---
schema: 1
type: term
title: '**Tasks** (Claude Code task system)'
description: >-
  **Tasks** is Claude Code's task system — a persistent, on-disk task ledger
  (stored in a `tasks` folder in the home directory, not `todos`) that replaces
  the old Todo list. Tasks survive across sessions, so multiple Claude instances
  — a **planner**, a **worker**, a **tester** — can share one work queue. The
  tool surface is `task create`, `task list`, `task update`, `task get` with
  `pending → in progress → complete` statuses and ID-based dependency metadata
  scoped within a thread; there is no `task delete`, no _ready_/_blocked_
  states, and no grouping or priority guidance, gaps that plugin authors bridge
  with skills and namespaced custom attributes
  [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@1342]
  [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@1966]
  [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@2261].
canonical: >-
  https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/explore/term/tasks-claude-code-task-system-e5144db8b3ca
markdown: >-
  https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/explore/term/tasks-claude-code-task-system-e5144db8b3ca.md
llms: null
parent: 'https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/llms.txt'
channel: everyinc
updated: '2026-10-23T22:12:35.346Z'
language: null
children: []
---


# \*\*Tasks\*\* (Claude Code task system)

Canonical: https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/explore/term/tasks-claude-code-task-system-e5144db8b3ca

Parent: [Channel index](https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/llms.txt)

## Definition

**Tasks** is Claude Code's task system — a persistent, on-disk task ledger (stored in a `tasks` folder in the home directory, not `todos`) that replaces the old Todo list. Tasks survive across sessions, so multiple Claude instances — a **planner**, a **worker**, a **tester** — can share one work queue. The tool surface is `task create`, `task list`, `task update`, `task get` with `pending → in progress → complete` statuses and ID-based dependency metadata scoped within a thread; there is no `task delete`, no _ready_/_blocked_ states, and no grouping or priority guidance, gaps that plugin authors bridge with skills and namespaced custom attributes [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@1342] [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@1966] [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@2261].

## What it is here <Section title="Why the task system exists">Trevor frames the motivation for Claude Code's **Tasks** system: agents were spending enormous time and tokens rewriting markdown ledgers, going back into original brainstorm and plan files just to keep them current [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@235]. The intended division of labor is that the brainstorm should _seed_ the plan, and the plan is a _snapshot in time_ — not the running ledger of work [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@246]. Moving the task ledger outside the session removes that overhead.</Section> <Section title="Where tasks live and how they behave">The on-disk persistence is confirmed live: tasks live in a `tasks` folder in the home directory (not `todos`), with an environment variable for shared lists [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@1342]. Because tasks persist across sessions, multiple Claude instances can share one work queue — a **planner** you talk to, a **worker** that picks up tasks, and a **tester** that runs the browser [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@825]. Task metadata carries dependency references by task ID, though only within the thread [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@1966].</Section> <Section title="The tool surface">The tool surface is `task create`, `task list`, `task update`, `task get` — with `pending → in progress → complete` statuses. There is no `task delete` [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@1966]. Expect naming confusion along the way: `/task` was historically tied to background tasks, subagents were renamed tasks at some point, and old accumulated skills can silently influence where Claude looks for tasks [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@1038].</Section> <Section title="Gaps — and how plugin authors bridge them">The gaps are real: no _ready_/_blocked_ workflow states, no guidance on grouping or priority. Plugin authors (like the compound engineering plugin) bridge them by reverse-engineering the tools as a skill, namespacing custom attributes [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@2261], and adapting skills for tools without slash-command support like Codex [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@1496]. One caution from the stream: when the assistant surfaced a supposed native multi-agent swarm integration, checking the source showed it wasn't real [^01a0f15a-b089-7af8-a043-1786fa8de18a@2592] — a useful reminder to verify agent claims against code.</Section> <Section title="Key points">- **Tasks** is a persistent, on-disk task ledger (`tasks` folder in the home directory), distinct from the old Todo list.- Tasks persist across sessions, so a planner, worker, and tester can share one work queue.- Tool surface: `task create`, `task list`, `task update`, `task get`; statuses `pending → in progress → complete`.- Gaps: no delete, no _ready_/_blocked_ states, no grouping/priority guidance — bridged via skills and namespaced custom attributes.</Section>