Task-Startup Skill

Comprehensive work session initialization orchestrator for consistent and reliable task startup.

Purpose

Automate session-start workflows by:

• Validating git status and working directory cleanliness
• Checking and auto-fixing development environment (Docker, database, dependencies)
• Creating properly named feature branches from develop
• Logging session start timestamps

When to Use

Trigger this skill when:

• Starting a new development task or feature
• Beginning work on a new task
• Setting up environment for development session
• Need to ensure clean git state before starting work
• Keywords: "start task", "begin work", "new task", "startup task"

Core Workflow

Phase 1: Configuration Management

Check for shared configuration file:

1. Look for .task_wrapup_skill_data.json in current working directory
2. This file is shared with task-wrapup skill for consistency
3. If not found, create default configuration by prompting user for:
   • Project name
   • Default base branch (typically "development")
   • Docker configuration (enabled, services, health check URL)
   • Environment validation preferences

Configuration location: .task_wrapup_skill_data.json in project root

Manage configuration:

# Create new config (interactive)
scripts/config_manager.py create

# Create with project name
scripts/config_manager.py create --project-name "MyProject"

# Show current config
scripts/config_manager.py show

# Validate config
scripts/config_manager.py validate

# Get config file path
scripts/config_manager.py path

Phase 2: Preflight Validation

Execute preflight checks using scripts/preflight-checks.sh:

1. Verify git repository: Ensure current directory is a git repository
2. Check current branch: Get current branch name for validation
3. Protected branch check: Abort if on main/master/production branches
4. Working directory status: Check for uncommitted changes
5. Stash detection: Warn about stashed work that may need attention
6. Base branch verification: Confirm on development or prepare to switch

Exit codes:

• 0: All checks passed
• 1: On protected branch (cannot start task)
• 2: Uncommitted changes detected
• 3: Stashed work detected
• 4: Not a git repository

Behavior:

• Abort if on protected branch
• Warn and prompt user if uncommitted changes or stashes exist
• Prepare to switch to base branch if needed

Environment variables:

• BASE_BRANCH: Default base branch (default: "development")
• PROTECTED_BRANCHES: Space-separated protected branches (default: "main master production")

Phase 3: Environment Health Checks

Execute environment validation using scripts/environment-health.sh:

Docker Validation

• Check if Docker daemon is running
• Verify container status
• Auto-fix: Start Docker services if configured and not running
• Test health endpoint if specified in config
• Wait for services to become ready

Database Validation

• Check for pending migrations (Rails-specific)
• Auto-fix: Run migrations automatically if configured
• Verify database connectivity

Dependencies Validation

• Check npm/yarn packages for outdated versions
• Check Ruby gems (bundler) status
• Alert on missing or outdated dependencies
• Note: Does not auto-update, only alerts

Environment Variables

• Verify .env files exist (.env, .env.development)
• Check critical environment variables are defined
• Warn about missing required variables

Auto-fix behavior:

• Docker services: Auto-start if DOCKER_AUTO_START=true
• Database migrations: Auto-run if AUTO_MIGRATE=true
• Dependencies: Alert only, no auto-fix
• Environment variables: Alert only, no auto-fix

Exit codes:

• 0: All checks passed or auto-fixed
• 10: Docker not running (auto-fix failed or disabled)
• 11: Database not ready
• 12: Pending migrations (auto-migrate disabled)
• 13: Dependencies outdated
• 14: Environment variables missing

Environment variables:

• DOCKER_ENABLED: Enable Docker checks (default: "true")
• DOCKER_AUTO_START: Auto-start Docker if not running (default: "true")
• DOCKER_HEALTH_URL: Health endpoint to test (default: "http://localhost:3000/health")
• CHECK_MIGRATIONS: Enable migration checks (default: "true")
• AUTO_MIGRATE: Auto-run migrations (default: "true")
• CHECK_DEPS: Enable dependency checks (default: "true")

Phase 4: Task Name Resolution

Determine task name to work on:

If user provides task name in initial prompt:

• Use the user-provided task name directly
• Skip to Phase 5: Branch Creation

If user does NOT provide task name in initial prompt:

• Present menu of options:
  • a) Specify task name: User provides task name for branch creation
  • b) Use default task name: Use a generic timestamp-based name
  • c) Skip task name: Create branch without specific task name (uses "new-task")
• Wait for user selection before proceeding

Task name formatting:

• Should be concise and descriptive (e.g., "user-auth", "payment-api", "fix-login")
• Will be automatically sanitized (lowercase, hyphens for spaces)
• Max length: 30 characters (to keep branch names reasonable)

Phase 5: Branch Creation

Create feature branch using scripts/branch-create.sh:

Branch naming convention:

• Pattern: feature/{sanitized-task-name}
• Max length: 50 characters
• Sanitization: lowercase, hyphens for spaces/special chars

Examples:

• Task name "user-auth": feature/user-auth
• Task name "Payment API": feature/payment-api
• Task name "Fix Dashboard Loading": feature/fix-dashboard-loading

Execution:

# With task name
scripts/branch-create.sh "user-auth"

# Without task name (uses default)
scripts/branch-create.sh

Behavior:

1. Capture current branch as parent branch (for PR automation)
2. Switch to base branch (development) if not already there
3. Create new branch with sanitized name
4. Checkout new branch
5. Create session state file (.task_session_state.json) for PR automation
6. Display confirmation with branch name

Session State File: The branch creation process automatically creates .task_session_state.json in the project root to enable automated pull request creation via the task-wrapup skill. This file tracks:

• Parent branch (for PR targeting)
• Feature branch name
• Task name
• Session creation timestamp

Important: .task_session_state.json should be added to .gitignore as it contains local session state.

Environment variables:

• BRANCH_PREFIX: Branch prefix (default: "feature")
• MAX_LENGTH: Max branch name length (default: 50)
• BASE_BRANCH: Base branch to create from (default: "development")

Phase 6: Session Initialization & OmniFocus Integration

Automatic OmniFocus Task Creation (if configured):

When OmniFocus integration is enabled, the skill automatically creates a task in OmniFocus to track your work session:

1. Check Configuration: Verifies omnifocus.auto_log_tasks is enabled and omnifocus.project_name is set
2. Load Session State: Reads .task_session_state.json for task context
3. Create OmniFocus Task: Executes scripts/session-init.py to create task via OmniFocus skill
4. Store Task ID: Saves OmniFocus task ID back to session state for later completion

OmniFocus Task Details:

• Task Name: Work on: {task-name} (e.g., "Work on: user-auth")
• Project: Configured OmniFocus project name
• Notes: Includes branch name, parent branch, timestamp, and session context
• Purpose: Tracks work sessions in OmniFocus for time management and task completion

Execution (automatic via skill):

python3 scripts/session-init.py --directory .

Configuration Commands:

# Set OmniFocus project for this directory
python3 scripts/config_manager.py set-omnifocus --omnifocus-project "Development"

# Get current OmniFocus project
python3 scripts/config_manager.py get-omnifocus

# Example output: Development

Session State Integration: The OmniFocus task ID is stored in .task_session_state.json:

{
  "task_name": "user-auth",
  "branch_name": "feature/user-auth",
  "parent_branch": "development",
  "created_at": "2025-01-15T14:30:22",
  "omnifocus_task_id": "abc123xyz",
  "omnifocus_created_at": "2025-01-15T14:30:25"
}

Task Completion: When you complete your work session using the task-wrapup skill, the OmniFocus task is automatically marked as complete using the stored task ID.

Log session start (traditional logging):

1. Record timestamp of session start
2. Record branch name created
3. Record task name
4. Store in session log (if configured)

Session log structure (if enabled):

.claude/sessions/2025-01-15-143022.md

# Session Start: 2025-01-15 14:30:22

**Branch**: feature/user-auth
**Task**: user-auth
**Started**: 2025-01-15 14:30:22
**OmniFocus Task**: abc123xyz

Purpose: Future time tracking, session analytics, work pattern analysis, OmniFocus task management integration

Phase 7: Final Summary

Display session initialization results:

• ✅ Preflight checks passed
• ✅ Environment health validated (with auto-fixes applied)
• ✅ Task name: user-auth
• ✅ Branch created: feature/user-auth
• ✅ Session logged

Ready to work: Environment prepared and ready for task implementation

Note: The user is responsible for describing and coordinating the task implementation themselves.

Configuration Schema

Configuration shared with task-wrapup skill in .task_wrapup_skill_data.json:

{
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "project_name": "MyProject",
  "created_at": "2025-01-15T10:30:00",
  "last_updated": "2025-01-15T10:30:00",

  "task_start": {
    "default_base_branch": "development",
    "protected_branches": ["main", "master", "production"],

    "branch_naming": {
      "prefix": "feature",
      "max_length": 50
    },

    "environment": {
      "docker": {
        "enabled": true,
        "auto_start": true,
        "health_check_url": "http://localhost:3000/health",
        "services": ["backend", "frontend", "db"]
      },
      "database": {
        "check_migrations": true,
        "auto_migrate": true
      },
      "dependencies": {
        "check_updates": true,
        "package_managers": ["npm", "bundler"]
      },
      "env_files": {
        "required": [".env", ".env.development"],
        "critical_vars": ["DATABASE_URL", "SECRET_KEY_BASE"]
      }
    },

    "logging": {
      "session_logs_dir": ".claude/sessions",
      "track_start_time": true,
      "create_session_file": false
    }
  },

  "omnifocus": {
    "project_name": "Development",
    "auto_log_tasks": true,
    "prompt_if_missing": true
  },

  "summary_generation": { ... },
  "communication": { ... },
  "worklog": { ... },
  "documentation": { ... }
}

Usage Examples

Basic Usage - Start New Task with Name

User: "Start new task for user-auth"

The skill will:

1. Run preflight checks (git status, working directory)
2. Validate environment (Docker, DB, dependencies)
3. Extract task name "user-auth" from prompt
4. Create branch: feature/user-auth
5. Display ready-to-work confirmation

Start Task - Prompt for Name

User: "Start task"

The skill will:

1. Run all validation checks
2. Prompt: "What is the task name?" with options:
   • a) Specify task name
   • b) Use default (timestamp-based)
   • c) Skip (uses "new-task")
3. Create branch from task name
4. Ready to work

Start Task with Inline Name

User: "Startup task payment-api"

The skill will:

1. Complete all validation
2. Use "payment-api" as task name
3. Create branch: feature/payment-api
4. Display confirmation

Error Handling

Preflight Failures

Protected Branch Error:

❌ Cannot start new task from protected branch: main
   New tasks must be started from development branch

Action: Switch to development manually or let skill switch automatically

Uncommitted Changes:

⚠️  Uncommitted changes detected:
 M backend/app/models/user.rb
 M frontend/src/components/Login.tsx

Please commit or stash changes before starting new task

Action: Commit changes or stash, then re-run skill

Stashed Work:

⚠️  3 stashed change(s) detected:
stash@{0}: WIP on feature/old-task: abc123 work in progress
stash@{1}: WIP on feature/another: def456 more work
stash@{2}: WIP on develop: ghi789 old stash

Consider applying or clearing stashes before starting new task

Action: Review and clear stashes, or continue with warning

Environment Failures

Docker Not Running:

⚠️  No Docker containers running
🔄 Attempting to start Docker services...
✅ Docker services started

Auto-fix: Starts services automatically if enabled

Pending Migrations:

⚠️  5 pending migration(s) detected
🔄 Running migrations...
✅ Migrations complete

Auto-fix: Runs migrations automatically if enabled

Outdated Dependencies:

⚠️  12 outdated npm package(s)
   Run 'npm outdated' to see details

Action: User decides whether to update before proceeding

Integration with Other Skills

Task-Wrapup Skill

• Shared configuration: Uses same .task_wrapup_skill_data.json file
• Complementary workflow: task-startup begins session, task-wrapup ends it
• Session continuity: Session logs can inform wrap-up summaries

Bundled Scripts

scripts/config_manager.py

Purpose: Manage shared configuration file

Features:

• Create new configuration (interactive or scripted)
• Load and validate existing configuration
• Compatible with task-wrapup skill configuration
• Schema validation and migration support

CLI:

python3 scripts/config_manager.py create [--project-name NAME] [--directory DIR]
python3 scripts/config_manager.py show [--directory DIR]
python3 scripts/config_manager.py validate [--directory DIR]
python3 scripts/config_manager.py path [--directory DIR]

# OmniFocus Integration
python3 scripts/config_manager.py set-omnifocus --omnifocus-project "Development" [--directory DIR]
python3 scripts/config_manager.py get-omnifocus [--directory DIR]

scripts/preflight-checks.sh

Purpose: Git and working directory validation

Features:

• Protected branch detection
• Working directory cleanliness check
• Stash detection and warning
• Base branch verification
• Non-destructive (read-only checks)

Environment: BASE_BRANCH, PROTECTED_BRANCHES

scripts/environment-health.sh

Purpose: Development environment validation and auto-fixing

Features:

• Docker daemon and container checks with auto-start
• Database migration status with auto-migrate
• Dependency version checking (npm, bundler)
• Environment variable validation
• Intelligent auto-fix capabilities

Environment: DOCKER_ENABLED, DOCKER_AUTO_START, DOCKER_HEALTH_URL, CHECK_MIGRATIONS, AUTO_MIGRATE, CHECK_DEPS, CRITICAL_VARS

scripts/branch-create.sh

Purpose: Consistent branch naming and creation

Features:

• Automatic name sanitization
• Length constraints (50 chars)
• Lowercase normalization
• Base branch switching

Environment: BRANCH_PREFIX, MAX_LENGTH, BASE_BRANCH

scripts/session-init.py

Purpose: OmniFocus task creation during session initialization

Features:

• Automatic OmniFocus task creation for work sessions
• Integration with OmniFocus skill via omnifocus_manager.rb
• Reads configuration from .task_wrapup_skill_data.json
• Loads session state from .task_session_state.json
• Stores OmniFocus task ID back to session state
• Dry-run mode for testing without creating tasks

CLI:

# Create OmniFocus task automatically
python3 scripts/session-init.py --directory .

# Dry-run mode (test without creating)
python3 scripts/session-init.py --directory . --dry-run

Requirements:

• OmniFocus skill installed at ~/.claude/skills/omnifocus/
• OmniFocus project configured via config_manager.py
• Session state file exists (.task_session_state.json)

Output (JSON):

{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "OmniFocus task created successfully",
  "task_id": "abc123xyz",
  "task_name": "Work on: user-auth",
  "project": "Development"
}

Error Handling:

• Skips if OmniFocus auto-logging disabled
• Prompts if project name not configured
• Reports errors if OmniFocus script fails
• Non-blocking: skill continues even if OmniFocus creation fails

Best Practices

Configuration Strategy

1. Create configuration once per project
2. Commit .task_wrapup_skill_data.json to version control if team-shared
3. Add to .gitignore if contains sensitive data
4. Update configuration as project needs evolve

Workflow Integration

1. Always start tasks with this skill for consistency
2. Let auto-fix handle environment issues when safe
3. Use descriptive task names for clarity
4. User is responsible for task description and coordination

Team Coordination

1. Establish team conventions for task naming
2. Use consistent base branch across team
3. Document protected branches in configuration
4. Share configuration file structure for new projects

Future Enhancements

Planned Features

• Team notification when starting tasks
• Time estimation integration
• Dependency auto-update option
• Multiple branch naming conventions
• Task tracking integration (Jira/Linear)

Potential Improvements

• IDE integration for automatic environment setup
• Serena memory integration for context loading
• Task dependency checking
• Automated code review prep
• Integration with /sc:load for project context

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Author: Claude Code SuperClaude Framework License: MIT Repository: ~/.claude/skills/task-startup/ Version: 2.0.0