<objective> List all open issues, allow selection, load full context for the selected issue, and route to appropriate action.

Enables reviewing captured ideas and deciding what to work on next. </objective>

<context> @.planning/STATE.md @.planning/ROADMAP.md </context> <process> <step name="deprecation_notice"> **If the user invoked with "todo" vocabulary** (e.g., "check todos", "list todos", "pending todos"):

Display:

Note: "todos" is now "issues". Using
/kata-check-issues
.

Then proceed with the action (non-blocking). </step>

<step name="check_and_migrate"> Check if legacy `.planning/todos/` exists and needs migration:

bash

if [ -d ".planning/todos/pending" ] && [ ! -d ".planning/todos/_archived" ]; then
  # Create new structure
  mkdir -p .planning/issues/open .planning/issues/in-progress .planning/issues/closed

  # Copy pending todos to open issues
  cp .planning/todos/pending/*.md .planning/issues/open/ 2>/dev/null || true

  # Copy done todos to closed issues
  cp .planning/todos/done/*.md .planning/issues/closed/ 2>/dev/null || true

  # Archive originals
  mkdir -p .planning/todos/_archived
  mv .planning/todos/pending .planning/todos/_archived/ 2>/dev/null || true
  mv .planning/todos/done .planning/todos/_archived/ 2>/dev/null || true

  echo "Migrated todos to issues format"
fi

# Ensure in-progress directory exists
mkdir -p .planning/issues/in-progress

Migration is idempotent: presence of

_archived/

indicates already migrated. </step>

<step name="check_exist"> ```bash OPEN_COUNT=$(find .planning/issues/open -maxdepth 1 -name "*.md" 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ') IN_PROGRESS_COUNT=$(find .planning/issues/in-progress -maxdepth 1 -name "*.md" 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ') echo "Open issues: $OPEN_COUNT" echo "In progress: $IN_PROGRESS_COUNT" ```

If both counts are 0:

No open or in-progress issues.

Issues are captured during work sessions with /kata-add-issue.

---

Would you like to:

1. Continue with current phase (/kata-track-progress)
2. Add an issue now (/kata-add-issue)

Exit. </step>

<step name="parse_filter"> Check for area filter in arguments: - `/kata-check-issues` → show all - `/kata-check-issues api` → filter to area:api only </step> <step name="list_issues"> **1. Check GitHub config:** ```bash GITHUB_ENABLED=$(cat .planning/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"enabled"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*[^,}]*' | head -1 | grep -o 'true\|false' || echo "false") ```

2. Build dedupe list from local files' provenance fields:

bash

# Get all GitHub issue numbers already tracked locally (from open and in-progress)
LOCAL_PROVENANCE=$(grep -h "^provenance: github:" .planning/issues/open/*.md .planning/issues/in-progress/*.md 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '#[0-9]+' | tr -d '#' | sort -u)

3. Query GitHub Issues (if enabled):

bash

if [ "$GITHUB_ENABLED" = "true" ]; then
  # Get GitHub Issues with backlog label, excluding those already tracked locally
  # Note: --label flag has issues in some gh CLI versions, use jq filter instead
  GITHUB_ISSUES=$(gh issue list --state open --json number,title,createdAt,labels --jq '.[] | select(.labels[].name == "backlog") | "\(.createdAt)|\(.title)|github|\(.number)"' 2>/dev/null)
fi

4. Query in-progress issues first:

bash

for file in .planning/issues/in-progress/*.md; do
  [ -f "$file" ] || continue
  created=$(grep "^created:" "$file" | cut -d' ' -f2)
  title=$(grep "^title:" "$file" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
  area=$(grep "^area:" "$file" | cut -d' ' -f2)
  echo "$created|$title|$area|$file|in-progress"
done | sort

5. Query open issues:

bash

for file in .planning/issues/open/*.md; do
  [ -f "$file" ] || continue
  created=$(grep "^created:" "$file" | cut -d' ' -f2)
  title=$(grep "^title:" "$file" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
  area=$(grep "^area:" "$file" | cut -d' ' -f2)
  echo "$created|$title|$area|$file|open"
done | sort

6. Merge and display:

Display in-progress issues first (if any), then open issues:

In-progress issues marked with
```
[IN PROGRESS]
```
indicator
Local issues display as-is with their area
GitHub-only issues (number NOT in LOCAL_PROVENANCE) display with
```
[GH]
```
indicator

Format:

1. [IN PROGRESS] Fix auth bug (api, 2d ago)

2. Add feature [GH] (bug, 3d ago)

Apply area filter if specified. Display as numbered list:

Issues:

--- In Progress ---
1. [IN PROGRESS] Fix auth token refresh (api, 2d ago)

--- Open (Backlog) ---
2. Add modal z-index fix (ui, 1d ago)
3. Fix login bug [GH] (bug, 3d ago)
4. Refactor database connection pool (database, 5h ago)

---

Reply with a number to view details, or:
- `/kata-check-issues [area]` to filter by area
- `q` to exit

Format age as relative time. The

[GH]

indicator marks GitHub-only issues (not yet pulled to local). </step>

<step name="handle_selection"> Wait for user to reply with a number.

If valid: load selected issue, proceed. If invalid: "Invalid selection. Reply with a number (1-[N]) or

to exit." </step>

<step name="load_context"> **If local issue (has file path):** Read the issue file completely. Display:

## [title]

**Area:** [area]
**Created:** [date] ([relative time] ago)
**Files:** [list or "None"]

### Problem
[problem section content]

### Solution
[solution section content]

files

field has entries, read and briefly summarize each.

If GitHub-only issue (has [GH] indicator): Fetch full issue details from GitHub:

bash

gh issue view $ISSUE_NUMBER --json title,body,createdAt,labels

Display:

## [title] [GH]

**Source:** GitHub Issue #[number]
**Created:** [date] ([relative time] ago)
**Labels:** [list of GitHub labels]

### Description
[issue body content]

Note: This issue exists only in GitHub, not yet pulled to local. </step>

<step name="check_roadmap"> ```bash ls .planning/ROADMAP.md 2>/dev/null && echo "Roadmap exists" ```

If roadmap exists:

Check if issue's area matches an upcoming phase
Check if issue's files overlap with a phase's scope
Note any match for action options </step>

<step name="offer_actions"> **If in-progress issue:**

Use AskUserQuestion:

header: "Action"
question: "This issue is in progress. What would you like to do?"
options:
- "Mark complete" — move to closed, close GitHub Issue if linked
- "Continue working" — show context and begin work
- "Put back to open" — move back to backlog
- "View details" — show full issue context

If GitHub-only issue (has [GH] indicator):

Use AskUserQuestion:

header: "Action"
question: "This is a GitHub Issue. What would you like to do?"
options:
- "Pull to local" — create local file for offline work
- "Work on it now" — pull to local AND move to in-progress (shows mode selection)
- "View on GitHub" — open in browser (gh issue view --web)
- "Put it back" — return to list

If user selects "Work on it now" (for GitHub-only issues): First pull to local, then show mode selection (see below).

If open local issue maps to a roadmap phase:

Use AskUserQuestion:

header: "Action"
question: "This issue relates to Phase [N]: [name]. What would you like to do?"
options:
- "Work on it now" — move to in-progress, start working (shows mode selection)
- "Add to phase plan" — include when planning Phase [N]
- "Brainstorm approach" — think through before deciding
- "Put it back" — return to list

If open local issue with no roadmap match:

Use AskUserQuestion:

header: "Action"
question: "What would you like to do with this issue?"
options:
- "Work on it now" — move to in-progress, start working (shows mode selection)
- "Create a phase" — /kata-add-phase with this scope
- "Brainstorm approach" — think through before deciding
- "Put it back" — return to list

Mode selection (when "Work on it now" selected for open local or GitHub-only issues):

After selecting "Work on it now", present execution mode selection:

Use AskUserQuestion:

header: "Execution Mode"
question: "How would you like to work on this issue?"
options:
- "Quick task" — Small fix, execute now with commits + PR
- "Planned" — Create phase or link to existing phase
- "Put it back" — Return to issue list

Store the selected mode for use in execute_action step. </step>

<step name="execute_action"> **Pull to local (GitHub-only issues):** Create local file from GitHub Issue: ```bash # Get issue details ISSUE_DATA=$(gh issue view $ISSUE_NUMBER --json title,body,createdAt,labels) TITLE=$(echo "$ISSUE_DATA" | jq -r '.title') BODY=$(echo "$ISSUE_DATA" | jq -r '.body') CREATED=$(echo "$ISSUE_DATA" | jq -r '.createdAt')

Generate file path

timestamp=$(date "+%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M") date_prefix=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d") slug=$(echo "$TITLE" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | tr ' ' '-' | tr -cd 'a-z0-9-' | head -c 40) OWNER_REPO=$(gh repo view --json nameWithOwner --jq '.nameWithOwner')

Create local file with provenance

cat > ".planning/issues/open/${date_prefix}-${slug}.md" << EOF

created: ${timestamp} title: ${TITLE} area: general provenance: github:${OWNER_REPO}#${ISSUE_NUMBER} files: []

Problem

${BODY}

Solution

TBD EOF

The `provenance` field enables deduplication on subsequent checks.
Confirm: "Pulled GitHub Issue #[number] to local: .planning/issues/open/[filename]"
Return to list or offer to work on it.

**Work on it now (open local issue):**

**Based on mode selection from offer_actions step:**

**If "Quick task" mode selected:**

1. Move from open to in-progress:
```bash
mv ".planning/issues/open/[filename]" ".planning/issues/in-progress/"
ISSUE_FILE=".planning/issues/in-progress/[filename]"

# Add in-progress label to GitHub Issue if linked
PROVENANCE=$(grep "^provenance:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d' ' -f2)
if echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -q "^github:"; then
  ISSUE_NUMBER=$(echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -oE '#[0-9]+' | tr -d '#')

  if [ -n "$ISSUE_NUMBER" ]; then
    GITHUB_ENABLED=$(cat .planning/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"enabled"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*[^,}]*' | head -1 | grep -o 'true\|false' || echo "false")

    if [ "$GITHUB_ENABLED" = "true" ]; then
      gh label create "in-progress" --description "Issue is actively being worked on" --color "FFA500" 2>/dev/null || true
      gh issue edit "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --add-label "in-progress" 2>/dev/null || true
      gh issue edit "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --add-assignee @me 2>/dev/null || true
    fi
  fi
fi

Display:

Starting quick task execution for issue: [title]

Route to execute-quick-task with issue context:

/kata-execute-quick-task --issue "$ISSUE_FILE"

The execute-quick-task skill will handle planning, execution, and PR creation.

If "Planned" mode selected:

Do NOT move issue to in-progress yet. Present planned execution options:

Use AskUserQuestion:

header: "Planned Execution"
question: "How should this issue be planned?"
options:
- "Create new phase" — Add a phase to the roadmap for this issue
- "Link to existing phase" — Associate with an upcoming phase
- "Put it back" — Return to issue list

If "Create new phase" selected:

Extract issue context for phase creation:

bash

ISSUE_TITLE=$(grep "^title:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
PROVENANCE=$(grep "^provenance:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d' ' -f2)
ISSUE_NUMBER=""
if echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -q "^github:"; then
  ISSUE_NUMBER=$(echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -oE '#[0-9]+' | tr -d '#')
fi

Display routing guidance:

Creating phase from issue: ${ISSUE_TITLE}
${ISSUE_NUMBER:+GitHub Issue: #${ISSUE_NUMBER}}

The new phase will be linked to this issue.
When the phase PR merges, the issue will close automatically.

---

## ▶ Next Up

**Create Phase:** ${ISSUE_TITLE}

`/kata-add-phase --issue ${ISSUE_FILE}`

<sub>`/clear` first → fresh context window</sub>

---

Note: Issue remains in open/ until phase work begins.
When phase planning starts, move issue to in-progress manually
or use /kata-check-issues to update status.

Keep issue in open/ (do NOT move to in-progress yet).

If "Link to existing phase" selected:

Find upcoming phases that might match:

bash

# Get phase directories that are not yet complete (no SUMMARY.md for all plans)
# This is a heuristic - phases with incomplete plans
UPCOMING_PHASES=""
# Scan all phase directories across states
ALL_PHASE_DIRS=""
for state in active pending completed; do
  [ -d ".planning/phases/${state}" ] && ALL_PHASE_DIRS="${ALL_PHASE_DIRS} $(find .planning/phases/${state} -maxdepth 1 -type d -not -name "${state}" 2>/dev/null)"
done
# Fallback: include flat directories (backward compatibility)
FLAT_DIRS=$(find .planning/phases -maxdepth 1 -type d -name "[0-9]*" 2>/dev/null)
[ -n "$FLAT_DIRS" ] && ALL_PHASE_DIRS="${ALL_PHASE_DIRS} ${FLAT_DIRS}"

for phase_dir in $ALL_PHASE_DIRS; do
  [ -d "$phase_dir" ] || continue
  phase_name=$(basename "$phase_dir")
  # Check if phase has at least one PLAN.md but missing at least one SUMMARY.md
  plan_count=$(find "$phase_dir" -maxdepth 1 -name "*-PLAN.md" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
  summary_count=$(find "$phase_dir" -maxdepth 1 -name "*-SUMMARY.md" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)

  if [ "$plan_count" -gt 0 ] && [ "$plan_count" -gt "$summary_count" ]; then
    # Extract phase goal from roadmap
    phase_num=$(echo "$phase_name" | grep -oE '^[0-9]+')
    phase_goal=$(grep -A2 "### Phase ${phase_num}:" .planning/ROADMAP.md | grep "Goal:" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
    UPCOMING_PHASES="${UPCOMING_PHASES}\n- ${phase_name}: ${phase_goal}"
  fi
done

If matching phases found, present selection:

Upcoming phases that could include this issue:

${UPCOMING_PHASES}

To link this issue to a phase:
1. Note the issue reference when planning that phase
2. Include issue context in the phase PLAN.md
3. The issue PR will close the issue when merged

Which phase? (Enter phase name or "none" to go back)

If phase selected:

Check if issue already linked to a phase:

bash

EXISTING_LINKAGE=$(grep "^linked_phase:" "$ISSUE_FILE" 2>/dev/null | cut -d' ' -f2)

If EXISTING_LINKAGE exists:

This issue is already linked to phase: ${EXISTING_LINKAGE}

Options:
- Override — Link to ${SELECTED_PHASE} instead
- Cancel — Keep existing linkage

Use AskUserQuestion to confirm override or cancel.

If override selected or no existing linkage:

Step 3a: Update issue file frontmatter with linked_phase:

bash

ISSUE_FILE="[path to issue file]"
PHASE_NAME="[selected phase name, e.g., '03-issue-roadmap-integration']"

# Add linked_phase to issue frontmatter (after the opening ---)
# Use awk to insert after first ---
awk -v phase="$PHASE_NAME" '
  /^---$/ && !found {
    print
    print "linked_phase: " phase
    found=1
    next
  }
  { print }
' "$ISSUE_FILE" > "$ISSUE_FILE.tmp" && mv "$ISSUE_FILE.tmp" "$ISSUE_FILE"

Step 3b: Update STATE.md with linkage entry:

bash

STATE_FILE=".planning/STATE.md"

# Extract issue details for STATE.md entry
ISSUE_TITLE=$(grep "^title:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
PROVENANCE=$(grep "^provenance:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d' ' -f2)
GITHUB_REF=""
if echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -q "^github:"; then
  GITHUB_REF="GitHub: $(echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -oE '#[0-9]+')"
fi
TIMESTAMP=$(date -u +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")

# Check if "### Pending Issues" section exists
if ! grep -q "^### Pending Issues" "$STATE_FILE"; then
  # Append section before "## Session Continuity" if exists, otherwise at end
  if grep -q "^## Session Continuity" "$STATE_FILE"; then
    sed -i '' '/^## Session Continuity/i\
### Pending Issues\
\
Issues linked to phases for planned work:\
\
' "$STATE_FILE"
  else
    echo -e "\n### Pending Issues\n\nIssues linked to phases for planned work:\n" >> "$STATE_FILE"
  fi
fi

# Add linkage entry (format enables phase planning to find linked issues)
LINKAGE_ENTRY="- ${ISSUE_TITLE} → Phase ${PHASE_NAME}\n  - File: ${ISSUE_FILE}\n  ${GITHUB_REF:+- ${GITHUB_REF}}\n  - Linked: ${TIMESTAMP}"

# Insert after "### Pending Issues" header and description
awk -v entry="$LINKAGE_ENTRY" '
  /^### Pending Issues/ { pending=1 }
  pending && /^$/ && !inserted {
    print
    print entry
    inserted=1
    next
  }
  { print }
' "$STATE_FILE" > "$STATE_FILE.tmp" && mv "$STATE_FILE.tmp" "$STATE_FILE"

Step 3c: Display confirmation:

Issue linked to phase: ${PHASE_NAME}

  ${ISSUE_TITLE}
  File: ${ISSUE_FILE}
  ${GITHUB_REF:+GitHub: ${GITHUB_REF}}

The issue will be included when planning this phase.
Issue remains in open/ until phase work begins.

Keep issue in open/

If no phases found:

No upcoming phases found.

Options:
- /kata-add-phase --issue ${ISSUE_FILE} — Create a new phase
- /kata-track-progress — View current roadmap status
- Put it back — Return to issue list

If "Put it back" selected from planned execution: Return to list_issues step.

If "Put it back" selected from mode selection:

Return to list_issues step.

Legacy behavior (no mode selection, direct work):

If proceeding without mode selection (e.g., for in-progress issues):

Move from open to in-progress (does NOT close GitHub Issue):

bash

mv ".planning/issues/open/[filename]" ".planning/issues/in-progress/"

# Add in-progress label to GitHub Issue if linked
PROVENANCE=$(grep "^provenance:" ".planning/issues/in-progress/[filename]" | cut -d' ' -f2)
if echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -q "^github:"; then
  ISSUE_NUMBER=$(echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -oE '#[0-9]+' | tr -d '#')

  if [ -n "$ISSUE_NUMBER" ]; then
    GITHUB_ENABLED=$(cat .planning/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"enabled"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*[^,}]*' | head -1 | grep -o 'true\|false' || echo "false")

    if [ "$GITHUB_ENABLED" = "true" ]; then
      # Create in-progress label idempotently (ignore error if exists)
      gh label create "in-progress" --description "Issue is actively being worked on" --color "FFA500" 2>/dev/null || true

      # Add in-progress label (keeps backlog label)
      gh issue edit "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --add-label "in-progress" 2>/dev/null \
        && echo "Added in-progress label to GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}" \
        || echo "Warning: Failed to add in-progress label to GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}"

      # Assign issue to self
      gh issue edit "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --add-assignee @me 2>/dev/null \
        && echo "Assigned GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER} to @me" \
        || echo "Warning: Failed to assign GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}"
    fi
  fi
fi

Display confirmation:

Issue moved to in-progress: [filename]

  [title]
  Area: [area]
  GitHub: Linked to #[number], added in-progress label, assigned to @me
          -or- Not linked (if no provenance)

Ready to begin work.

When complete, use `/kata-check-issues` and select "Mark complete".

Update STATE.md issue count. Present problem/solution context. Begin work or ask how to proceed.

Work on it now (GitHub-only issue):

First execute "Pull to local" action to create local file, then proceed based on mode selection.

Based on mode selection from offer_actions step:

If "Quick task" mode selected:

Pull to local (creates file at

.planning/issues/open/${date_prefix}-${slug}.md

)

Move to in-progress:

bash

mv ".planning/issues/open/${date_prefix}-${slug}.md" ".planning/issues/in-progress/"
ISSUE_FILE=".planning/issues/in-progress/${date_prefix}-${slug}.md"

# Add in-progress label to GitHub Issue (we know it's GitHub-linked)
GITHUB_ENABLED=$(cat .planning/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"enabled"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*[^,}]*' | head -1 | grep -o 'true\|false' || echo "false")

if [ "$GITHUB_ENABLED" = "true" ]; then
  gh label create "in-progress" --description "Issue is actively being worked on" --color "FFA500" 2>/dev/null || true
  gh issue edit "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --add-label "in-progress" 2>/dev/null || true
  gh issue edit "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --add-assignee @me 2>/dev/null || true
fi

Display:

Starting quick task execution for issue: [title]

Route to execute-quick-task with issue context:

/kata-execute-quick-task --issue "$ISSUE_FILE"

If "Planned" mode selected:

Pull to local (creates file at

.planning/issues/open/${date_prefix}-${slug}.md

)

Do NOT move to in-progress. Present planned execution options:

Use AskUserQuestion:

header: "Planned Execution"
question: "How should this issue be planned?"
options:
- "Create new phase" — Add a phase to the roadmap for this issue
- "Link to existing phase" — Associate with an upcoming phase
- "Put it back" — Return to issue list

If "Create new phase" selected (GitHub-only issue):

Extract issue context (already have from pull-to-local):

bash

ISSUE_FILE=".planning/issues/open/${date_prefix}-${slug}.md"
ISSUE_TITLE=$(grep "^title:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
# ISSUE_NUMBER already available from the GitHub-only flow

Display routing guidance:

Creating phase from issue: ${ISSUE_TITLE}
GitHub Issue: #${ISSUE_NUMBER}

The new phase will be linked to this issue.
When the phase PR merges, the issue will close automatically.

---

## ▶ Next Up

**Create Phase:** ${ISSUE_TITLE}

`/kata-add-phase --issue ${ISSUE_FILE}`

<sub>`/clear` first → fresh context window</sub>

---

Note: Issue remains in open/ until phase work begins.
When phase planning starts, move issue to in-progress manually
or use /kata-check-issues to update status.

Keep issue in open/ (do NOT move to in-progress yet).

If "Link to existing phase" selected (GitHub-only issue):

Find upcoming phases (same logic as local issue path):

bash

UPCOMING_PHASES=""
ALL_PHASE_DIRS=""
for state in active pending completed; do
  for d in .planning/phases/${state}/*/; do
    [ -d "$d" ] && ALL_PHASE_DIRS="$ALL_PHASE_DIRS $d"
  done
done
# Flat directory fallback (unmigrated projects)
for d in .planning/phases/[0-9]*/; do
  [ -d "$d" ] && ALL_PHASE_DIRS="$ALL_PHASE_DIRS $d"
done
for phase_dir in $ALL_PHASE_DIRS; do
  phase_name=$(basename "$phase_dir")
  plan_count=$(find "$phase_dir" -maxdepth 1 -name "*-PLAN.md" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
  summary_count=$(find "$phase_dir" -maxdepth 1 -name "*-SUMMARY.md" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)

  if [ "$plan_count" -gt 0 ] && [ "$plan_count" -gt "$summary_count" ]; then
    phase_num=$(echo "$phase_name" | grep -oE '^[0-9]+')
    phase_goal=$(grep -A2 "### Phase ${phase_num}:" .planning/ROADMAP.md | grep "Goal:" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
    UPCOMING_PHASES="${UPCOMING_PHASES}\n- ${phase_name}: ${phase_goal}"
  fi
done

If matching phases found, present selection:

Upcoming phases that could include this issue:

${UPCOMING_PHASES}

To link this issue to a phase:
1. Note the issue reference when planning that phase
2. Include issue context in the phase PLAN.md
3. The issue PR will close the issue when merged

Which phase? (Enter phase name or "none" to go back)

If phase selected (GitHub-only issue):

Note: For GitHub-only issues, the local file was just created by "Pull to local" step. Use the same linkage logic as local issues (see above for full implementation).

Check if issue already linked to a phase:

bash

ISSUE_FILE=".planning/issues/open/${date_prefix}-${slug}.md"
EXISTING_LINKAGE=$(grep "^linked_phase:" "$ISSUE_FILE" 2>/dev/null | cut -d' ' -f2)

If EXISTING_LINKAGE exists: Ask to override or cancel.

If override selected or no existing linkage:

Step 3a: Update issue file frontmatter with linked_phase:

bash

awk -v phase="$PHASE_NAME" '
  /^---$/ && !found {
    print
    print "linked_phase: " phase
    found=1
    next
  }
  { print }
' "$ISSUE_FILE" > "$ISSUE_FILE.tmp" && mv "$ISSUE_FILE.tmp" "$ISSUE_FILE"

Step 3b: Update STATE.md with linkage entry:

bash

STATE_FILE=".planning/STATE.md"
ISSUE_TITLE=$(grep "^title:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
GITHUB_REF="GitHub: #${ISSUE_NUMBER}"
TIMESTAMP=$(date -u +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")

# Check if "### Pending Issues" section exists, create if not
if ! grep -q "^### Pending Issues" "$STATE_FILE"; then
  if grep -q "^## Session Continuity" "$STATE_FILE"; then
    sed -i '' '/^## Session Continuity/i\
### Pending Issues\
\
Issues linked to phases for planned work:\
\
' "$STATE_FILE"
  else
    echo -e "\n### Pending Issues\n\nIssues linked to phases for planned work:\n" >> "$STATE_FILE"
  fi
fi

# Add linkage entry
LINKAGE_ENTRY="- ${ISSUE_TITLE} → Phase ${PHASE_NAME}\n  - File: ${ISSUE_FILE}\n  - ${GITHUB_REF}\n  - Linked: ${TIMESTAMP}"

awk -v entry="$LINKAGE_ENTRY" '
  /^### Pending Issues/ { pending=1 }
  pending && /^$/ && !inserted {
    print
    print entry
    inserted=1
    next
  }
  { print }
' "$STATE_FILE" > "$STATE_FILE.tmp" && mv "$STATE_FILE.tmp" "$STATE_FILE"

Step 3c: Display confirmation:

Issue linked to phase: ${PHASE_NAME}

  ${ISSUE_TITLE}
  File: ${ISSUE_FILE}
  GitHub: #${ISSUE_NUMBER}

The issue will be included when planning this phase.
Issue remains in open/ until phase work begins.

Keep issue in open/

If no phases found:

No upcoming phases found.

Options:
- /kata-add-phase --issue ${ISSUE_FILE} — Create a new phase
- /kata-track-progress — View current roadmap status
- Put it back — Return to issue list

If "Put it back" selected from planned execution: Return to list_issues step (do not pull to local).

If "Put it back" selected from mode selection:

Return to list_issues step (do not pull to local).

Legacy behavior (no mode selection):

If proceeding without mode selection:

bash

mv ".planning/issues/open/${date_prefix}-${slug}.md" ".planning/issues/in-progress/"

# Add in-progress label to GitHub Issue (we know it's GitHub-linked since this is the GitHub-only path)
GITHUB_ENABLED=$(cat .planning/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"enabled"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*[^,}]*' | head -1 | grep -o 'true\|false' || echo "false")

if [ "$GITHUB_ENABLED" = "true" ]; then
  # Create in-progress label idempotently (ignore error if exists)
  gh label create "in-progress" --description "Issue is actively being worked on" --color "FFA500" 2>/dev/null || true

  # Add in-progress label (keeps backlog label)
  # Note: $ISSUE_NUMBER is already available from the pull-to-local step
  gh issue edit "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --add-label "in-progress" 2>/dev/null \
    && echo "Added in-progress label to GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}" \
    || echo "Warning: Failed to add in-progress label to GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}"

  # Assign issue to self
  gh issue edit "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --add-assignee @me 2>/dev/null \
    && echo "Assigned GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER} to @me" \
    || echo "Warning: Failed to assign GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}"
fi

Display confirmation:

Issue moved to in-progress: [filename]

  [title]
  Area: [area]
  GitHub: Linked to #[number], added in-progress label, assigned to @me

Ready to begin work.

When complete, use `/kata-check-issues` and select "Mark complete".

Update STATE.md issue count. Present problem/solution context. Begin work or ask how to proceed.

Mark complete (in-progress issue): Move from in-progress to closed and close GitHub Issue if linked:

bash

mv ".planning/issues/in-progress/[filename]" ".planning/issues/closed/"

# Check if issue has GitHub provenance
PROVENANCE=$(grep "^provenance:" ".planning/issues/closed/[filename]" | cut -d' ' -f2)
if echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -q "^github:"; then
  # Extract issue number from provenance (format: github:owner/repo#N)
  ISSUE_NUMBER=$(echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -oE '#[0-9]+' | tr -d '#')

  if [ -n "$ISSUE_NUMBER" ]; then
    # Check github.enabled (may have changed since issue was created)
    GITHUB_ENABLED=$(cat .planning/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"enabled"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*[^,}]*' | head -1 | grep -o 'true\|false' || echo "false")

    if [ "$GITHUB_ENABLED" = "true" ]; then
      # Close GitHub Issue with comment
      gh issue close "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --comment "Completed via Kata workflow" 2>/dev/null \
        && echo "Closed GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}" \
        || echo "Warning: Failed to close GitHub Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}"
    fi
  fi
fi

Display confirmation:

Issue completed: [filename]

  [title]
  Area: [area]
  GitHub: Closed #[number] (if provenance exists and close succeeded)
          -or- Not linked (if no provenance)
          -or- Failed to close #[number] (if close failed)

Issue closed.

Update STATE.md issue count.

Put back to open (in-progress issue): Move from in-progress back to open:

bash

mv ".planning/issues/in-progress/[filename]" ".planning/issues/open/"

Confirm: "Issue moved back to open: [filename]" Return to list.

Continue working (in-progress issue): Present problem/solution context. Begin work or ask how to proceed.

View on GitHub (GitHub-only issues):

bash

gh issue view $ISSUE_NUMBER --web

Opens issue in browser. Return to list.

Add to phase plan: Note issue reference in phase planning notes. Keep in open. Return to list or exit.

Create a phase: Display:

/kata-add-phase --issue [issue file path]

Keep in open. User runs command in fresh context.

Brainstorm approach: Keep in open. Start discussion about problem and approaches.

Put it back: Return to list_issues step. </step>

<step name="update_state"> After any action that changes issue count:

bash

OPEN_COUNT=$(find .planning/issues/open -maxdepth 1 -name "*.md" 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
IN_PROGRESS_COUNT=$(find .planning/issues/in-progress -maxdepth 1 -name "*.md" 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
CLOSED_COUNT=$(find .planning/issues/closed -maxdepth 1 -name "*.md" 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
echo "Open: $OPEN_COUNT, In Progress: $IN_PROGRESS_COUNT, Closed: $CLOSED_COUNT"

Update STATE.md "### Pending Issues" section if exists. </step>

<step name="git_commit"> If issue state changed, commit the change:

Check planning config:

bash

COMMIT_PLANNING_DOCS=$(cat .planning/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"commit_docs"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*[^,}]*' | grep -o 'true\|false' || echo "true")
git check-ignore -q .planning 2>/dev/null && COMMIT_PLANNING_DOCS=false

If
COMMIT_PLANNING_DOCS=false
: Skip git operations, log "Issue moved (not committed - commit_docs: false)"

If
COMMIT_PLANNING_DOCS=true
(default):

If moved to in-progress (Work on it now):

bash

git add .planning/issues/in-progress/[filename]
git rm --cached .planning/issues/open/[filename] 2>/dev/null || true
[ -f .planning/STATE.md ] && git add .planning/STATE.md

git commit -m "$(cat <<EOF
docs: start work on issue - [title]

Moved to in-progress.
EOF
)"

Confirm: "Committed: docs: start work on issue - [title]"

If moved to closed (Mark complete):

bash

git add .planning/issues/closed/[filename]
git rm --cached .planning/issues/in-progress/[filename] 2>/dev/null || true
[ -f .planning/STATE.md ] && git add .planning/STATE.md

# Check if issue had GitHub provenance that was closed
PROVENANCE=$(grep "^provenance:" ".planning/issues/closed/[filename]" | cut -d' ' -f2)
GITHUB_REF=""
if echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -q "^github:"; then
  GITHUB_REF="Closes $(echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -oE '#[0-9]+')"
fi

git commit -m "$(cat <<EOF
docs: complete issue - [title]

${GITHUB_REF}
EOF
)"

Confirm: "Committed: docs: complete issue - [title]"

If moved back to open (Put back to open):

bash

git add .planning/issues/open/[filename]
git rm --cached .planning/issues/in-progress/[filename] 2>/dev/null || true
[ -f .planning/STATE.md ] && git add .planning/STATE.md

git commit -m "docs: return issue to backlog - [title]"

Confirm: "Committed: docs: return issue to backlog - [title]" </step>

</process> <output> - Moved issue to `.planning/issues/in-progress/` (if "Work on it now" with mode selection) - Moved issue to `.planning/issues/closed/` (if "Mark complete") - Moved issue to `.planning/issues/open/` (if "Put back to open") - Created `.planning/issues/open/` file (if "Pull to local" from GitHub) - Updated `.planning/STATE.md` (if issue count changed) - Routed to `/kata-execute-quick-task` (if "Quick task" mode selected) - Displayed planned execution guidance (if "Planned" mode selected) </output>

<anti_patterns>

Don't delete issues — use proper state transitions
Don't close GitHub Issues when starting work — only when marking complete
Don't create plans from this command — route to /kata-plan-phase or /kata-add-phase </anti_patterns>

<issue_lifecycle>

Issue Lifecycle

Issues follow a three-state lifecycle:

open/        → Backlog (not started)
in-progress/ → Actively being worked on
closed/      → Completed

State transitions:

Work on it now (Quick task):
```
open/
```
→
```
in-progress/
```
→ routes to
```
/kata-execute-quick-task
```
Work on it now (Planned): stays in
```
open/
```
with guidance for phase planning
Mark complete:
```
in-progress/
```
→
```
closed/
```
(closes GitHub Issue if linked)
Put back to open:
```
in-progress/
```
→
```
open/
```
(useful if deprioritized)

GitHub Issue lifecycle:

Created when:
```
/kata-add-issue
```
with
```
github.enabled=true
```
Linked via:
```
provenance: github:owner/repo#N
```
in local file
Closed when: User selects "Mark complete" on an in-progress issue
Alternative: GitHub auto-closes via "Closes #N" in PR description when PR merges

The provenance field is the linchpin - it enables deduplication and bidirectional updates. </issue_lifecycle>

<success_criteria>

Open and in-progress issues listed with title, area, age
In-progress issues shown first with [IN PROGRESS] indicator
GitHub backlog issues included (if github.enabled=true)
Deduplication applied (local provenance matches GitHub #)
GitHub-only issues marked with [GH] indicator
Area filter applied if specified
Selected issue's full context loaded
Roadmap context checked for phase match
Appropriate actions offered based on issue state
"Work on it now" presents mode selection (Quick task vs Planned) via AskUserQuestion
"Quick task" mode moves to in-progress and routes to
```
/kata-execute-quick-task --issue
```
"Planned" mode displays guidance message and returns gracefully
"Work on it now" adds in-progress label to GitHub Issue (if linked, Quick task mode)
"Work on it now" assigns GitHub Issue to @me (if linked, Quick task mode)
"Mark complete" moves to closed AND closes GitHub Issue
STATE.md updated if issue count changed
Changes committed to git </success_criteria>

kata-check-issues

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

Generate file path

Create local file with provenance

cat > ".planning/issues/open/${date_prefix}-${slug}.md" << EOF

created: ${timestamp} title: ${TITLE} area: general provenance: github:${OWNER_REPO}#${ISSUE_NUMBER} files: []

Problem

Solution

Issue Lifecycle