Zen Tasks for Copilot - Development Workflow

A comprehensive GitHub Copilot extension that implements the Zen Tasks Development Workflow - a structured, dependency-aware approach to software development task management. This extension transforms how you approach complex development projects by providing AI-powered task orchestration with built-in dependency management and validation strategies.

🌟 Core Features

Development Workflow Foundation

• Dependency-Driven Development: Automatically manages task prerequisites and execution order
• Structured Task Breakdown: Converts complex requirements into manageable, sequential tasks
• Validation-Centric Implementation: Each task includes specific test strategies and verification criteria
• Adaptive Planning: Updates future tasks based on implementation discoveries
• Agent Mode Optimized: Designed to work seamlessly with VS Code's agent mode for autonomous development

Comprehensive Task Management

• Task Operations: Create, update, remove, and query tasks with rich metadata
• Subtask Support: Break complex tasks into smaller, manageable implementation units
• Dependency Management: Prevent circular dependencies and ensure proper task sequencing
• Status Tracking: Monitor progress with detailed status updates and priority management
• Project Planning: Structure requirements and convert them into actionable development tasks

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

1. Install from VS Code Marketplace
2. Ensure GitHub Copilot and GitHub Copilot Chat are installed and activated
3. Open a workspace where you want to manage development tasks
4. Access Zen Tasks commands through the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)

🚨 Critical First Step

BEFORE using any zen-tasks commands, you MUST load the workflow context:

• Ask the agent to "Load the workflow context first"
• Or use the workflow context tool directly
• This ensures proper dependency-driven development approach

💡 Workflow Context - Essential Foundation

The extension includes a Workflow Context tool that provides the essential foundation for structured development:

• Agent Mode: Automatically detected and prioritized by AI agents for optimal performance
• Interactive Mode: Should be loaded first when using / commands for enhanced guidance
• Manual Access: Available when you need to ensure proper structured development approach

For best results: The workflow context should be loaded once per session before other operations. In agent mode, this happens automatically. In interactive mode, consider loading it first for optimal structured development guidance.

Basic Usage

• Load Context: Consider loading workflow context first for structured approach
• Start a Project: Use /define_requirements to structure your project goals
• Generate Tasks: Use /parse_requirements to convert requirements into structured tasks
• Get Next Task: Use /next_task to identify what to work on next
• Track Progress: Use /set_status to update task completion
• View Tasks: Use /list_tasks to see your project overview

📋 Available Commands

Core Task Operations

• /list_tasks - View all tasks with optional filtering and subtask display
• /add_task - Create new tasks with structured parameters
• /update_task - Modify existing task properties
• /remove_task - Delete tasks and clean up dependencies
• /get_task - View detailed task information including implementation guidance
• /set_status - Update task status (pending, in-progress, done, blocked, etc.)
• /next_task - Get the next available task based on dependencies and priority

Subtask Management

• /add_subtask - Break down complex tasks into smaller implementation units
• /remove_subtask - Remove subtasks or convert them to independent tasks
• /clear_subtasks - Bulk remove all subtasks from a parent task

Dependency Management

• /add_dependency - Create dependency relationships between tasks
• /remove_dependency - Remove dependency relationships
• /validate_dependencies - Check for circular dependencies and issues
• /fix_dependencies - Automatically resolve dependency problems

Project Planning

• /define_requirements - Structure and define project requirements
• /parse_requirements - Convert structured requirements into development tasks

🤖 Agent Mode Integration

This extension is specifically designed to work with VS Code's agent mode, providing:

• Autonomous Task Management: AI can automatically determine the next logical task
• Multi-file Development: Structured approach for complex, cross-file implementations
• Dependency Resolution: Automatic prerequisite checking and task ordering
• Progress Tracking: Continuous monitoring of implementation progress
• Adaptive Planning: Real-time adjustment of project plans based on discoveries

📁 Project Structure

The extension creates and manages a _ZENTASKS folder in your workspace containing:

• tasks.json - Master task database
• Individual .md files for each task for documentation
• Automatic .gitignore entries to exclude task management files

Requirements

• Visual Studio Code 1.60.0 or higher
• GitHub Copilot extension
• GitHub Copilot Chat extension

License

This extension is licensed under a proprietary license. See LICENSE.md for details.