases, filling required notes.

Performance impact assessment for items with the needs-perf-review trait. Evaluates hot paths, query patterns, and measurement plans. Invoked via skillPointer when filling performance-baseline notes.

Assessment of plugin skill and hook changes needed after MCP or config changes. Evaluates skill references, hook context, config-format docs, and output style references. Invoked via skillPointer when filling plugin-impact notes.