How do I install the Task Breakdown skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/task-breakdown-4 in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Task Breakdown safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Task Breakdown?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Task Breakdown free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Task Breakdown?

tomevault-io (@tomevault-io) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Task Breakdown by tomevault-io — Agent Skill

Name: Task Breakdown
Author: tomevault-io

File contents

task-breakdown

Purpose: Turn an approved design into a task list that is easy to implement and verify, with clear traceability.

Inputs

PROJECT.md (commands, repo conventions, quality gates)
Requirements + design for the current scope:
- Root: specs/requirements.md, specs/design.md
- Feature: specs/features//requirements.md, specs/features//design.md

Output

A tasks file for the current scope:
- Root: specs/tasks.md
- Feature: specs/features//tasks.md

Rules

Tasks MUST be implementable in small, reviewable diffs.
One task = one clear objective.
Prefer tasks that can be completed in one agent iteration (or S/M/L sizing if you don’t want time).
Order tasks so they can be executed top-to-bottom: prerequisites → core functionality → integration → hardening → docs.
Do not invent repo commands. If PROJECT.md is unclear, ask.
Every task MUST include:
- Implementation: lines (one per line)
- Verification: lines (one per line)
- Refs: pointing to REQ-xxx and/or Design: Section "..."

Task template (copy/paste)

- [ ] **TASK-001: <title>**
Short description.

Implementation:
<one line>
<one line>

Verification:
<one line command or check>
<one line command or check>

Refs: REQ-001 | Design: Section "<name>"
Deps: TASK-000 (optional) | Estimate: S/M/L

How to break down the design

Identify deliverables from the design (components, interfaces, data shapes, migrations, tooling).
Create a “setup / scaffolding” task if needed (but only if the repo requires it).
Split by vertical slices when possible (feature-end-to-end), otherwise by layers.
Add explicit dependencies only when they truly block.
Ensure each task has a minimal, realistic Verification: (tests, linters, checks) that the repo supports.

Verification guidance

Prefer repo-defined commands from PROJECT.md or existing scripts (Makefile/Taskfile/package scripts).
Keep verification “Fast” by default (unit tests / targeted checks).
Add “Full” verification only for pre-merge tasks when the repo defines it.

Optional: dependency summary

If there are many tasks (roughly > 8), add a short section at the end of the file:

Dependencies (optional)

- TASK-003 depends on TASK-001
- TASK-004 depends on TASK-002

Converted and distributed by TomeVault — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.

---name: task-breakdown-4description: Break down an approved design into small, actionable tasks in specs/tasks.md (or feature-scoped). Produces TASK-xxx items with Implementation + Verification + traceability. Use when this capability is needed.---# task-breakdownPurpose: Turn an approved design into a task list that is easy to implement and verify, with clear traceability.## Inputs- PROJECT.md (commands, repo conventions, quality gates)- Requirements + design for the current scope: - Root: specs/requirements.md, specs/design.md - Feature: specs/features/<slug>/requirements.md, specs/features/<slug>/design.md## Output- A tasks file for the current scope: - Root: specs/tasks.md - Feature: specs/features/<slug>/tasks.md## Rules- Tasks MUST be implementable in small, reviewable diffs.- One task = one clear objective.- Prefer tasks that can be completed in one agent iteration (or S/M/L sizing if you don’t want time).- Order tasks so they can be executed top-to-bottom: prerequisites → core functionality → integration → hardening → docs.- Do not invent repo commands. If PROJECT.md is unclear, ask.- Every task MUST include: - Implementation: lines (one per line) - Verification: lines (one per line) - Refs: pointing to REQ-xxx and/or Design: Section "..."## Task template (copy/paste)```markdown- [ ] **TASK-001: <title>**Short description.Implementation:<one line><one line>Verification:<one line command or check><one line command or check>Refs: REQ-001 | Design: Section "<name>"Deps: TASK-000 (optional) | Estimate: S/M/L```## How to break down the design1) Identify deliverables from the design (components, interfaces, data shapes, migrations, tooling).2) Create a “setup / scaffolding” task if needed (but only if the repo requires it).3) Split by vertical slices when possible (feature-end-to-end), otherwise by layers.4) Add explicit dependencies only when they truly block.5) Ensure each task has a minimal, realistic Verification: (tests, linters, checks) that the repo supports.## Verification guidance- Prefer repo-defined commands from PROJECT.md or existing scripts (Makefile/Taskfile/package scripts).- Keep verification “Fast” by default (unit tests / targeted checks).- Add “Full” verification only for pre-merge tasks when the repo defines it.## Optional: dependency summaryIf there are many tasks (roughly > 8), add a short section at the end of the file:## Dependencies (optional)```markdown- TASK-003 depends on TASK-001- TASK-004 depends on TASK-002```---> Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/jpiedrafita) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.

Frequently asked questions

Task Breakdown