cairn-triage

Triages roadmap candidates and known issues into dispositions applied in one docs-only commit.

4|Updated Jul 11, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/jmgirard/cairn --skill cairn-triage-jmgirard
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: cairn-triage
Source: https://github.com/jmgirard/cairn/tree/main/skills/cairn-triage
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/jmgirard/cairn --skill cairn-triage-jmgirard

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Project backlogs accumulate stale, duplicated, and misfiled items over time, and cleaning them up ad hoc loses the reasoning behind removals. This Skill sweeps every ROADMAP candidate row and every DESIGN.md Known issues entry in one pass, proposing a disposition per item at a single approval gate. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Whole-list enumeration and assessment: Reads every candidate and known issue, checks staleness, overlap, overgrowth, misfiling, and readiness against archived milestones and decision records, then assigns one of seven fixed dispositions (keep, compress, merge, split, drop, promote, route). - Single gated approval: Presents a full proposal table with one accept/amend/reject chip; nothing is written before the user answers, and unaccepted items stay byte-for-byte untouched. - Auditable recording: Principled drops and trigger-losing merges become decision entries in DECISIONS.md, everything else lands in one validated, stamped, docs-only commit on the default branch. - Use Case: After several milestones, your ROADMAP candidates section has grown noisy. Run the triage pass to drop items whose premises were refuted, merge duplicates, and promote ready work to milestone planning. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to triage the roadmap candidates and known issues, then review the proposed dispositions at the gate.

Frequently Asked Questions about cairn-triage

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I clean up a stale project roadmap backlog?

Run the triage pass, which enumerates every candidate row and known issue, assesses each against archived milestones and decision records, and proposes keep, compress, merge, split, drop, promote, or route dispositions. You approve, amend, or reject all proposals at one gate before anything is written.

What dispositions can a roadmap item receive during triage?

Seven fixed dispositions exist: keep, compress, merge, split, drop, promote, and route. Drops require one of three evidence classes: refuted premise, already shipped, or rejected on principle, and principled drops are recorded as decision entries.

Does the triage pass change files before I approve?

No. The enumeration and assessment steps are read-only, and no file under cairn/ is written before the approval chip is answered. Choosing Apply nothing ends the pass with zero changes, and unaccepted items remain byte-for-byte untouched.

Can triage run on a milestone branch or with uncommitted changes?

No. The pass requires a clean git status, the default branch, and a synced origin before it enumerates anything. A dirty tree or non-default branch stops the pass immediately with a close block naming what to fix.

What happens to items promoted during triage?

Promoted items are never planned inside the triage pass. The close block hands each promoted item to the /milestone-plan command as the next step, and the candidate row stays in place until that milestone's post-merge hygiene prunes it.