br git:20260326.7cd40ebA

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---
name: br
description: >-
  Local-first issue tracker (beads_rust) for AI agents. Use when tracking tasks,
  managing dependencies, finding ready work, or syncing issues to git via JSONL.
---

<!-- TOC: Critical Rules | Quick Workflow | Essential Commands | bv Integration | References -->

# br — Beads Rust Issue Tracker

> **Non-invasive:** br NEVER runs git commands. Sync and commit are YOUR responsibility.

## Critical Rules for Agents

| Rule | Why |
|------|-----|
| **ALWAYS use `--json`** | Structured output for parsing |
| **NEVER run bare `bv`** | Blocks session in TUI mode |
| **Sync is EXPLICIT** | `br sync --flush-only` after changes |
| **Git is YOUR job** | br only touches `.beads/` directory |
| **No cycles allowed** | `br dep cycles` must return empty |

## Quick Workflow

```bash
# 1. Find work
br ready --json

# 2. Claim it
br update bd-abc123 --status in_progress

# 3. Do work...

# 4. Complete
br close bd-abc123 --reason "Implemented X"

# 5. Sync to git (EXPLICIT!)
br sync --flush-only
git add .beads/ && git commit -m "feat: X (bd-abc123)"
```

## Essential Commands

```bash
# Lifecycle
br init                              # Initialize .beads/
br create "Title" -p 1 -t task       # Create (priority 0-4)
br update <id> --status in_progress  # Claim work
br close <id> --reason "Done"        # Complete
br reopen <id>                       # Reopen if needed

# Querying (always use --json for agents)
br ready --json                      # Actionable work (not blocked)
br list --json                       # All issues
br blocked --json                    # What's blocked
br search "keyword"                  # Full-text search
br show <id> --json                  # Issue details

# Dependencies
br dep add <child> <parent>          # child depends on parent
br dep cycles                        # MUST be empty!
br dep tree <id>                     # Visualize dependencies

# Sync (EXPLICIT - never automatic)
br sync --flush-only                 # DB → JSONL (before git commit)
br sync --import-only                # JSONL → DB (after git pull)

# System
br doctor                            # Health check
br config --list                     # Show configuration
```

## Priority Scale

| Priority | Meaning |
|----------|---------|
| 0 | Critical |
| 1 | High |
| 2 | Medium (default) |
| 3 | Low |
| 4 | Backlog |

## bv Integration

**CRITICAL:** Never run bare `bv` — it launches interactive TUI and blocks.

```bash
# Always use --robot-* flags:
bv --robot-next                      # Single top pick
bv --robot-triage                    # Full triage
bv --robot-plan                      # Parallel execution tracks
bv --robot-insights | jq '.Cycles'   # Check graph health
```

## Agent Mail Coordination

Use bead ID as thread_id for multi-agent coordination:

```python
file_reservation_paths(..., reason="bd-123")
send_message(..., thread_id="bd-123", subject="[bd-123] Starting...")
# Work...
br close bd-123 --reason "Completed"
release_file_reservations(...)
```

## Session Ending Pattern

```bash
git pull --rebase
br sync --flush-only
git add .beads/ && git commit -m "Update issues"
git push
git status  # Verify clean
```

## Anti-Patterns

- Running `br sync` without `--flush-only` or `--import-only`
- Forgetting sync before git commit
- Creating circular dependencies
- Running bare `bv`
- Assuming auto-commit behavior

## Storage

```
.beads/
├── beads.db        # SQLite (primary)
├── issues.jsonl    # Git-friendly export
└── config.yaml     # Optional config
```

## Troubleshooting

```bash
br doctor                    # Full diagnostics
br dep cycles                # Must be empty
br config --list             # Check settings
```

**Worktree error** (`'main' is already checked out`):
```bash
git branch beads-sync main
br config set sync.branch beads-sync
```

---

## References

| Topic | File |
|-------|------|
| Full command reference | [COMMANDS.md](references/COMMANDS.md) |
| Configuration details | [CONFIG.md](references/CONFIG.md) |
| Troubleshooting guide | [TROUBLESHOOTING.md](references/TROUBLESHOOTING.md) |
| Multi-agent patterns | [INTEGRATION.md](references/INTEGRATION.md) |