Beads Create
Use this skill to create Beads from a plan/spec and do the review pass so implementers can just pick up issues and ship. This skill must work with either classic Beads (bd) or beads_rust (br).
Workflow
- Resolve the tracker first
- If the user explicitly says bd, br, beads, or beads_rust, obey that. - Otherwise detect what is actually installed: - If only br is installed, use br. - If only bd is installed, use bd. - If both are installed, prefer the tracker that already owns the current workspace/history. Check the local .beads/ state and the existing workflow docs before guessing. - If both are installed and the workspace is still ambiguous, ask one targeted question instead of winging it. - Do not mix commands from both trackers in the same run.
- Load the right local guidance if needed
- Look for a loaded local skill on the user's machine that covers the chosen tracker and use that first. - For bd, prefer the local beads skill if it is available. - For br, prefer any loaded local br, beads_rust, or equivalent tracker skill if it is available. - If no local skill exists, rely on local CLI help and the installed tool itself: - bd --help, bd create --help, bd update --help - br --help, br create --help, br update --help - Do not send the user to public web docs from this skill. - For br, use --json on agent-facing commands whenever available.
- Decide which mode you are in
- If the user has a finalized plan/spec and wants Beads filed: do Create mode. - If the user already has Beads and wants them improved: do Review mode (skip straight to step 6).
- Confirm the plan is ready (Create mode)
- Ensure there is a finalized plan or spec outside Beads. - If the plan is still fuzzy, ask for revisions first and iterate up to 5 times before importing.
- Translate the plan into tracker structure (Create mode)
- Create epics that map to major milestones or deliverables. - Create issues for concrete, implementable tasks. - For bd: - When an epic has child milestones/tasks, create them as hierarchical children with dotted IDs like EPIC.1, EPIC.2, not as loose top-level issues. - Follow the bd create... --parent <epic-id> flow so bd auto-assigns EPIC.N IDs. - Verify the returned IDs. If bd does not assign dotted IDs, stop and ask the user how to proceed. - For br: - Use the epic/parent relationship, but do not require dotted child IDs. br supports parent-child structure without the old bd dotted-ID contract. - Create the epic first, then create or update child issues with --parent <epic-id>. - Add explicit dependencies where sequencing matters, and keep the graph acyclic with br dep cycles --json. - Add dependencies, ordering constraints, and opportunities for parallel work.
- Review and polish (Create mode + Review mode)
- Fix vague titles, missing acceptance criteria, or unclear scope. - Ensure each issue is something one agent can do in a single task. - Verify dependencies, sequencing, and opportunities for parallel work. - Add missing design notes / decision context. - Split oversized issues; merge duplicates; delete fluff. - For br, prefer structured updates over freeform ambiguity: - br update... --description - br update... --design - br update... --acceptance-criteria - br update... --notes - For bd, use the locally available bd fields/workflow for description, design, notes, and acceptance criteria on the installed version.
- Add implementation detail
- Include design notes, assumptions, and acceptance criteria on each issue. - Make tasks small and unambiguous so a fresh agent can pick up a single issue.
- Validate tracker state before leaving
- For br, run br dep cycles --json and make sure it is empty. - For br, remember sync is explicit. If you changed tracker state and need the JSONL export updated, run br sync --flush-only. - For bd, follow the local sync/export workflow supported by the installed version.
- Single-pass
- Do one focused pass in the current context. - If another pass is needed, say so explicitly and recommend a separate follow-up run.
- Restart the agent
- Finish this task, then stop. Encourage a fresh agent for the next task to keep sessions small.
Output expectations
- Provide a concise mapping of epics and issues you created.
- State which tracker you used:
bdorbr. - Call out any dependencies or blockers that need user confirmation.
- If asked to iterate beyond 5 plan revisions, say you do not think it can be improved further.