AI-powered project management with hierarchical task tracking, PRD parsing, and Claude Code integration. Manage tasks, dependencies, complexity analysis, and structured development workflows.
AI-powered task management system that parses PRDs, tracks hierarchical tasks, analyzes complexity, and integrates seamlessly with Claude Code workflows.
Task Master AI helps manage software development projects by:
```
project/
├── .taskmaster/
│ ├── tasks/
│ │ ├── tasks.json # Main task database
│ │ └── task-*.md # Auto-generated task files
│ ├── docs/
│ │ └── prd.txt # Product Requirements Document
│ ├── reports/
│ │ └── task-complexity-report.json
│ └── config.json # AI model configuration
├── .env # API keys
├── .mcp.json # MCP server config
└── CLAUDE.md # Auto-loaded context
```
When starting with Task Master AI:
1. **Initialize the project**:
```bash
task-master init
```
2. **Create or obtain PRD**: PRD files should be stored at `.taskmaster/docs/prd.txt` or `docs/project-name.prd.txt`
3. **Parse PRD into tasks**:
```bash
task-master parse-prd .taskmaster/docs/prd.txt
```
4. **Configure AI models** (requires at least one API key):
```bash
task-master models --setup
```
Required API keys: `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` (recommended), `PERPLEXITY_API_KEY` (for research), or others (OpenAI, Google, Mistral, etc.)
5. **Analyze and expand**:
```bash
task-master analyze-complexity --research
task-master expand --all --research
```
Follow this loop for each development session:
1. **Get next task**:
```bash
task-master next
```
2. **Review task details**:
```bash
task-master show <id>
```
3. **Mark as in-progress**:
```bash
task-master set-status --id=<id> --status=in-progress
```
4. **During implementation**, log progress:
```bash
task-master update-subtask --id=<id> --prompt="implementation notes and decisions"
```
5. **Complete task**:
```bash
task-master set-status --id=<id> --status=done
```
6. **Repeat** from step 1
**Add new tasks**:
```bash
task-master add-task --prompt="description" --research
```
**Expand task into subtasks**:
```bash
task-master expand --id=<id> --research --force
```
**Update existing tasks**:
```bash
task-master update-task --id=<id> --prompt="changes"
task-master update --from=<id> --prompt="bulk changes to future tasks"
```
**Manage dependencies**:
```bash
task-master add-dependency --id=<id> --depends-on=<id>
task-master validate-dependencies
```
**Reorganize hierarchy**:
```bash
task-master move --from=<id> --to=<id>
```
**Complexity analysis**:
```bash
task-master analyze-complexity --research
task-master complexity-report
```
**Expand all eligible tasks**:
```bash
task-master expand --all --research
```
Configure `.mcp.json` for Claude Code integration:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"task-master-ai": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "--package=task-master-ai", "task-master-ai"],
"env": {
"ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your_key_here",
"PERPLEXITY_API_KEY": "your_key_here"
}
}
}
}
```
**Key MCP tools** (equivalent to CLI commands):
**Task ID format**:
**Status values**:
**Critical workflow rule**: PRD completion is mandatory before any development begins.
**PRD Template Structure**:
```markdown
<context>
[High-level product overview, problem statement, target users]
[Main features with descriptions and importance]
[User personas, key flows, UI/UX considerations]
</context>
<PRD>
[System components, data models, APIs, infrastructure]
[MVP requirements, future enhancements, phased scope]
[Task ordering and prerequisites]
</PRD>
```
Store PRDs at: `.taskmaster/docs/prd.txt` or `docs/project-name.prd.txt`
**Context management**:
**Implementation logging**:
**Git integration**:
**Parallel development**:
```bash
git worktree add ../project-feature1 feature/feature1
git worktree add ../project-feature2 feature/feature2
```
**AI commands failing**:
**MCP connection issues**:
**Task file sync issues**:
```bash
task-master generate # Regenerate from tasks.json
task-master fix-dependencies # Fix dependency issues
```
**Important**: Never manually edit `tasks.json` or `.taskmaster/config.json` - always use commands.
If tasks already exist and you need to add more from a new PRD:
```bash
task-master parse-prd --append .taskmaster/docs/additional-features.prd.txt
```
```bash
task-master init
task-master parse-prd docs/feature.prd.txt
task-master analyze-complexity --research
task-master expand --all --research
task-master next
task-master show 1.1
task-master set-status --id=1.1 --status=in-progress
task-master update-subtask --id=1.1 --prompt="Implemented auth middleware with JWT validation"
task-master set-status --id=1.1 --status=done
task-master next
```
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# Download SKILL.md from killerskills.ai/api/skills/task-master-ai-integration/raw