ACE - Task

Draft, organize, and tackle tasks — for you and your agents. ACE Logo

Gem Version Ruby License: MIT

Works with: Claude Code, Codex CLI, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, pi-agent, and more.

Getting Started | Usage Guide | Handbook - Skills, Agents, Templates

ace-task demo

Tasks are markdown specs living in git - attached to branches and worktrees, not trapped in a SaaS dashboard. A task can contain subtasks, prototypes, research notes, and UX specs. Compact B36TS IDs like 8q4 are timestamp-derived, so they stay unique across branches without a central sequence - parallel worktrees rarely conflict.

How It Works

  1. Task specs are created and tracked as markdown files.
  2. Review and planning workflows refine scope before implementation.
  3. Oversee execution through worktrees and assignments until ship-ready.

Testing Model

  • ace-test ace-task runs deterministic package tests (test/fast) for the default feedback loop.
  • ace-test ace-task feat runs deterministic feature coverage when test/feat exists.
  • ace-test ace-task all runs all deterministic lanes.
  • ace-test-e2e ace-task runs retained real workflow scenarios from test/e2e.

Use Cases

Draft and structure work - create a task, split it into subtasks, add new subtasks as work reveals scope. Use /as-task-draft to draft from an earlier captured idea or short note, or ace-task create from the CLI.

Review before building - validate specs with /as-task-review before committing to implementation. The agent can ask you clarification questions to surface missing acceptance criteria, unclear scope, or architectural risks early. Use /as-task-review-questions to go through pending reviews across tasks.

Plan the work - generate a step-by-step implementation plan with /as-task-plan or ace-task plan. Define subtasks, configure which agent handles execution, and break scope into assignable units. The plan lives in the task spec so any agent can pick it up.

Run as dark factory - hand a task to ace-overseer and it provisions a worktree, opens a tmux window, creates an assignment, and drives execution through the full lifecycle - onboard, implement, verify, create PR, review, ship. One command kicks it off:

ace-overseer work-on --task t.tt6 --preset work-on-task

Under the hood this chains ace-git-worktree (isolated branch) -> ace-tmux (dedicated window and panes layout) -> ace-assign (step-by-step execution). Switch to the tmux window and run /as-assign-drive to walk through each step.

Track progress - ace-task list shows tasks by status - what is next, what is in progress, and what was recently completed. ace-task status gives a focused view of the current task with subtask progress.

Keep it healthy - with flexible folder structures and work spread across multiple branches, things can drift. ace-task doctor detects structural issues - orphaned subtasks, broken references, inconsistent status. Run it with --auto-fix for automatic repairs, or --auto-fix-with-agent to let an agent resolve issues that need judgment.

Organize - move a task to a folder and it is created automatically. Special folders like _maybe and _anytime group tasks by intent. _archive partitions completed tasks by date so they stay browsable as the project grows. Sort by priority, creation date, or pin position manually.

Getting Started | Usage Guide | Handbook - Skills, Agents, Templates | Part of ACE