Tasks

Tasks provide a dedicated project workflow integrated directly into Tarsk for organizing and executing project work. Create task descriptions, use AI-assisted planning and implementation, and track progress through task statuses and linked threads.

Overview

The Tasks view helps you:

• Capture ideas - Add task descriptions and keep them visible in the project
• Get AI plans - Move tasks to Plan for AI-generated implementation strategies
• Execute with AI - Move tasks to Build for AI-assisted implementation
• Track progress - Update task status through Test, Review, and Done
• Keep context - Each task can create a linked thread with full conversation history

Task Statuses

Tasks move through six workflow statuses:

Status	Purpose	What Happens
Ready	Capture new work	Add tasks with descriptions
Plan	Get AI-generated plans	AI analyzes task and creates implementation plan
Build	Implement with AI assistance	AI works on implementation based on task
Test	Validate the work	Manual testing and verification
Review	Get feedback and approval	Code review and team feedback
Done	Complete and deployed	Finished and shipped work

Adding Tasks

1. Click + Add Task in the Tasks view
2. Write a detailed description of what needs to be done
3. Click Add or press Ctrl+Enter
4. The system auto-generates a title from your description

Tips for good descriptions:

• Be specific (avoid vague requests like “fix bugs”)
• Include acceptance criteria or desired outcomes
• Mention constraints or requirements
• Provide relevant context

Example:

Add user authentication with email/password login.
Validate email format, require 8+ character passwords,
show specific error messages for failures,
save session tokens securely.

Editing & Deleting Tasks

• Edit: Click a task → Edit → modify description → Save
• Delete: Click a task → Edit → Delete button
• Move: Click a task to see status action buttons (Plan, Build, etc.)

Task Workflow

Ready → Plan → Build → Test → Review → Done

Plan Phase:

• Move task to Plan to create a thread
• AI analyzes the description and generates an implementation plan ({task-id}-plan.md)
• Review the plan in the thread and refine approach if needed
• Task shows loading indicator while planning

Build Phase:

• Move task to Build to create a thread for implementation
• AI reads the description and starts coding
• AI can write code, modify files, create commits, and run tests
• Guide implementation through thread chat
• Task shows loading indicator during work

Test & Review:

• Move to Test for manual validation
• Move to Review for code review and approval
• Move to Done when complete

Automatic Updates:

• If a task’s thread is deleted, the task automatically moves to Done
• System polls every 2 seconds while tasks are working to show progress

Agent Tasks Tool

The AI agent can manage the task board programmatically using the tasks tool. During a conversation, the agent can:

• Add tasks in the Ready status
• Update tasks (change status, title, or description)
• List tasks to see the current board state
• Delete tasks that are no longer needed
• Implement tasks by starting work (moves to Build and creates a thread)

This means you can ask the agent to create tasks from a plan, move tasks through the workflow, or start implementing a specific task — all from the chat interface.

Best Practices

Writing good descriptions:

• Be specific and detailed for better AI results
• Include acceptance criteria and constraints
• Provide context on why the task matters

Managing workflow efficiently:

• Keep the Ready status clear—don’t accumulate stale tasks
• Focus on one Plan/Build at a time to avoid context switching
• Always review the generated plan before building
• Use thread chat to guide AI if it goes wrong
• Complete the full cycle: Plan → Build → Test → Review → Done

Working with AI-generated code:

• The plan is saved as {task-id}-plan.md—review it before proceeding
• Provide feedback in the thread if the approach needs adjustment
• Validate locally in Test phase to catch issues
• Examine git commits to understand changes

Task-Thread Connection:

• When you move a task to Plan or Build, a thread is automatically created
• The thread maintains full conversation history
• Click the task to jump to its thread
• If you delete a thread, its task automatically moves to Done
• This keeps everything linked while letting you work in threads