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package/docs/TASK_OVERVIEW.md

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+# Task System Overview - Kanban Task Watcher
+
+**Version:** 3.0.0
+**Last Updated:** 2025-10-17
+
+## Table of Contents
+
+1. [Overview](#overview)
+2. [Core Concepts](#core-concepts)
+3. [Status Definitions](#status-definitions)
+4. [State Machine Transitions](#state-machine-transitions)
+5. [Auto-Stale Detection](#auto-stale-detection)
+6. [Priority System](#priority-system)
+7. [Quick Start](#quick-start)
+8. [Related Documentation](#related-documentation)
+
+## Overview
+
+The Kanban Task Watcher is an AI-optimized task management system designed to solve token waste from misuse of the `decision` tool for task/todo tracking.
+
+### Problem Statement
+
+Real-world usage analysis revealed:
+- **204 task-like decisions** in 3-day production usage
+- **~825 tokens** to query 10 task-like decisions (332 bytes/decision average)
+- **No lifecycle management:** Tasks stuck in "in_progress" after interrupts or usage limits
+- **Inefficient queries:** Full text content loaded even for simple list operations
+
+### Solution
+
+Dedicated Kanban task system with:
+- **70% token reduction** via metadata-only list queries
+- **Auto-stale detection** to handle interrupted sessions
+- **Status validation** with enforced state machine transitions
+- **Linking system** to connect tasks with decisions, constraints, files
+- **Flat hierarchy** for AI simplicity (no subtasks)
+
+## Core Concepts
+
+### Task Structure
+
+Every task has:
+- **Identity:** `task_id`, `title`
+- **Status:** Lifecycle stage (todo → in_progress → done → archived)
+- **Metadata:** `priority`, `assignee`, `tags`, `layer`
+- **Content:** Optional `description` (stored separately for token efficiency)
+- **Links:** Connections to decisions, constraints, files
+- **Timestamps:** `created_ts`, `updated_ts`
+
+### Token Efficiency Strategy
+
+**Metadata-Only Queries:**
+- **`list` action:** Returns metadata only (~100 bytes/task)
+- **`get` action:** Returns full details with description (~332 bytes/task)
+- **70% reduction** compared to decision-based task tracking
+
+**Comparison Table:**
+
+| Query Type | Bytes/Task | 10 Tasks | Use Case |
+|------------|-----------|----------|----------|
+| `list` (metadata only) | ~100 | ~1,000 | Browse, filter, status check |
+| `get` (full details) | ~332 | ~3,320 | Read description, view links |
+| Old `decision` method | ~332 | ~3,320 | What AIs were doing before v3.0 |
+
+### Flat Hierarchy
+
+**Design Decision:** No subtasks
+- Simpler for AI agents to manage
+- Clearer status tracking
+- Easier to query and filter
+- Use tags/links for relationships instead
+
+## Status Definitions
+
+| Status | ID | Description | Use Case |
+|--------|----|-----------|----|
+| `todo` | 1 | Not yet started | Backlog, planned work |
+| `in_progress` | 2 | Actively being worked on | Current focus |
+| `waiting_review` | 3 | Awaiting feedback or approval | Code review, design review |
+| `blocked` | 4 | Cannot proceed due to blocker | Dependency, question, issue |
+| `done` | 5 | Completed | Finished work |
+| `archived` | 6 | Completed and archived | Historical reference |
+
+### Status Best Practices
+
+**`todo`:**
+- Use for backlog items
+- No one actively working
+- Ready to be picked up
+
+**`in_progress`:**
+- Active work happening
+- Should have assignee
+- Auto-transitions to `waiting_review` after 2 hours idle
+
+**`waiting_review`:**
+- Awaiting human/AI feedback
+- Code review needed
+- Design approval pending
+- Auto-transitions to `todo` after 24 hours idle
+
+**`blocked`:**
+- Cannot proceed
+- Has explicit blocker (dependency, question, issue)
+- Should have comment explaining blocker
+
+**`done`:**
+- Work completed
+- Verified/tested
+- Can be archived
+
+**`archived`:**
+- Historical reference only
+- Completed tasks no longer active
+- Terminal state (no transitions out)
+
+## State Machine Transitions
+
+### Visual Diagram
+
+```
+todo → in_progress → waiting_review → done → archived
+         ↓              ↓
+      blocked ────────┘
+```
+
+### Valid Transitions
+
+| From Status | To Status(es) | Rationale |
+|-------------|--------------|-----------|
+| `todo` | `in_progress`, `blocked` | Start work or discover blocker |
+| `in_progress` | `waiting_review`, `blocked`, `done` | Need review, hit blocker, or complete |
+| `waiting_review` | `in_progress`, `todo`, `done` | Resume work, reset to backlog, or approve |
+| `blocked` | `todo`, `in_progress` | Blocker resolved, resume or reset |
+| `done` | `archived` | Archive completed work |
+| `archived` | *(terminal state)* | No transitions allowed |
+
+### Complete Transition Matrix
+
+| From ↓ / To → | todo | in_progress | waiting_review | blocked | done | archived |
+|---------------|------|-------------|----------------|---------|------|----------|
+| **todo** | - | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
+| **in_progress** | ❌ | - | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
+| **waiting_review** | ✅ | ✅ | - | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
+| **blocked** | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | - | ❌ | ❌ |
+| **done** | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | - | ✅ |
+| **archived** | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | - |
+
+✅ = Valid transition
+❌ = Invalid transition
+\- = Same status (no transition)
+
+### Validation
+
+- Enforced by `move` action
+- Invalid transitions return error with valid options
+- Use `update` action to bypass validation (use with caution)
+
+**Example Error:**
+```javascript
+{
+  action: "move",
+  task_id: 1,
+  new_status: "archived"  // Task is in_progress
+}
+// Error: Invalid status transition from in_progress to archived.
+// Valid transitions: waiting_review, blocked, done
+```
+
+## Auto-Stale Detection
+
+### Overview
+
+Auto-stale detection automatically transitions idle tasks to prevent them from getting stuck.
+
+**Why It's Needed:**
+- AI agents hit usage limits mid-task
+- Sessions get interrupted (network, timeout)
+- Code generation takes longer than expected
+- Reviews don't happen promptly
+
+### Detection Rules
+
+1. **`in_progress` → `waiting_review`** (>2 hours idle)
+   - Rationale: Likely waiting for review or hit usage limit
+   - Check: `updated_ts` older than 2 hours
+
+2. **`waiting_review` → `todo`** (>24 hours idle)
+   - Rationale: Review not happening, reset to backlog
+   - Check: `updated_ts` older than 24 hours
+
+### When It Runs
+
+Automatically runs before:
+1. **`list` action** - Ensures stale tasks show correct status
+2. **`move` action** - Prevents moving already-stale tasks
+
+**Response includes:**
+- `stale_tasks_transitioned`: Count of auto-transitioned tasks
+
+**Example Response:**
+```javascript
+{
+  tasks: [...],
+  count: 5,
+  stale_tasks_transitioned: 2  // 2 tasks auto-transitioned
+}
+```
+
+### Configuration
+
+**Default Settings:**
+- `task_auto_stale_enabled`: '1' (enabled)
+- `task_stale_hours_in_progress`: '2' (2 hours)
+- `task_stale_hours_waiting_review`: '24' (24 hours)
+
+**Enable/Disable:**
+```sql
+UPDATE m_config SET value = '1' WHERE key = 'task_auto_stale_enabled';  -- Enable
+UPDATE m_config SET value = '0' WHERE key = 'task_auto_stale_enabled';  -- Disable
+```
+
+**Adjust Thresholds:**
+```sql
+-- in_progress → waiting_review after 4 hours
+UPDATE m_config SET value = '4' WHERE key = 'task_stale_hours_in_progress';
+
+-- waiting_review → todo after 48 hours
+UPDATE m_config SET value = '48' WHERE key = 'task_stale_hours_waiting_review';
+```
+
+**Check Current Config:**
+```sql
+SELECT key, value FROM m_config WHERE key LIKE 'task_%';
+```
+
+### Monitoring
+
+Track transitions via `t_activity_log` table:
+
+```sql
+-- Recent auto-transitions
+SELECT * FROM t_activity_log
+WHERE entity_type = 'task' AND action_type = 'status_change'
+ORDER BY ts DESC LIMIT 20;
+
+-- Frequently stale tasks (>2 auto-transitions)
+SELECT task_id, COUNT(*) as stale_count FROM t_activity_log
+WHERE entity_type = 'task' AND json_extract(details, '$.new_status') = 3
+GROUP BY task_id HAVING stale_count > 2;
+```
+
+## Priority System
+
+### Priority Levels
+
+| Priority | ID | Description | Use Case |
+|----------|----|-----------|----|
+| `low` | 1 | Nice to have | Documentation, cleanup |
+| `medium` | 2 | Normal priority | Standard features |
+| `high` | 3 | Important work | Critical features |
+| `critical` | 4 | Urgent blocker | Production issues, blockers |
+
+### Priority Usage
+
+**For AI Agents:**
+```javascript
+// Critical blocker
+{ action: "create", title: "Fix DB connection", priority: "critical" }
+
+// High priority feature
+{ action: "create", title: "Implement API", priority: "high" }
+
+// Background work
+{ action: "create", title: "Update docs", priority: "low" }
+```
+
+**Filtering by Priority:**
+```javascript
+// Get all critical tasks
+{
+  action: "list",
+  priority: "critical"
+}
+```
+
+## Quick Start
+
+### Creating Your First Task
+
+```javascript
+// Minimal task creation
+{
+  action: "create",
+  title: "Implement JWT authentication"
+}
+// Returns: { task_id: 1, message: "Task created successfully" }
+
+// Complete task creation with metadata
+{
+  action: "create",
+  title: "Implement JWT authentication",
+  description: "Add JWT-based authentication to API endpoints with refresh token support",
+  status: "todo",
+  priority: "high",
+  assignee: "auth-agent",
+  tags: ["security", "authentication", "api"],
+  layer: "business"
+}
+```
+
+### Listing Tasks
+
+```javascript
+// List all tasks (metadata only - token efficient)
+{
+  action: "list"
+}
+
+// List filtered tasks
+{
+  action: "list",
+  status: "in_progress",
+  assignee: "auth-agent",
+  tags: ["security"]
+}
+```
+
+### Getting Task Details
+
+```javascript
+// Get full task with description
+{
+  action: "get",
+  task_id: 1
+}
+```
+
+### Moving Tasks
+
+```javascript
+// Move task to next status (validated)
+{
+  action: "move",
+  task_id: 1,
+  new_status: "waiting_review"
+}
+```
+
+## Related Documentation
+
+- **[TASK_ACTIONS.md](TASK_ACTIONS.md)** - Complete action reference with examples
+- **[TASK_LINKING.md](TASK_LINKING.md)** - Linking tasks to decisions/constraints/files
+- **[TASK_MIGRATION.md](TASK_MIGRATION.md)** - Migrating from decision-based task tracking
+- **[TASK_SYSTEM.md](TASK_SYSTEM.md)** - Complete documentation (original)
+- **[AI_AGENT_GUIDE.md](AI_AGENT_GUIDE.md)** - Comprehensive AI agent guide
+- **[README.md](../README.md)** - Project overview
+
+---
+
+**Version:** 3.0.0
+**Last Updated:** 2025-10-17
+**Author:** sin5ddd