# dex

Manages persistent work tickets with the dex CLI for task breakdowns, handoffs, and context that carries across sessions.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 833 installs · ★ 386
- Author: dcramer
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/dcramer/dex/tree/HEAD/plugins/dex/skills/dex/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-03-02
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/dex

## What it does

The skill uses the `dex` CLI to create, inspect, edit, delete, and complete tickets. Each ticket carries a short name, a detailed description, and a recorded result. Its data lives in `.dex/`, so implementation context can survive beyond a single agent session. Tickets can form an epic, task, and subtask hierarchy.

Before work starts, the agent reads the full ticket plus relevant parent or blocker tickets. Completion records include the outcome and verification evidence; GitHub- or Shortcut-linked tickets need either `--commit <sha>` or `--no-commit`. For one atomic action, this adds overhead because dex is intended for work that persists across sessions.

## Requirements
- Works with: GitHub

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dcramer/dex --skill dex -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/dex/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/dex/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dcramer/dex --skill dex -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/dex/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dcramer/dex --skill dex -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/dex/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install dcramer/dex dex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/dex/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dcramer/dex --skill dex -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/dcramer/dex --path plugins/dex/skills/dex
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/dex/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dcramer/dex --skill dex -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/dcramer/dex/tree/HEAD/plugins/dex/skills/dex/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- break a large change into tracked subtasks
- keep requirements and decisions between sessions
- list tickets that are ready to start
- record verification when work is completed
- attach a completed ticket to a commit

## Example prompts
- Break this change into dex tickets and include acceptance criteria.
- Use `dex` to show ready tickets and pick the next one.
- Complete dex ticket `<id>` with the result and commit `<sha>`.

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

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````text
---
name: dex
description: Manage tasks via dex CLI. Use when breaking down complex work, tracking implementation items, or persisting context across sessions.
---

# Agent Coordination with dex

## Command Invocation

Use `dex` directly for all commands. If not on PATH, use `npx @zeeg/dex` instead.

```bash
command -v dex &>/dev/null && echo "use: dex" || echo "use: npx @zeeg/dex"
```

## Core Principle: Tickets, Not Todos

Dex tasks are **tickets** - structured artifacts with comprehensive context:

- **Name**: One-line summary (issue title)
- **Description**: Full background, requirements, approach (issue body)
- **Result**: Implementation details, decisions, outcomes (PR description)

Think: "Would someone understand the what, why, and how from this task alone?"

## Dex Tasks are Ephemeral

**Never reference dex task IDs in external artifacts** (commits, PRs, docs). Task IDs like `abc123` become meaningless once tasks are completed. Describe the work itself, not the task that tracked it.

## When to Use dex

**Use dex when:**

- Breaking down complexity into subtasks
- Work spans multiple sessions
- Context needs to persist for handoffs
- Recording decisions for future reference

**Skip dex when:**

- Work is a single atomic action
- Everything fits in one session with no follow-up
- Overhead exceeds value

## dex vs Built-in Task Tools

Some AI agents (like Claude Code) have built-in task tools. These are session-only and not the same as dex.

|                 | dex                                   | Built-in Task Tools |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------- | ------------------- |
| **Persistence** | Files in `.dex/`                      | Session-only        |
| **Context**     | Rich (description + context + result) | Basic               |
| **Hierarchy**   | 3-level (epic → task → subtask)       | Flat                |

Use **dex** for persistent work. Use built-in task tools for ephemeral in-session tracking only.

## Basic Workflow

### Create a Task

```bash
dex create "Short name" --description "Full implementation context"
```

Description should include: what needs to be done, why, implementation approach, and acceptance criteria. See [examples.md](examples.md) for good/bad examples.

### List and View Tasks

```bash
dex list                  # Pending tasks
dex list --ready          # Unblocked tasks
dex show <id>             # Full details
```

### Complete a Task

```bash
dex complete <id> --result "What was accomplished" --commit <sha>
```

**GitHub/Shortcut-linked tasks** require either `--commit <sha>` or `--no-commit`:

- Use `--commit <sha>` when you have code changes (issue closes when merged)
- Use `--no-commit` for non-code tasks like planning or design (issue stays open)

**Always verify before completing.** Results must include evidence: test counts, build status, manual testing outcomes. See [verification.md](verification.md) for the full checklist.

### Edit and Delete

```bash
dex edit <id> --description "Updated description"
dex delete <id>
```

For full CLI reference including blockers, see [cli-reference.md](cli-reference.md).

## Understanding Task Fields

Tasks have two text fields:

- **Name**: Brief one-line summary (shown in `dex list`)
- **Description**: Full details - requirements, approach, acceptance criteria (shown with `--full`)
````
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