micro-task-workflow

micro-task-workflow Skill

Micro-task constraints and context budget management.

For workflow entry point, run ./worktree.py start

When to Use This Skill

• Understanding micro-task constraints
• Escape hatch protocol when hitting context limits
• Planning dependencies between tasks

The Problem: Context Exhaustion

Agents running out of context mid-task produce broken, incomplete work:

❌ OLD: Issue #100 "Implement Feature X"
├── Read 8 files to understand (~20% context)
├── Plan changes (~10% context)
├── Edit 4 files (~30% context)
├── Debug issues (~20% context)
├── Run tests (~15% context)
└── CONTEXT EXHAUSTED at 95% - work incomplete, uncommitted

The Solution: 50% Budget

✅ NEW: Issue #100 "Implement Feature X"
├── Micro-Task 100.1: Setup + config changes (45% context) ✓ committed
├── Micro-Task 100.2: Core implementation (45% context) ✓ committed
├── Micro-Task 100.3: Tests + documentation (45% context) ✓ committed
└── All work committed, PR ready

Micro-Task Constraints

Context Budget Breakdown

Escape Hatch Protocol

At 60% context usage (or ~60 tool calls):

1. Commit current progress (even if incomplete):

   git add -A && git commit -m "WIP(#100): partial progress"
   git push
   

2. Write session state to .claude/session-state.md

3. Exit cleanly - do not continue until fresh session

Dependency Types

Serial micro-tasks (must run sequentially):

• Same file modified by both (merge conflicts)
• Output of one is input to another
• Database schema changes before queries
• API endpoint before frontend integration

Parallel micro-tasks (can run simultaneously):

• Different files entirely
• Same issue, independent concerns (e.g., tests vs docs)
• Different issues with no shared files
• Frontend and backend on different endpoints

Parallelization Rules

Worktree Strategy

Single worktree per issue (recommended):

• All micro-tasks for issue #51 run in worktree 51-feature-name
• Sequential micro-tasks commit to same branch
• Squash to single commit before PR

Squash before PR:

git rebase -i main           # Squash all commits
git push --force-with-lease