Do Work

Do-Work Skill

A unified entry point for task capture and processing.

Actions:

• do: Capture new tasks/requests → creates UR folder (verbatim input) + REQ files (queue items), always paired, then verifies coverage
• work: Process pending requests → plans (with plan verification), explores, builds, tests
• verify: Evaluate captured REQs against original input → coverage check with auto-fix (also runs automatically after capture)
• cleanup: Consolidate archive → moves loose REQs into UR folders, closes completed URs

Core concept: The do action always produces both a UR folder (preserving the original input) and REQ files (the queue items). Each REQ links back to its UR via user_request frontmatter. This pairing is mandatory for all requests — simple or complex.

Capture ≠ Execute. The do action captures requests. The work action executes them. These are strictly separate operations. After the do action finishes writing files and reporting back, STOP. Do not start processing the queue, do not begin implementation, do not "helpfully" transition into the work action. The user decides when to execute — always. The only exception is if the user explicitly says something like "add this and then run it" or "capture this and start working" in the same invocation.

Routing Decision

Step 1: Parse the Input

Examine what follows "do work":

Check these patterns in order — first match wins:

Step 2: Preserve Payload

Critical rule: Never lose the user's content.

Single-word rule: A single word is either a known keyword or ambiguous — it is never "descriptive content."

• Matches a keyword in the routing table (e.g., "version", "verify", "cleanup") → route to that action directly.
• Doesn't match any keyword (e.g., "refactor", "optimize") → ambiguous. Ask: "Do you want to add '{word}' as a new request, or did you mean something else?"

Only route to do when the input is clearly descriptive — multiple words, a sentence, a feature request, etc.

If routing is genuinely unclear AND multi-word content was provided:

• Default to do (adding a task)
• Hold onto $ARGUMENTS
• If truly ambiguous, ask: "Add this as a request, or start the work loop?"
• User replies with just "add" or "work" → proceed with original content

Action Verbs (→ Work)

These signal "process the queue": run, go, start, begin, work, process, execute, build, continue, resume

Verify Verbs (→ Verify)

These signal "check request quality": verify, check, evaluate, review requests, review reqs, audit

Note: "check" routes to verify ONLY when used alone or with a target (e.g., "do work check UR-003"). When followed by descriptive content it routes to do (e.g., "do work check if the button works" → do).

Cleanup Verbs (→ Cleanup)

These signal "consolidate the archive": cleanup, clean up, tidy, consolidate, organize archive, fix archive

Changelog Verbs (→ Version)

These signal "show release notes": changelog, release notes, what's new, what's changed, updates, history

Note: "updates" (plural) routes to changelog display. "update" (singular) routes to update check. Both are handled by the version action.

Content Signals (→ Do)

These signal "add a new task":

• Descriptive text beyond a single verb
• Feature requests, bug reports, ideas
• Screenshots or context
• "add", "create", "I need", "we should"

Examples

Routes to Work

• do work → "Ready to process the queue?" (confirmation)
• do work run → Starts work action immediately
• do work go → Starts work action immediately

Routes to Verify

• do work verify → Evaluates most recent UR's REQs
• do work verify UR-003 → Evaluates specific UR
• do work check REQ-018 → Evaluates the UR that REQ-018 belongs to
• do work evaluate → Evaluates most recent UR's REQs
• do work review requests → Evaluates most recent UR's REQs

Routes to Cleanup

• do work cleanup → Consolidates archive, closes completed URs
• do work tidy → Same as cleanup
• do work consolidate → Same as cleanup

Routes to Changelog (via Version)

• do work changelog → Displays changelog (newest at bottom)
• do work release notes → Same as changelog
• do work what's new → Same as changelog
• do work updates → Same as changelog
• do work history → Same as changelog

Routes to Do

• do work add dark mode → Creates REQ file + UR folder
• do work the button is broken → Creates REQ file + UR folder
• do work [400 words] → Creates REQ files + UR folder with full verbatim input

Payload Preservation Rules

When clarification is needed but content was provided:

1. Do not lose $ARGUMENTS - keep the full payload in context
2. Ask a simple question: "Add this as a request, or start the work loop?"
3. Accept minimal replies: User says just "add" or "work"
4. Proceed with original content: Apply the chosen action to the stored arguments
5. Never ask the user to re-paste content

This enables a two-phase commit pattern:

1. Capture intent payload
2. Confirm action

Action References

Follow the detailed instructions in:

• do action - Request capture
• work action - Queue processing
• verify-request action - Coverage verification of captured requests (runs after capture, or manually)
• verify-plan action - Plan coverage verification (runs after planning in the work action)
• cleanup action - Archive consolidation and UR closure
• version action - Version, updates & changelog