to-tickets

Breaks plans and specs into tracer-bullet tickets with declared blocking dependencies.

Updated May 11, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/cloudofgeorge/AI-hands-Engineer --skill to-tickets-cloudofgeorge
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: to-tickets
Source: https://github.com/cloudofgeorge/AI-hands-Engineer/tree/main/skills/engineering/to-tickets
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/cloudofgeorge/AI-hands-Engineer --skill to-tickets-cloudofgeorge

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Turning a plan or spec into actionable work items is hard: tasks end up as horizontal layer slices that cannot be demoed, dependencies between tasks go undeclared, and tickets get published to trackers without any ordering. This Skill converts a plan, spec, or conversation into vertical tracer-bullet tickets, each declaring which tickets block it, and publishes them to a configured tracker. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Vertical slice breakdown: Splits work into tracer-bullet tickets that cut through every layer (schema, API, UI, tests) so each ticket is independently demoable and fits a single context window. - Dependency graph declaration: Every ticket declares its blocking edges, so agents and developers know exactly what can start immediately and what must wait. - Tracker publishing: Writes one file per ticket under .scratch/<feature-slug>/issues/ locally, or publishes real issues with native blocking links and a ready-for-agent label on GitHub, Linear, or similar trackers. - Use Case: After drafting a feature spec for a new billing flow, run this Skill to get a numbered set of tickets — prefactoring first, then vertical slices in dependency order — published to GitHub with blocking links so agents can pick up unblocked work immediately. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to break the current plan or spec into tracer-bullet tickets with blocking dependencies and publish them to the configured issue tracker.

Frequently Asked Questions about to-tickets

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I break a feature spec into tickets for an issue tracker?

Provide the spec or plan in conversation and invoke the Skill. It drafts vertical tracer-bullet slices, asks you to confirm granularity and blocking edges, then publishes one issue per ticket to your configured tracker in dependency order.

What is a tracer-bullet or vertical slice ticket?

A vertical slice cuts a narrow but complete path through every layer — schema, API, UI, and tests — so the ticket is demoable on its own. This contrasts with horizontal slices that cover only one layer and cannot be verified independently.

Can I use this with GitHub or Linear issue trackers?

Yes. The Skill publishes one issue per ticket using the platform's native blocking or sub-issue relationships where available, and applies a ready-for-agent triage label. Without a tracker, it writes one Markdown file per ticket under .scratch/<feature-slug>/issues/.

How are ticket dependencies and blocking edges handled?

Each ticket declares which other tickets block it, and tickets are published blockers-first so edges reference real identifiers. A ticket with no blockers can start immediately, and work proceeds across the frontier of unblocked tickets.

When should a wide refactor not be split into vertical slices?

Wide refactors — one mechanical change whose blast radius spans the codebase — cannot land green as a vertical slice. The Skill sequences them as expand-contract: add the new form, migrate call sites in batches, then delete the old form.