Work List Command

November 12, 2025 · View on GitHub

Usage: /sk:work-list [--status STATUS] [--type TYPE] [--milestone MILESTONE]

Description: List all work items with optional filtering and color-coded status indicators.

Overview

The work-list command displays all work items with:

  • Color-coded priority indicators
  • Dependency status markers
  • Optional filtering by status, type, or milestone
  • Sorted by creation order

Usage

List All Work Items

/sk:work-list

Shows all work items regardless of status.

Filter by Status

/sk:work-list --status not_started
/sk:work-list --status in_progress
/sk:work-list --status blocked
/sk:work-list --status completed

Available status values:

  • not_started - Ready to start (dependencies satisfied)
  • in_progress - Currently being worked on
  • blocked - Waiting on dependencies
  • completed - Finished

Filter by Type

/sk:work-list --type feature
/sk:work-list --type bug
/sk:work-list --type refactor

Available type values:

  • feature - Feature development
  • bug - Bug fixes
  • refactor - Code refactoring
  • security - Security improvements
  • integration_test - Integration tests
  • deployment - Deployment tasks

Filter by Milestone

/sk:work-list --milestone sprint_1
/sk:work-list --milestone phase_2_mvp

Shows only work items assigned to the specified milestone.

Combine Filters

/sk:work-list --status not_started --type feature
/sk:work-list --type bug --milestone sprint_1

Output Format

Work items are displayed with color-coded indicators:

WORK ITEMS
==========

🔴 feature_auth: Add user authentication
   Type: feature | Priority: critical | Status: not_started
   Dependencies: ✓ feature_database, ✓ refactor_models
   Milestone: sprint_1

🟠 bug_timeout: Fix database connection timeout
   Type: bug | Priority: high | Status: in_progress
   Dependencies: (none)

🟡 refactor_api: Refactor API error handling
   Type: refactor | Priority: medium | Status: not_started
   Dependencies: 🚫 feature_auth (not_started)
   Milestone: sprint_2

🟢 feature_dashboard: Add admin dashboard
   Type: feature | Priority: low | Status: completed
   Dependencies: ✓ feature_auth
   Completed: 2025-11-08

Priority Indicators

  • 🔴 critical - Blocking issue or urgent requirement
  • 🟠 high - Important work to be done soon
  • 🟡 medium - Normal priority work
  • 🟢 low - Nice to have, can be deferred

Special Indicators

  • ⚠️ Urgent - Requires immediate attention, overrides all other priority
    • Only ONE work item can be urgent at a time
    • Displayed before the status icon: ⚠️ [>>] bug_hotfix
    • Urgent items are always returned first by /work-next
    • Automatically cleared when work item is completed

Dependency Status Markers

  • ✓ Ready - Dependency completed
  • 🚫 Blocked - Dependency not completed (shows current status)
  • (none) - No dependencies

Examples

View All Work Items

/sk:work-list

Output:

WORK ITEMS (5 total)
====================

🟠 feature_auth: Add user authentication
   Type: feature | Priority: high | Status: not_started
   Dependencies: ✓ feature_database
   Spec: .session/specs/feature_auth.md

🔴 bug_session_timeout: Fix session timeout error
   Type: bug | Priority: critical | Status: in_progress
   Dependencies: (none)
   Spec: .session/specs/bug_session_timeout.md
   Started: 2025-11-09

🟡 refactor_models: Refactor data models
   Type: refactor | Priority: medium | Status: not_started
   Dependencies: 🚫 feature_auth (not_started)
   Spec: .session/specs/refactor_models.md

🟠 feature_search: Implement search feature
   Type: feature | Priority: high | Status: not_started
   Dependencies: ✓ feature_database, 🚫 feature_auth (not_started)
   Milestone: sprint_2
   Spec: .session/specs/feature_search.md

🟢 integration_test_api: Add API integration tests
   Type: integration_test | Priority: low | Status: completed
   Dependencies: ✓ feature_auth, ✓ bug_session_timeout
   Completed: 2025-11-08
   Spec: .session/specs/integration_test_api.md

View Only Incomplete Work

/sk:work-list --status not_started
/sk:work-list --status in_progress
/sk:work-list --status blocked

Or use bash to exclude completed:

/sk:work-list | grep -v "completed"

View Specific Types

/sk:work-list --type feature

Output:

WORK ITEMS (features only)
===========================

🟠 feature_auth: Add user authentication
   Type: feature | Priority: high | Status: not_started

🟠 feature_search: Implement search feature
   Type: feature | Priority: high | Status: not_started
   Milestone: sprint_2

🟢 feature_dashboard: Add admin dashboard
   Type: feature | Priority: low | Status: completed
   Completed: 2025-11-08

View Milestone Progress

/sk:work-list --milestone sprint_1

Output:

WORK ITEMS (milestone: sprint_1)
=================================

🟠 feature_auth: Add user authentication
   Type: feature | Priority: high | Status: not_started
   Dependencies: ✓ feature_database

🔴 bug_session_timeout: Fix session timeout error
   Type: bug | Priority: critical | Status: in_progress
   Dependencies: 🚫 feature_auth (not_started)

Summary: 2 items (1 not_started, 1 in_progress, 0 completed)

Find Blocked Work Items

/sk:work-list --status blocked

Output:

WORK ITEMS (blocked)
====================

🟡 refactor_models: Refactor data models
   Type: refactor | Priority: medium | Status: blocked
   Dependencies: 🚫 feature_auth (not_started)
   Blocked by: feature_auth

No other blocked work items found.

Work Item Information

Each work item displays:

  1. Priority indicator (🔴🟠🟡🟢)
  2. Work item ID and title
  3. Type, priority, and status
  4. Dependencies with completion markers
  5. Milestone (if assigned)
  6. Spec file path
  7. Started/Completed date (if applicable)

Empty Results

If no work items match the filters:

/sk:work-list --status completed

Output:

WORK ITEMS (status: completed)
===============================

No completed work items found.

Create a work item: /sk:work-new
View all work items: /sk:work-list

Sorting

Work items are sorted by:

  1. Status - in_progress first, then not_started, blocked, completed
  2. Priority - critical > high > medium > low
  3. Creation time - older items first (within same status/priority)

Command Options

/sk:work-list                      # All work items
/sk:work-list --status STATUS      # Filter by status
/sk:work-list --type TYPE          # Filter by type
/sk:work-list --milestone NAME     # Filter by milestone
/sk:work-list --status STATUS --type TYPE  # Multiple filters

Understanding Dependencies

Dependencies are shown with their current status:

✓ feature_database

  • Dependency is completed
  • This work item can proceed

🚫 feature_auth (not_started)

  • Dependency is not completed
  • Shows current status of blocker
  • This work item is blocked

🚫 feature_auth (in_progress)

  • Dependency is being worked on
  • Work item remains blocked until completed

(none)

  • No dependencies
  • Work item can start immediately

Integration with Other Commands

Use work-list to:

Find work to start:

/sk:work-list --status not_started
/sk:start feature_auth

Check milestone progress:

/sk:work-list --milestone sprint_1

View completed work:

/sk:work-list --status completed

Update work item:

/sk:work-list
/sk:work-update feature_auth priority

See Also