How do I install the Backlog skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add tools-only/backlog-2 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 Backlog safe to use?

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

Which AI agents work with Backlog?

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 Backlog free to use?

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

Who published Backlog?

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

Backlog by tools-only — Agent Skill

Name: Backlog
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: tools-only

File contents

Backlog Script

The backlog script is the sole interface for .claude/BACKLOG.md and GitHub Issues. Skills and agents invoke it; no direct Write/Grep edits to BACKLOG.md.

Invocation

uv run .claude/skills/backlog/scripts/backlog.py <subcommand> [options]

Subcommands

Subcommand	Purpose
`add`	Create item in BACKLOG; create GitHub issue if P0/P1
`list`	List items (for interactive browser)
`sync`	Create issues for P0/P1 items missing them
`close`	Mark DONE, close issue (requires `--checklist-pass`)
`resolve`	Mark RESOLVED, close issue
`update`	Add Plan, set status:in-progress, or create issue

Usage

add

backlog add --title "Item title" --priority P1 --description "Description" \
  [--source "Source"] [--type Feature] [--research-first "questions"] [--create-issue]

list

backlog list [--format text|json]

sync

backlog sync [--dry-run]

close

Skill must verify checklist first, then:

backlog close "<title or #N>" --plan <path> --checklist-pass

resolve

backlog resolve "<title or #N>" --reason "reason text"

update

backlog update "<title or #N>" [--plan <path>] [--status in-progress] [--create-issue]

Environment

GITHUB_TOKEN — Required for issue operations (add, sync, close, resolve, update --create-issue)

Integration

create-backlog-item — invokes backlog add instead of writing BACKLOG.md
work-backlog-item — invokes backlog list, backlog close, backlog resolve, backlog update
GitHub Action — invokes backlog sync on BACKLOG.md change

---name: backlog-2description: Single interface for BACKLOG.md and GitHub Issues. All backlog CRUD goes through the backlog script — no direct edits. Use when create-backlog-item or work-backlog-item invoke it, or when syncing P0/P1 to GitHub.---# Backlog ScriptThe backlog script is the **sole interface** for `.claude/BACKLOG.md` and GitHub Issues. Skills and agents invoke it; no direct Write/Grep edits to BACKLOG.md.## Invocation```bashuv run .claude/skills/backlog/scripts/backlog.py <subcommand> [options]```## Subcommands| Subcommand | Purpose ||------------|---------|| `add` | Create item in BACKLOG; create GitHub issue if P0/P1 || `list` | List items (for interactive browser) || `sync` | Create issues for P0/P1 items missing them || `close` | Mark DONE, close issue (requires `--checklist-pass`) || `resolve` | Mark RESOLVED, close issue || `update` | Add Plan, set status:in-progress, or create issue |## Usage### add```bashbacklog add --title "Item title" --priority P1 --description "Description" \ [--source "Source"] [--type Feature] [--research-first "questions"] [--create-issue]```### list```bashbacklog list [--format text|json]```### sync```bashbacklog sync [--dry-run]```### closeSkill must verify checklist first, then:```bashbacklog close "<title or #N>" --plan <path> --checklist-pass```### resolve```bashbacklog resolve "<title or #N>" --reason "reason text"```### update```bashbacklog update "<title or #N>" [--plan <path>] [--status in-progress] [--create-issue]```## Environment- `GITHUB_TOKEN` — Required for issue operations (add, sync, close, resolve, update --create-issue)## Integration- **create-backlog-item** — invokes `backlog add` instead of writing BACKLOG.md- **work-backlog-item** — invokes `backlog list`, `backlog close`, `backlog resolve`, `backlog update`- **GitHub Action** — invokes `backlog sync` on BACKLOG.md change

Frequently asked questions

Backlog