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---
name: todo-discipline
description: "Use when starting any complex task (3+ steps) or before declaring work complete. Enforces todo/task state to match reality — merge updates + read verification. Prevents false completion."
version: 1.0.0
author: Frank Riemer / GenCreator
license: MIT
platforms: [linux, macos, windows]
metadata:
hermes:
tags: [todo, task-management, discipline, verification]
related_skills: []
provenance: frankx-public
tier: free
---
# Todo Discipline (Free)
Agents often create task lists, do the work, then conclude while the UI still shows **0/N done**. This skill makes **task state = reality** a hard gate.
## When to Use
- Complex tasks with 3+ steps
- Multi-agent or long sessions
- Before any “done”, handover, or “battle-tested” claim
**Don't use for:** single-step Q&A.
## Hard gate
Before any concluding message:
1. Update **every** finished item to completed (merge, don’t wipe history)
2. **Immediately read** the task list again (no-args read)
3. Only then write the final summary
Treat the **read result** as ground truth if merge responses echo stale state (common in long/headless runs).
## Rules
- Prefer merge over full replace
- Only one item `in_progress` at a time
- Never pass an empty todos array on merge (can clear the list)
- Supply full id + content + **new** status for items you change
## Verification checklist
- [ ] All finished work marked completed
- [ ] No stale in_progress when claiming done
- [ ] Read-back confirmed
- [ ] User-visible task counter matches reality
## License
MIT — Frank Riemer / GenCreator.