Task Next - Dependency-Aware Task Selection

Shows which tasks are ready to work on based on dependency resolution.

When to Use

• Tasks related to task-next
• User explicitly invokes /task-next

When NOT to Use

• When the task doesn't match this skill's scope -- check related skills
• When a more specialized skill exists for the specific task

Usage

/task-next              # Show ready (unblocked) tasks
/task-next --all        # Show ready, blocked, and completed
/task-next --blocked    # Show only blocked tasks

How It Works

1. Reads ROADMAP.md and finds all task items (- [ ] **ID:** Description)
2. Parses [depends: X1, X2] annotations on each task
3. Builds a directed acyclic graph (DAG) of dependencies
4. Runs Kahn's topological sort to determine execution order
5. Reports which tasks are ready (all dependencies completed) vs blocked

Steps

1. Run the dependency resolver

node scripts/tasks/resolve-dependencies.js

2. Present results to the user

Format the output clearly:

Ready tasks — these can be started now:

• List each with its ID, description, and satisfied dependencies
• Suggest the highest-priority one based on track ordering

Blocked tasks — these are waiting on other tasks:

• List each with what it's waiting for
• Highlight if a blocker is close to completion

3. Help the user pick

If the user wants to work on a task:

1. Confirm the task ID
2. Mark it as the active task in TodoWrite
3. Begin implementation

4. After completing a task

When a task is done:

1. Check off the item in ROADMAP.md (- [ ] -> - [x])
2. Re-run the resolver to see what's newly unblocked
3. Tell the user what tasks are now available

Dependency Annotation Format

Add [depends: X1, X2] to any task item in ROADMAP.md:

- [ ] **B3:** Lighthouse CI Integration [depends: B1, B2]
- [ ] **B5:** Lighthouse Dashboard Tab [depends: B3, B4]

Rules:

• Dependencies reference task IDs (B1, B3, CANON-0011, DEBT-0944, etc.)
• Multiple dependencies separated by commas
• Annotation must be in square brackets at the end of the line
• Tasks without [depends:] are considered independent (always ready)
• Circular dependencies are detected and reported as errors

Version History