MD Ticket Graph
Track project tasks and bugs in VS Code using local Markdown files. Includes a board, dependency graph, timeline, priority and category badges, and focused context for your coding assistant.
Get started
Requires VS Code 1.96+ and one trusted local project folder. Remote, virtual, and multi-root workspaces are unsupported.
- Install the extension. For a
.vsix file, use Extensions → ⋯ → Install from VSIX….
- Open the project folder you want to track.
- Run MD Ticket Graph: Open Board & Graph from the Command Palette (
Cmd+Shift+P on macOS, Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux).
Click the MD Ticket Graph Activity Bar icon to access all commands as buttons. No F5 or Node.js setup is needed after installation.
Use tickets
- Create Ticket or Report Bug opens a form with an editable suggested ID. Complete the required sections before submitting. Bugs also require reproduction steps and expected/actual behavior.
- Select a ticket to edit its details, categories, priority, dependencies, and relevant paths. Use Open Markdown for custom sections.
- Search and filter by priority, type, and category across the board, graph, and timeline.
- Move tickets through
todo, doing, review, and done. Completion is blocked until directly declared prerequisites are done.
- Next Ready Task finds complete, unblocked todo tickets by priority and ID.
- Check Acceptance Criteria and Test Checklist items in ticket details. Checks record your assessment; they do not run tests or complete the ticket.
- Timeline shows recorded creation, edits, and status changes. Direct Markdown edits do not automatically create history entries.
One unsaved form per workspace is stored locally by VS Code. Wait for Recovery draft saved locally before closing; reopen the board after reload to recover it. Cancel clears recovery; successful Save clears the matching draft.
If saving reports an external-edit conflict, copy any draft text you need, cancel, and reopen the ticket to load the latest file.
Plan and share context
- Run Plan Tickets, choose Quick or Thorough, and paste the copied prompt into your assistant's chat.
- Agree on scope, dependencies, acceptance criteria, and verification.
- Run Copy Ticket Writing Guide if the chat needs the ticket format, then ask the assistant to create the agreed tickets. Request implementation when ready.
The extension copies prompts; it does not call a model or run agents. Use Copy Selected Ticket Context to preview and select the sections you share. Optional Handoff notes keep decisions, blockers, verified results, and next steps concise.
Commands
All commands use the MD Ticket Graph: prefix in the Command Palette and are available in the sidebar.
| Command |
Purpose |
| Open Board & Graph |
Open the ticket board. |
| Open Dependencies |
View prerequisites and blockers. |
| Open Timeline |
View recorded project activity. |
| Open Ticket |
Find and inspect a ticket. |
| Create Ticket |
Create a task. |
| Report Bug |
Create a bug report. |
| Plan Tickets |
Copy a planning prompt. |
| Copy Ticket Writing Guide |
Copy the ticket format and workflow. |
| Next Ready Task |
Find unblocked work. |
| Copy Selected Ticket Context |
Preview and copy selected requirements. |
| Validate Dependencies |
Check structure and prerequisites. |
| Refresh Board |
Reload ticket files. |
Files and Git
Tickets and recorded history live in your project's .tickets/ folder, one Markdown file per ticket. Existing ticket IDs remain supported.
Creating a ticket through the extension adds /.tickets/ to the project's root .gitignore. Already tracked files remain tracked. The bundled writing guide directs your assistant to maintain the same exclusion when creating tickets directly.
Recovery drafts stay in VS Code workspace storage. Clipboard content is shared with your chosen assistant only when you paste it. Keep credentials and sensitive data out of tickets.
Troubleshooting
- Commands missing: enable the extension and run Developer: Reload Window.
- Empty board: check the open project,
.tickets/ location, and active filters.
- Loading or creation error: correct the reported fields or file permissions, then refresh or retry.
- No ready task: complete the ticket's required sections and prerequisites.
Ticket files use a limited frontmatter format, not full YAML. Use the forms or Copy Ticket Writing Guide for authoring. Validation checks structure, not implementation quality or test results; human review is still required.
Upgrading from DD Ticket Graph requires installing MD Ticket Graph separately and disabling the old extension. Save pending forms before switching; old recovery drafts and keybindings do not migrate.
Licensed under MIT. See CHANGELOG.md for release notes.
