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to-tickets

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

2|Updated Oct 16, 2021
Search Tags:#planning#github#dependencies#issue tracker#linear#tickets#vertical slices
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/pattobrien/dotfiles --skill to-tickets-pattobrien
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: to-tickets
Source: https://github.com/pattobrien/dotfiles/tree/main/.agents/skills/to-tickets
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/pattobrien/dotfiles --skill to-tickets-pattobrien

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Turning a plan, spec, or long conversation into actionable work items is error-prone: slices end up horizontal, dependencies stay implicit, and tickets land in the tracker without clear ordering. This Skill decomposes work into vertical tracer-bullet tickets, each declaring which tickets block it, and publishes them to the configured tracker. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Vertical slice drafting: Splits work into narrow but complete slices cutting through schema, API, UI, and tests, each demoable on its own and sized for a single context window. - Dependency modeling: Assigns blocking edges to every ticket and handles wide refactors via expand-contract sequencing with batched migrations. - Tracker publishing: Writes one file per ticket under .scratch/<feature-slug>/issues/ locally, or publishes native blocking issues to GitHub or Linear with a ready-for-agent triage label. - Use Case: After drafting a feature spec in conversation, ask for a ticket breakdown; the Skill proposes numbered tickets with blockers, quizzes you on granularity, then publishes the approved set in dependency order. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to break the current plan or a referenced spec into tracer-bullet tickets with blocking edges and publish them to the configured 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?▼

Pass the spec path, issue number, or URL as an argument, or work from the current conversation. The Skill drafts vertical tracer-bullet slices, shows each ticket's blockers and delivered behavior, then iterates with you until you approve the breakdown.

What is a tracer-bullet ticket in project planning?▼

A tracer-bullet ticket is a vertical slice cutting a narrow but complete path through every layer: schema, API, UI, and tests. Each completed slice is demoable or verifiable on its own and sized to fit in a single fresh context window.

Can I publish tickets to GitHub or Linear?▼

Yes, the Skill publishes one issue per ticket in dependency order using the platform's native blocking or sub-issue relationships, applying the ready-for-agent triage label. Without a real tracker, it writes one markdown file per ticket under .scratch/<feature-slug>/issues/.

How are wide refactors handled when slicing tickets?▼

Wide refactors use expand-contract sequencing instead of vertical slicing: add the new form beside the old, migrate call sites in blast-radius-sized batches as separate blocked tickets, then delete the old form in a final contract ticket.

Why does the Skill say to run /setup-matt-pocock-skills?▼

The Skill needs an issue tracker configuration and triage label vocabulary before publishing. If these were not provided, it cannot know where to publish tickets or which labels to apply, so it asks you to run the setup command first.

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