backlog

name	backlog
description	Manage project backlog items as individual markdown files with YAML frontmatter. Use when user says "/cortex-backlog:backlog", "backlog add", "backlog list", "backlog pick", "add to backlog", "show backlog", "archive backlog item", "what's ready", "pick a backlog item", or asks to create/view/manage/select items.
argument-hint	<subcommand> [args]

Backlog

Standalone markdown files with YAML frontmatter in cortex/backlog/, named NNN-slug.md — NNN is the stable cross-reference used in blocks: [7]; the slug may drift cosmetically after retitling. Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/schema.md when creating or validating items. Every item verb accepts any reference form: numeric ID, slug, UUID prefix, lifecycle slug, or title phrase.

Subcommand: $ARGUMENTS (first word = subcommand, remainder = args). Bare invocation: present the subcommands below via AskUserQuestion.

add

cortex-create-backlog-item --title "{{title}}" --status backlog --type {{type}} --priority {{priority}} (defaults feature/medium; --parent NNN, --tags, --areas when specified), then open the created file for review.

new

Invoke /backlog-author compose for an authored body, then cortex-create-backlog-item --title "{{title}}" --status backlog --type {{type}} --body "..." with it. Unlike add, not opened for editing — already authored.

list

Run cortex-generate-backlog-index if cortex/backlog/index.md is missing (a local, non-version-controlled cache), then present it as a summary table.

archive

cortex-update-item {{item}} --status complete|abandoned — updates frontmatter in place, cascades blocked-by cleanup, auto-closes parent epics when all children are terminal, regenerates the index. Closes regardless of status, so warn before closing a backlog or in_progress item.

pick

Run cortex-backlog-ready. Take the first non-empty priority group (critical → contingent) and present it via AskUserQuestion — one item offered directly, several as the top 4 by priority (label "NNN — Title") noting omissions, none as "the backlog is clear". Then ask: Start work (/cortex-core:refine {{item}}, or /cortex-core:build {{item}} when already refined), View details, or Mark in-progress (status in_progress, bump updated).

ready

Run cortex-backlog-ready; on non-zero exit parse the error JSON and report it (suggest reindex if malformed). Render each non-empty group as ### {Priority} then - **{id}** {title}. All empty → Backlog is clear.

reindex

Run cortex-generate-backlog-index; report the item count for index.json and index.md.