backlog

Backlog

Markdown files with YAML frontmatter in cortex/backlog/, named NNN-slug.md. NNN is the stable id other items cite (blocks: [7]); the slug can go stale after a retitle. Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/schema.md when creating or validating items. Every item command accepts a numeric ID, slug, UUID prefix, lifecycle slug, or title phrase.

Subcommand: $ARGUMENTS (first word = subcommand). No subcommand → offer them as choices.

• add — cortex-create-backlog-item --title "{{title}}" --status backlog --type {{type}} --priority {{priority}} (defaults feature/medium; add --parent NNN, --blocked-by NNN..., --blocks NNN..., --tags, --areas when given). Then open the file for review.
• new — /backlog-author compose writes the body, then cortex-create-backlog-item --title "{{title}}" --status backlog --type {{type}} --body "...". Do not open it for editing.
• list — if cortex/backlog/index.md (a local cache) is missing, run cortex-generate-backlog-index. Then show it as a summary table.
• archive — cortex-update-item {{item}} --status complete|abandoned. It updates in place, clears the item from others' blocked-by, closes parent epics whose children are all complete or abandoned, and regenerates the index. It closes an item in any status, so warn before closing a backlog or in_progress item.
• pick — cortex-backlog-ready; take the first non-empty priority group (critical → contingent). One item → offer it. Several → offer the top 4 by priority ("NNN — Title") and note omissions. None → "the backlog is clear". Then ask Start work (/cortex-core:refine {{item}}, or /cortex-core:build {{item}} when refined), View details, or Mark in-progress (status in_progress, bump updated).
• ready — cortex-backlog-ready. Non-zero exit → report the error JSON (suggest reindex if malformed). Show each non-empty group as ### {Priority} then - **{id}** {title}. All empty → Backlog is clear.
• reindex — cortex-generate-backlog-index; report the item count for index.json and index.md.