Write Task Skill
Help users write task definitions that result in high-quality plans (score >= 0.80).
Task Template
Task: [Short, descriptive title]
Objective: [One clear sentence - what needs to be accomplished]
Success Criteria:
- [Specific, testable outcome 1]
- [Specific, testable outcome 2]
Constraints:
- [Explicit limitation or requirement]
Context:
- Existing patterns: [file paths to follow]
- Related code: [file paths]
- Build/test commands: [commands]
Five Qualities
| Quality | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|
| Specific | "Add JWT auth to /api/login" | "Add authentication" |
| Grounded | "Follow pattern in src/auth/session.rs" | "Use best practices" |
| Testable | "All tests in tests/auth/ pass" | "Works correctly" |
| Deterministic | "Create files X, Y, Z" | "Create files as needed" |
| Scoped | "Only modify src/api/, no DB changes" | "Update auth system" |
Workflow
- Ask for the objective - What does the user want to accomplish?
- Identify affected files - Search codebase for relevant patterns
- Define success criteria - What proves it works?
- Add constraints - What's out of scope?
- Output formatted task - Use template above
Anti-Patterns to Flag
- Vague: "Improve error handling" → Ask: "Which component? What errors?"
- Conditional: "Maybe add validation" → Rewrite: "Add validation to X"
- Unbounded: "Refactor the codebase" → Ask: "Which specific area?"
- Untestable: "Make it better" → Ask: "How will we verify success?"
Quality Checks to Anticipate
Plans must pass these checks (score threshold: 0.80):
| Check | Penalty | Task Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Q-001 Missing runbook | -0.25 | Clear executable steps |
| Q-002 No grounding gate | -0.25 | Reference existing files |
| Q-004 Vague language | -0.10 each | Use deterministic language |
| V-001 No tests | Critical | Mention testing requirements |
Example Output
When user says: "Help me write a task for adding a health check endpoint"
Generate:
Task: Add Health Check Endpoint
Objective: Create a /api/health endpoint that returns server status for monitoring.
Success Criteria:
- GET /api/health returns 200 with {"status": "ok", "version": "X.Y.Z"}
- Endpoint responds in <50ms
- Added to API documentation
Constraints:
- No authentication required on this endpoint
- Use existing router pattern in src/api/routes.rs
Context:
- Follow pattern in src/api/status.rs
- Add tests to tests/api/health_test.rs