# Task Card Manual

> Read when a Task Card needs a truthful renderer, lifecycle recovery, settings, or projection boundary; routine schema-sufficient calls can use the action directly.

- Skill: `lingtai-ai/task-card-manual` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add lingtai-ai/task-card-manual`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/lingtai-ai/task-card-manual/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity
- Author: lingtai-ai (https://skillmd.com/u/lingtai-ai)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/lingtai-ai/task-card-manual

---


# task_card manual

`task_card` is one channel-neutral producer per agent: it writes the full body to
`taskcard/taskcard.md` and exact `active`/`inactive` to `taskcard/status`.

## First action

Routine schema-sufficient calls do not need this manual. For meaningful
long-running, multi-step, or parallel work, start a truthful watch:

```python
task_card(action="start", input={"renderer_path": "renderer.py"},
          reasoning="publish truthful progress for the long-running work")
```

Use `action`, strict action `input`, and root `reasoning`; root `summarize` is
optional presentation control (leave it false for exact manual text or paths).
`renderer_path` must resolve after symlink resolution to an existing regular
Python file inside the working directory. It must exit successfully with
nonempty stdout, which is the full body. Over-limit output is refused, not
truncated; the producer atomically writes the body before exact `active`. Only
one watch is allowed. Skip quick single-step or ritual work and any renderer
that cannot stay truthful.

## Lifecycle decisions

Use the schema for action fields; `inspect` reports current watch/body/error.
`stop` pauses and preserves the body; `remove`
retires then deletes it after completion, cancellation or abandonment. Retry a
failed stop/remove once quiescent; never bypass it with Shell/File deletion.
Start a new watch when expired work continues. Read [lifecycle](reference/lifecycle.md)
for shutdown/resume and stale-state caveats.

## Settings anchors

`settings` is read-only: five numeric policies in `taskcard/taskcard.json`, not a
writer or migration trigger. Edit that document only through its authorized
owner procedure, preserving siblings, then SHOW again. See the anchors below.

### interval-s
See [interval-s](reference/settings.md#interval-s).

### timeout-s
See [timeout-s](reference/settings.md#timeout-s).

### max-refreshes
See [max-refreshes](reference/settings.md#max-refreshes).

### reminder-turns
See [reminder-turns](reference/settings.md#reminder-turns).

### max-body-chars
See [max-body-chars](reference/settings.md#max-body-chars).

## Focused routes

- [lifecycle and recovery](reference/lifecycle.md) — ordering, retry/error,
  stop/remove, restart resume, expiry, and truthful renderer use.
- [settings and cadence](reference/settings.md) — SHOW, five policies,
  validation floors/ceilings, and one-way legacy bootstrap.
- [notifications and projection](reference/notifications.md) — typed events,
  reminders, resident projection, and consumer limits.

## Truth boundary

Report only evidence the renderer can read; never fabricate progress or claim a
consumer sent, edited, retried, or delivered the card. Task Card owns artifacts
and typed notifications, not transport IDs, layouts, transport retries, or
another channel's display guarantee.