Project-Specific Todo List with dstask

VerifiedSafe

Manage a project-specific todo list using dstask with tag-based filtering. Tags +PROJECT and +PROJECT:BRANCH are used for project/branch scope.

Sby Skills Guide Bot
ProductivityIntermediate
7/24/2026
Claude Code
#task-management#todo-list#git-integration#dstask

Recommended for

Automated summary

Manages a project-specific todo list using dstask, with automatic branch-based filtering and tag scoping.

Strengths

  • Integrates with git branches to scope tasks per branch
  • Supports add, complete, modify, start, and stop actions
  • Uses dstask for efficient and lightweight task management
  • Allows global tasks that are visible across all branches

Limitations

  • Requires dstask to be installed and configured
  • Depends on git repository context
  • Limited to single-user task tracking
When to use it

When you need branch-aware task tracking integrated into your development workflow.

When not to use it

When you need a collaborative task board or integration with external project management tools.

Security analysis

Safe
Quality score90/100

The skill uses only safe Git and dstask commands to manage a local task list. There is no data exfiltration, destructive operations, or obfuscation. All commands are standard and scoped to the project.

No concerns found

How this analysis is made

Examples

Add a task to the TODO list
Add a task to my TODO: Fix login bug
Show current branch tasks
Show my TODO list
Complete a task
Complete task 3 from the TODO list

name: task description: Manage a project-specific todo list using dstask with tag-based filtering. Tags +PROJECT and +PROJECT:BRANCH are used for project/branch scope. Use when user mentions "TODO" in their request (e.g., "add task to TODO", "print my TODO list", "start task 1 from TODO"). allowed-tools: "Bash,Read,Glob,Grep" version: "1.2.0"

Introduction

This skill manages a per-project task list using dstask with project and branch scoping. Tasks are filtered using the project:PROJECT_NAME parameter and optional +PROJECT:BRANCH tags to show relevant tasks based on the current branch context.


Step 1: Detect Project and Branch

Use Bash to detect the project name and current branch:

git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null | xargs -I{} basename {}
git branch --show-current 2>/dev/null

Store these values:

  • PROJECT = project name (e.g., myproject)
  • BRANCH = branch name (e.g., feature-branch)
  • IS_FEATURE_BRANCH = true if BRANCH is neither "main" nor "master", false otherwise

Step 2: Determine Scope

Based on the branch and user request, determine the appropriate scope:

Branch Types

| Branch | Behavior | |--------|----------| | main or master | Project scope: all tasks for this project | | Feature branch | Branch scope: only tasks for this project AND branch |

Keyword Overrides

| Keyword | Scope | |---------|-------| | "all" | Project scope (ignores branch filter) | | "global" | Project scope (ignores branch filter) |

On main/master branch: Commands use project:PROJECT to show all project tasks.

On feature branch: Commands use project:PROJECT plus +PROJECT:BRANCH tag to filter to branch-specific tasks, unless user specifies "all" or "global".


Step 3: Parse User Intent and Execute Command

View Tasks

Trigger phrases: "show", "view", "print", "list", "display", "my TODO", "todo list"

User asks for "all" or "global" (project-wide view):

dstask show-open project:PROJECT

Example: dstask show-open project:myproject

On main/master branch (project-wide view):

dstask show-open project:PROJECT

On feature branch (branch-scoped view):

dstask show-open project:PROJECT +PROJECT:BRANCH

Example: dstask show-open project:myproject +myproject:feature-login


Add Task

Trigger phrases: "add", "create", "new task", "TODO:"

On main/master branch:

dstask add project:PROJECT "<task summary>" [+TAG]

Example: dstask add project:myproject "Fix deployment bug" +bug

On feature branch:

dstask add project:PROJECT "<task summary>" +PROJECT:BRANCH [+TAG]

Example: dstask add project:myproject "Implement login form" +myproject:feature-login

User specifies "global" task (visible across all branches):

dstask add project:PROJECT "<task summary>"

This creates a project-level task without the branch-specific tag.

Additional tags can be added inline (e.g., +bug, +feature).


Complete Task

Trigger phrases: "complete", "done", "finish", "resolve", "close"

dstask <id> done [optional closing note]

Example: dstask 1 done

Extract the task ID from the user's request (e.g., "complete task 1" → dstask 1 done).


Modify Task

Trigger phrases: "modify", "change", "update", "set priority", "retag"

dstask <id> modify [+tag] [-tag] [P1/P2/P3]

Example: dstask 1 modify +urgent P1

Supports modifying:

  • Tags: +tag to add, -tag to remove
  • Priority: P0 (critical), P1 (high), P2 (normal), P3 (low)

Start Task

Trigger phrases: "start", "begin", "work on", "activate"

dstask <id> start

Stop Task

Trigger phrases: "stop", "pause", "hold", "deactivate"

dstask <id> stop

Show Active Tasks

Trigger phrases: "active", "in progress", "started", "working on"

On main/master branch:

dstask show-active project:PROJECT

On feature branch:

dstask show-active project:PROJECT +PROJECT:BRANCH

Show Paused Tasks

Trigger phrases: "paused", "stopped", "on hold"

On main/master branch:

dstask show-paused project:PROJECT

On feature branch:

dstask show-paused project:PROJECT +PROJECT:BRANCH

Step 4: Display Results

After executing the dstask command, display the output directly to the user.


Error Handling

If dstask command fails:

  1. Check if dstask is installed: which dstask
  2. Check if in a git repository
  3. Display the error message and suggest: dstask help <command>

Tag Reference

| Tag | Scope | Description | |-----|-------|-------------| | +PROJECT:BRANCH | Branch-specific | Tasks for this specific project+branch |

The project:PROJECT parameter filters to all tasks for the project. The +PROJECT:BRANCH tag further filters to tasks for the current branch.

From the file to a first result

The download contains exactly the content displayed on this page. This copy may differ from the latest version in the source repository.

View the source and supporting files

This download contains SKILL.md only. Any scripts, references, templates and dependencies are not included. Get the required files from the source, preserving their directory structure, before continuing.

1. Download the file

Download SKILL.md

From the root of a test project, save the file as .skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty/SKILL.md, or use the command below. This folder is for inspecting the skill before installation.

Command for macOS/Linux or WSL: requires a POSIX shell and curl. On Windows without WSL, use the download button and create the folder manually.

mkdir -p '.skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty' && curl --fail --show-error --location 'https://skills-guides.com/api/skills/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty/download' --output '.skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty/SKILL.md.part' && mv '.skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty/SKILL.md.part' '.skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty/SKILL.md'

2. Check prerequisites

Read SKILL.md before using it. If it references scripts or external services, inspect them and prepare the required access in your test environment.

Tools declared by the author (check availability in your agent): Bash,Read,Glob,Grep

No recognized prerequisites section in this file. This does not mean it is self-contained: libraries, tools and access requirements may be mentioned elsewhere in the content or source repository.

The platforms on this page are catalog indications. The paths below follow tool documentation; they do not prove this skill has been run in those tools. No minimum tool version is confirmed for this listing.

3. Load the skill

After inspection, copy the complete folder into your project using one of the commands below, then open a new tool session. The command stops if a folder with the same name already exists: compare the files before replacing it.

Claude Code
test -f '.skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty/SKILL.md' && test -s '.skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty/SKILL.md' && mkdir -p '.claude/skills' && test ! -e '.claude/skills/task' && cp -R '.skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty' '.claude/skills/task'

OpenSkills

OpenSkills must already be installed. The local install/read procedure is checked with OpenSkills 1.5.0, which requires Node.js ≥ 20.6.0. Catalog slugs are not resolved automatically.

Official OpenSkills installation
openskills install './.skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty'

openskills read 'project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty'

Reading should display the installed file content and its base directory. It does not run the skill or install its dependencies.

For an agent that reads AGENTS.md, then sync the index. This command changes AGENTS.md: review the diff before using it.

openskills sync

Manual method or another tool: attach SKILL.md to a conversation, or open it in an agent that can read files. Include any required supporting resources. No universal folder is recognized by every tool.

4. Try a first task

Use a short, synthetic input: an API endpoint, a small document or an interface brief. In a new conversation, attach the file or give the agent its path, then adapt this request:

Read .skill-downloads/project-specific-todo-list-with-dstask-mryiqgty/SKILL.md and apply its instructions to this example: [describe a test input]. Identify any missing files, dependencies or access. Produce the result requested by the skill without inventing data or running unreviewed scripts.

Expected result: output matching the skill instructions, or a precise list of missing prerequisites. A read confirmation alone does not validate a first use. If an external resource is unavailable, that path remains untested.

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