format-todo-list

Generate properly formatted TodoWrite lists for orchestrator progress tracking. Use when creating phase checklists, updating task status, or ensuring consistent todo formatting.

164 stars

Best use case

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

Generate properly formatted TodoWrite lists for orchestrator progress tracking. Use when creating phase checklists, updating task status, or ensuring consistent todo formatting.

Teams using format-todo-list 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/format-todo-list/SKILL.md --create-dirs "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/maslennikov-ig/claude-code-orchestrator-kit/main/.claude/skills/format-todo-list/SKILL.md"

Manual Installation

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

How format-todo-list Compares

Feature / Agentformat-todo-listStandard Approach
Platform SupportNot specifiedLimited / Varies
Context Awareness High Baseline
Installation ComplexityUnknownN/A

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this skill do?

Generate properly formatted TodoWrite lists for orchestrator progress tracking. Use when creating phase checklists, updating task status, or ensuring consistent todo formatting.

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

# Format Todo List

Create properly structured todo lists for TodoWrite tool with correct status and activeForm fields.

## When to Use

- Creating initial phase checklists in orchestrators
- Updating todo list status
- Ensuring consistent todo formatting
- Generating progress tracking lists

## Instructions

### Step 1: Receive Todo Items

Accept array of todo items with status.

**Expected Input**:
```json
{
  "todos": [
    {
      "content": "Phase 1: Discovery",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "content": "Phase 2: Implementation",
      "status": "in_progress"
    },
    {
      "content": "Phase 3: Validation",
      "status": "pending"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Step 2: Generate Active Forms

Create activeForm for each todo based on content.

**Rules**:
- Convert imperative to present continuous
- "Run X" → "Running X"
- "Create X" → "Creating X"
- "Fix X" → "Fixing X"
- "Validate X" → "Validating X"

### Step 3: Validate Status

Ensure status is valid TodoWrite value.

**Valid Statuses**:
- `pending`: Not started
- `in_progress`: Currently active
- `completed`: Finished

### Step 4: Format for TodoWrite

Structure data for TodoWrite tool.

**Expected Output**:
```json
{
  "todos": [
    {
      "content": "Phase 1: Discovery",
      "status": "completed",
      "activeForm": "Discovering and analyzing"
    },
    {
      "content": "Phase 2: Implementation",
      "status": "in_progress",
      "activeForm": "Implementing changes"
    },
    {
      "content": "Phase 3: Validation",
      "status": "pending",
      "activeForm": "Validating results"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Error Handling

- **Invalid Status**: Return error listing valid statuses
- **Missing Content**: Return error for empty content
- **Empty Array**: Return error requesting at least one todo

## Examples

### Example 1: Phase Checklist

**Input**:
```json
{
  "todos": [
    {"content": "Phase 0: Pre-flight validation", "status": "completed"},
    {"content": "Phase 1: Bug detection", "status": "in_progress"},
    {"content": "Phase 2: Bug fixes", "status": "pending"},
    {"content": "Phase 3: Verification", "status": "pending"}
  ]
}
```

**Output**:
```json
{
  "todos": [
    {
      "content": "Phase 0: Pre-flight validation",
      "status": "completed",
      "activeForm": "Validating pre-flight checks"
    },
    {
      "content": "Phase 1: Bug detection",
      "status": "in_progress",
      "activeForm": "Detecting bugs"
    },
    {
      "content": "Phase 2: Bug fixes",
      "status": "pending",
      "activeForm": "Fixing bugs"
    },
    {
      "content": "Phase 3: Verification",
      "status": "pending",
      "activeForm": "Verifying fixes"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Example 2: Simple Task List

**Input**:
```json
{
  "todos": [
    {"content": "Run type check", "status": "completed"},
    {"content": "Run build", "status": "completed"},
    {"content": "Run tests", "status": "in_progress"}
  ]
}
```

**Output**:
```json
{
  "todos": [
    {
      "content": "Run type check",
      "status": "completed",
      "activeForm": "Running type check"
    },
    {
      "content": "Run build",
      "status": "completed",
      "activeForm": "Running build"
    },
    {
      "content": "Run tests",
      "status": "in_progress",
      "activeForm": "Running tests"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Example 3: Priority-Based List

**Input**:
```json
{
  "todos": [
    {"content": "Fix critical bugs", "status": "completed"},
    {"content": "Fix high-priority bugs", "status": "in_progress"},
    {"content": "Fix medium-priority bugs", "status": "pending"}
  ]
}
```

**Output**:
```json
{
  "todos": [
    {
      "content": "Fix critical bugs",
      "status": "completed",
      "activeForm": "Fixing critical bugs"
    },
    {
      "content": "Fix high-priority bugs",
      "status": "in_progress",
      "activeForm": "Fixing high-priority bugs"
    },
    {
      "content": "Fix medium-priority bugs",
      "status": "pending",
      "activeForm": "Fixing medium-priority bugs"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Validation

- [ ] Generates activeForm for all items
- [ ] Validates status values
- [ ] Handles various content formats
- [ ] Preserves original content
- [ ] Returns proper TodoWrite structure

## Supporting Files

- `template.json`: TodoWrite format template (see Supporting Files section)

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