ctask

Manages tasks using the ctask CLI wrapper over a local SQLite database. Use when tracking work items, creating tasks, managing dependencies, adding comments, labeling, or reviewing task status. Triggers on task tracking, ticket management, work planning, backlog management.

Best use case

ctask is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.

Manages tasks using the ctask CLI wrapper over a local SQLite database. Use when tracking work items, creating tasks, managing dependencies, adding comments, labeling, or reviewing task status. Triggers on task tracking, ticket management, work planning, backlog management.

Teams using ctask should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.

When to use this skill

  • You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.

When not to use this skill

  • You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
  • You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.

Installation

Claude Code / Cursor / Codex

$curl -o ~/.claude/skills/ctask/SKILL.md --create-dirs "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/antoniocascais/claude-code-toolkit/main/skills/ctask/SKILL.md"

Manual Installation

  1. Download SKILL.md from GitHub
  2. Place it in .claude/skills/ctask/SKILL.md inside your project
  3. Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill

How ctask Compares

Feature / AgentctaskStandard Approach
Platform SupportNot specifiedLimited / Varies
Context Awareness High Baseline
Installation ComplexityUnknownN/A

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this skill do?

Manages tasks using the ctask CLI wrapper over a local SQLite database. Use when tracking work items, creating tasks, managing dependencies, adding comments, labeling, or reviewing task status. Triggers on task tracking, ticket management, work planning, backlog management.

Where can I find the source code?

You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.

SKILL.md Source

# ctask — Local Task Tracker

Use the `ctask` CLI to track tasks, dependencies, comments, and labels in a local SQLite database.

## Prerequisites

`ctask` must be on `$PATH`. Database auto-initializes on first use.

## CLI Reference

### Create a task
```bash
ctask create "Title" [--desc "Description"] [--priority low|medium|high|critical] [--project "name"]
```

### List tasks
```bash
ctask list [--status open|in_progress|blocked|done|cancelled] [--priority <p>] [--project <name>] [--all]
```
Default: excludes cancelled tasks. Use `--all` to show everything.

### Show task details
```bash
ctask show <id>
```
Returns task fields, labels, dependencies (blocked by / blocks), and comments.

### Update a task
```bash
ctask update <id> [--title "New title"] [--desc "New desc"] [--status <s>] [--priority <p>] [--project "name"]
```

### Comments
```bash
ctask comment <id> <body>       # Add comment
ctask comments <id>             # List comments
```

### Dependencies
```bash
ctask block <id> --by <blocker_id>    # Task <id> is blocked by <blocker_id>
ctask unblock <id> --by <blocker_id>  # Remove dependency
ctask deps <id>                        # Show what blocks/is blocked by
```

### Labels
```bash
ctask label <id> <label>       # Add label
ctask unlabel <id> <label>     # Remove label
ctask labels <id>              # List labels
```

### Other
```bash
ctask delete <id>              # Permanently delete task
ctask search <query>           # Search title and description
```

## When to Act

| User says... | Do this |
|-------------|---------|
| "track this" / "add a task" / "remember to..." | `ctask create` — infer title from context, ask project if ambiguous |
| "what's open" / "what am I working on" | `ctask list --status open` |
| "I finished X" / marks work done | `ctask update <id> --status done` + `ctask comment <id> "outcome"` |
| "X depends on Y" / "can't do X until Y" | `ctask block <X> --by <Y>` |
| "I'm stuck on X" | `ctask update <id> --status blocked` + `ctask comment <id> "why"` |
| starts working on a task | `ctask update <id> --status in_progress` |

Always `ctask list` first to avoid creating duplicates.

## Enums

- **Statuses**: open, in_progress, blocked, done, cancelled
- **Priorities**: low, medium, high, critical (list output sorts by priority desc, then date desc)

## Guidelines

- Always quote titles with double-quotes to avoid shell issues.
- Comments are engineering logs, not status updates:
  - Bad: "done" / "updated status"
  - Good: "Fixed by switching to connection pooling — was hitting PG max_connections under load"
- When completing: `update --status done` + closing comment summarizing the outcome.
- When blocked: `update --status blocked` + comment explaining why + `block` if another task is the blocker.
- Use `--project` to scope tasks when working across multiple projects.

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