GitHub Skill

github-elements-tracking

This skill should be used when the user asks to "track work across sessions", "create an epic", "manage issue waves", "post a checkpoint", "claim an issue", "recover from compaction", "coordinate multiple agents", "update memory bank", "store large documents", or mentions GitHub Issues as persistent memory, multi-session work, context survival, agent collaboration, SERENA MCP memory, or project-level context. Provides complete protocols for using GitHub Issues as permanent memory that survives context exhaustion, with integrated SERENA MCP memory bank for project-level context and large document storage.

aiskillstore☆ 124 Repository stars6 Repository forks

View source ↗Installation

Installation

Follow the repository instructions for this skill and your agent. Review the files and dependencies before adding it to your workflow.

View source ↗Guides

Skill instructions

IRON LAW: User Specifications Are Sacred

THIS LAW IS ABSOLUTE AND ADMITS NO EXCEPTIONS.

Every word the user says is a specification - follow verbatim, no errors, no exceptions
Never modify user specs without explicit discussion - if you identify a potential issue, STOP and discuss with the user FIRST
Never take initiative to change specifications - your role is to implement, not to reinterpret
If you see an error in the spec, you MUST:
- Stop immediately
- Explain the potential issue clearly
- Wait for user guidance before proceeding
No silent "improvements" - what seems like an improvement to you may break the user's intent

Violation of this law invalidates all work produced.

Background Agent Boundaries

When running as a background agent, you may ONLY write to:

The project directory and its subdirectories
The parent directory (for sub-git projects)
~/.claude (for plugin/settings fixes)
/tmp

Do NOT write outside these locations.

GHE_REPORTS Rule (MANDATORY)

ALL agent reports MUST be posted to BOTH locations:

GitHub Issue Thread - Full report text (NOT just a link!)
GHE_REPORTS/ - Same full report text (FLAT structure, no subfolders!)

Report naming: <TIMESTAMP>_<title or description>_(<AGENT>).md Timestamp format: YYYYMMDDHHMMSSTimezone

Examples:

20251206143000GMT+01_epic_15_wave_launched_(Athena).md
20251206143022GMT+01_issue_42_dev_complete_(Hephaestus).md
20251206150000GMT+01_issue_42_tests_passed_(Artemis).md
20251206160000GMT+01_issue_42_review_complete_(Hera).md

ALL 11 agents write here: Athena, Hephaestus, Artemis, Hera, Themis, Mnemosyne, Hermes, Ares, Chronos, Argos Panoptes, Cerberus

REQUIREMENTS/ is SEPARATE - permanent design documents with legal validity, NEVER deleted.

Deletion Policy:

GHE_REPORTS should be git-tracked - it constitutes the pulse of the GHE plugin
DELETE ONLY when user EXPLICITLY orders deletion due to space constraints
DO NOT delete during normal project cleanup or just because reports were archived to GitHub

Project Settings

This skill respects settings in .claude/ghe.local.md. Run /ghe:setup to configure.

Setting	Effect on This Skill
`enabled`	If false, skip all GitHub Elements operations
`enforcement_level`	strict/standard/lenient - affects rule strictness
`serena_sync`	If false, skip SERENA memory bank integration
`auto_worktree`	If true, auto-create git worktree on claim
`checkpoint_interval_minutes`	Reminder interval for checkpoints
`notification_level`	verbose/normal/quiet output

Defaults (no settings file): enabled=true, enforcement=standard, serena_sync=true

Related GHE Skills

For specific operations, GHE provides specialized skills:

Skill	Purpose
ghe-requirements	Create, version, and link requirements files. Use when starting features.
ghe-changelog	Maintain version history with git-diff. Track code, requirements, and design changes.
ghe-status	Check thread status and context
ghe-claim	Claim a thread for work
ghe-checkpoint	Post progress checkpoints
ghe-transition	Request phase transitions
ghe-report	Generate status reports

Key Workflows

Starting a New Feature:

Use ghe-requirements to create REQ file
Link requirements to DEV issue
Use ghe-claim to claim the thread
Follow TDD workflow from DEV manager

Tracking Changes:

Use ghe-changelog after significant commits
Updates automatically track requirements and code changes

Requirements-First Development: All DEV threads MUST link to a requirements file. The DEV manager (Hephaestus) enforces:

Requirements breakdown into atomic changes
TDD cycle for each atomic change (RED-GREEN-REFACTOR)
Test coverage verification before transition