New to Claude Skills? Learn how to install them →

anthropics on GitHub

Task Management

OfficialFree

Efficiently manage tasks with a shared markdown file.

Get this skill

Free · Opens the source repo

What Task Management does

The Task Management skill provides a straightforward way to keep track of your tasks using a shared TASKS.md file. This file serves as the central repository for all your tasks, allowing both you and the user to read and write to it seamlessly. When the skill is first initialized, it checks for the existence of the TASKS.md file in the current working directory. If the file is absent, it creates one using a predefined template, ensuring that you start with a consistent structure for managing your tasks.

The skill enhances task management by providing a visual dashboard that can be set up on the first run. This dashboard allows for easy management of tasks and memory, and it auto-saves changes made to the TASKS.md file. Additionally, it supports drag-and-drop functionality for reordering tasks and sections, making it intuitive to prioritize work. The system also monitors for any external changes, ensuring that the task list remains synchronized regardless of how it is modified.

Users can interact with the skill by asking about their current tasks, adding new tasks, or marking tasks as completed. The skill is designed to respond to specific queries, such as "what's on my plate" or "add a task," by reading from the TASKS.md file and updating it accordingly. It also provides a structured way to extract tasks from discussions or meetings, ensuring that commitments and action items are captured accurately. This makes it particularly useful for individuals looking to enhance their productivity and keep track of multiple responsibilities without the overhead of complex task management software.

Overall, the Task Management skill is ideal for anyone who needs a simple yet effective solution for tracking tasks. Whether you're a developer, designer, or anyone managing personal or professional commitments, this skill offers a clear and organized approach to task management that can easily integrate into your workflow.

When to use it

Use this skill when you need to manage tasks collaboratively or individually in a straightforward manner.

When not to use it

This skill may not be suitable for users requiring advanced project management features or integrations with other tools.

What you can build with it

Daily Task Review

Use the skill to quickly summarize your active tasks every morning to plan your day.

Meeting Follow-ups

After a meeting, extract action items and commitments to keep track of what needs to be done.

Collaborative Projects

Share the `TASKS.md` file with teammates to manage project tasks collectively and ensure everyone is on the same page.

How to install Task Management

View source

1. Install with the skills CLI

npx skills add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins/task-management --agent claude-code

2. Or install it manually

Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.

Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs

Inside SKILL.md

Written by anthropics

Task Management

Tasks are tracked in a simple TASKS.md file that both you and the user can edit.

File Location

Always use TASKS.md in the current working directory.

  • If it exists, read/write to it
  • If it doesn't exist, create it with the template below

Dashboard Setup (First Run)

A visual dashboard is available for managing tasks and memory. On first interaction with tasks:

  1. Check if dashboard.html exists in the current working directory
  2. If not, copy it from ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/dashboard.html to the current working directory
  3. Inform the user: "I've added the dashboard. Run /productivity:start to set up the full system."

The task board:

  • Reads and writes to the same TASKS.md file
  • Auto-saves changes
  • Watches for external changes (syncs when you edit via CLI)
  • Supports drag-and-drop reordering of tasks and sections

Format & Template

When creating a new TASKS.md, use this exact template (without example tasks):

# Tasks

## Active

## Waiting On

## Someday

## Done

Task format:

  • - [ ] **Task title** - context, for whom, due date
  • Sub-bullets for additional details
  • Completed: - [x] ~~Task~~ (date)

How to Interact

When user asks "what's on my plate" / "my tasks":

  • Read TASKS.md
  • Summarize Active and Waiting On sections
  • Highlight anything overdue or urgent

When user says "add a task" / "remind me to":

  • Add to Active section with - [ ] **Task** format
  • Include context if provided (who it's for, due date)

When user says "done with X" / "finished X":

  • Find the task
  • Change [ ] to [x]
  • Add strikethrough: ~~task~~
  • Add completion date
  • Move to Done section

When user asks "what am I waiting on":

  • Read the Waiting On section
  • Note how long each item has been waiting

Conventions

  • Bold the task title for scannability
  • Include "for [person]" when it's a commitment to someone
  • Include "due [date]" for deadlines
  • Include "since [date]" for waiting items
  • Sub-bullets for additional context
  • Keep Done section for ~1 week, then clear old items

Extracting Tasks

When summarizing meetings or conversations, offer to add extracted tasks:

  • Commitments the user made ("I'll send that over")
  • Action items assigned to them
  • Follow-ups mentioned

Ask before adding - don't auto-add without confirmation.

Frequently asked questions about Task Management

Similar skills