flow-next

# Flow-Next Task Management Quick task operations in `.flow/`. For planning features use `/flow-next:plan`, for executing use `/flow-next:work`. ## Preamble **CRITICAL: flowctl is BUNDLED — NOT installed globally.** `which flowctl` will fail (expected). Define once; subsequent blocks use `$FLOWCTL`: ```bash FLOWCTL="${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/scripts/flowctl" [ -x "$FLOWCTL" ] || FLOWCTL="<plugin-root>/scripts/flowctl" # <plugin-root> = the directory two levels above this skill's SKILL.md file (the harness gave you that file's absolute path when the skill loaded); substitute it literally [ -x "$FLOWCTL" ] || FLOWCTL=".flow/bin/flowctl" ``` **Discover all commands/options:** ```bash $FLOWCTL --help $FLOWCTL <command> --help # e.g., $FLOWCTL task --help ``` ## Quick Reference ```bash # Check if .flow exists $FLOWCTL detect --json # Initialize (if needed) $FLOWCTL init --json # List everything (specs + tasks grouped) $FLOWCTL list --json # List all specs $FLOWCTL specs --json # List all tasks (or filter by spec/status) $FLOWCTL tasks --json $FLOWCTL tasks --spec fn-1-add-oauth --json $FLOWCTL tasks --status todo --json # View spec with all tasks $FLOWCTL show fn-1-add-oauth --json $FLOWCTL cat fn-1-add-oauth # Spec markdown # View single task $FLOWCTL show fn-1-add-oauth.2 --json $FLOWCTL cat fn-1-add-oauth.2 # Task spec # What's ready to work on? $FLOWCTL ready --spec fn-1-add-oauth --json # Create task under existing spec $FLOWCTL task create --spec fn-1-add-oauth --title "Fix bug X" --json # Set task description and acceptance (combined, fewer writes; unique per-task temp paths) $FLOWCTL task set-spec fn-1-add-oauth.2 --description "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/flow-desc-fn-1-add-oauth.2.md" --acceptance "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/flow-accept-fn-1-add-oauth.2.md" --json # Or use stdin with heredoc (no temp file): $FLOWCTL task set-description fn-1-add-oauth.2 --file - --json <<'EOF' Description here EOF # Start working on task $FLOWCTL start fn-1-add-oauth.2 --json # Mark task done echo "What was done" > /tmp/summary.md echo '{"commits":["abc123"],"tests":["npm test"],"prs":[]}' > /tmp/evidence.json $FLOWCTL done fn-1-add-oauth.2 --summary-file /tmp/summary.md --evidence-json /tmp/evidence.json --json # Validate structure $FLOWCTL validate --spec fn-1-add-oauth --json $FLOWCTL validate --all --json ``` ## Common Patterns ### "Add a task for X" 1. Find relevant spec: ```bash # List all specs $FLOWCTL specs --json # Or show a specific spec to check its scope $FLOWCTL show fn-1 --json ``` 2. Create task: ```bash $FLOWCTL task create --spec fn-N --title "Short title" --json ``` 3. Add description + acceptance (combined): ```bash # Unique per-task temp paths — written + consumed in this one block cat > "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/flow-desc-fn-N.M.md" << 'EOF' **Bug/Feature:** Brief description **Details:** - Point 1 - Point 2 EOF cat > "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/flow-accept-fn-N.M.md" << 'EOF' - [ ] Criterion 1 - [ ] Criterion 2 EOF $FLOWCTL task set-spec fn-N.M --description "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/flow-desc-fn-N.M.md" --acceptance "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/flow-accept-fn-N.M.md" --json ``` ### "What tasks are there?" ```bash # All specs $FLOWCTL specs --json # All tasks $FLOWCTL tasks --json # Tasks for specific spec $FLOWCTL tasks --spec fn-1-add-oauth --json # Ready tasks for a spec $FLOWCTL ready --spec fn-1-add-oauth --json ``` ### "Show me task X" ```bash $FLOWCTL show fn-1-add-oauth.2 --json # Metadata $FLOWCTL cat fn-1-add-oauth.2 # Full spec ``` (Legacy `fn-1.2` / `fn-1-xxx.2` still works.) ### Create new spec (rare - usually via /flow-next:plan) ```bash $FLOWCTL spec create --title "Spec title" --json # Returns: {"success": true, "id": "fn-N-spec-title", ...} ``` ### Close a spec as won't-do ```bash $FLOWCTL spec close fn-1-add-oauth --json ``` A spec closed **because we decided not to build it** also gets a file in `.flow/memory/declined/<concept-slug>.md`, written directly (agent prose, no flowctl verb): title, the decision in one line, short reasoning, and a `## Prior requests` list opened with today's date and where the request came from. The file already exists → append the dated line under `## Prior requests` and leave the decision as written. The entry body follows the artifact prose contract in [docs/prose.md](../../docs/flow-next/prose.md); proceed without it when the doc is absent. Without it the concept comes back next quarter with nothing to point at, and the next planner proposes it fresh. **Only a policy refusal earns a file.** A spec closed as superseded, merged into another spec, already implemented, or obsolete is not a decline — filing it there teaches future planners that shipped or in-flight work is rejected scope. Reopening a declined concept is the user's call alone. ## ID Format - Spec: `fn-N-slug` where slug is derived from title (e.g., `fn-1-add-oauth`, `fn-2-fix-login-bug`) - Task: `fn-N-slug.M` (e.g., `fn-1-add-oauth.1`, `fn-2-fix-login-bug.2`) Legacy formats `fn-N` and `fn-N-xxx` (random 3-char suffix) are still supported. ## Notes - Run `$FLOWCTL --help` to discover all commands and options - **Every write goes through a flowctl subcommand.** A session that edits `.flow/` JSON or task markdown by hand has broken this. - **Every read comes from `.flow/` state**, via `--json` (`detect`, `list`, `specs`, `tasks`, `show`, `ready`) or `cat` for markdown. An answer assembled from files skimmed by hand has broken this. - **A task marked complete is closed with `flowctl done` carrying both `--summary-file` and `--evidence-json`.** A bare status flip has broken this. - **Requests that need real planning or execution are handed off**, to `/flow-next:plan` and `/flow-next:work`. Improvising them here has broken this.