File-Based Todo System

Core Philosophy

The file-based todo system provides persistent, trackable work items using markdown files with YAML frontmatter. This enables better organization, dependency tracking, and historical documentation of work.

Key Sections

Todo File Structure

Location: todos/[issue-id]-[status]-[priority]-[description].md

Naming Convention:

• issue-id: GitHub issue number (optional, use "no-issue" if none)
• status: pending, ready, or complete
• priority: p1 (critical), p2 (important), or p3 (nice-to-have)
• description: Short kebab-case description

Example: 123-ready-p2-add-authentication.md

Frontmatter Schema

---
status: pending|ready|complete
priority: p1|p2|p3
issue: "123"  # GitHub issue number
dependencies: ["456-other-todo.md"]
created: 2026-01-12
updated: 2026-01-12
related_prs: ["456"]
assignee: username
estimated_hours: 4
tags: [authentication, security]
---

Status Lifecycle

1. pending - Todo is created but not ready to start
2. ready - Todo is ready to be worked on (dependencies met)
3. complete - Todo is finished and verified

Transition rules:

• pending → ready: When all dependencies are satisfied
• ready → complete: When acceptance criteria are met

Priority Levels

• P1 (Critical): Blocks release or causes data loss
• P2 (Important): Significant improvement but not blocking
• P3 (Nice-to-Have): Enhancements, optimizations, polish

Todo Template

---
status: pending
priority: p2
issue: "123"
dependencies: []
created: 2026-01-12
updated: 2026-01-12
---

# [Title]

## Problem Statement
[Clear description of the issue or problem to solve]

## Findings
- [ ] Finding 1
- [ ] Finding 2
- [ ] Finding 3

## Solutions
1. Concrete step 1
2. Concrete step 2
3. Concrete step 3

## Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] Criterion 1
- [ ] Criterion 2
- [ ] Criterion 3

## Work Log
- 2026-01-12: Initial creation
- 2026-01-13: Investigated solution options

Usage Examples

Example 1: Creating a new todo

User: "Create a todo for adding JWT authentication"

Assistant: I'll create a new todo file for JWT authentication.

---
status: pending
priority: p1
issue: "no-issue"
dependencies: []
created: 2026-01-12
updated: 2026-01-12
tags: [authentication, security]
---

# Add JWT Authentication

## Problem Statement
Application currently has no authentication mechanism. Users need secure access to protected routes.

## Findings
- [ ] Research JWT library options
- [ ] Identify required API endpoints
- [ ] Document authentication flow

## Solutions
1. Install JWT library
2. Create auth service
3. Add login/logout endpoints
4. Implement middleware for protected routes

## Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] Users can log in with credentials
- [ ] JWT tokens are validated on protected routes
- [ ] Token refresh mechanism works
- [ ] Logout invalidates tokens

## Work Log
- 2026-01-12: Initial creation

Example 2: Updating todo status

User: "Mark todo 123 as ready"

Assistant: I'll update the todo status to ready and verify all dependencies are met.

Example 3: Checking dependencies

User: "What todos are blocking work on 123?"

Assistant: I'll check the dependencies listed in the todo and report their current status.

Workflows

Creating a Todo

1. Determine priority level (p1/p2/p3)
2. Check for related GitHub issues
3. Identify any blocking dependencies
4. Create file with proper naming convention
5. Fill in template sections

Updating a Todo

1. Read existing todo file
2. Update status/acceptance criteria/findings
3. Update updated date in frontmatter
4. Add entry to work log

Completing a Todo

1. Verify all acceptance criteria are met
2. Update status to complete
3. Add completion note to work log
4. Check if any dependent todos can now be marked ready

Success Criteria

• Todo files follow naming convention
• All required frontmatter fields present
• Dependencies properly tracked
• Status transitions follow lifecycle rules
• Work log maintained for historical tracking

Integration with Workflows

The file-based todo system integrates with:

• Triage workflow: Categorize findings into todos
• Review workflow: Create todos for P1/P2 findings
• Plan workflow: Break plans into actionable todos

Commands

Use the /todo command for todo management:

• /todo list - List all todos (with optional --status and --priority filters)
• /todo create - Create new todo interactively
• /todo update <file> - Update todo status or add findings
• /todo show <file> - Display full todo details