Use this skill when creating, managing, or working with Conductor tracks - the logical work units for features, bugs, and refactors. Applies to spec.md, plan.md, and track lifecycle operations.
Install with the open skills CLI (global, non-interactive — available in every Claude Code session):
npx skills add wshobson/agents --skill "track-management" -g -a claude-code -yOr manually — clone and copy the skill directory (SKILL.md + companion files):
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/wshobson/agents /tmp/agents && cp -r /tmp/agents/plugins/conductor/skills/track-management ~/.claude/skills/track-management-wshobsonThis skill is a directory: SKILL.md is the entry point; the files below ship with it.
---
name: track-management
description: Use this skill when creating, managing, or working with Conductor tracks - the logical work units for features, bugs, and refactors. Applies to spec.md, plan.md, and track lifecycle operations.
version: 1.0.0
---
# Track Management
Guide for creating, managing, and completing Conductor tracks - the logical work units that organize features, bugs, and refactors through specification, planning, and implementation phases.
## When to Use This Skill
- Creating new feature, bug, or refactor tracks
- Writing or reviewing spec.md files
- Creating or updating plan.md files
- Managing track lifecycle from creation to completion
- Understanding track status markers and conventions
- Working with the tracks.md registry
- Interpreting or updating track metadata
## Detailed patterns and worked examples
Detailed pattern documentation lives in `references/details.md`. Read that file when the navigation tier above is insufficient.
## Best Practices
1. **One track, one concern**: Keep tracks focused on a single logical change
2. **Small phases**: Break work into phases of 3-5 tasks maximum
3. **Verification after phases**: Always include verification tasks
4. **Update markers immediately**: Mark task status as you work
5. **Record SHAs**: Always note commit SHAs for completed tasks
6. **Review specs before planning**: Ensure spec is complete before creating plan
7. **Link dependencies**: Explicitly note track dependencies
8. **Archive, don't delete**: Preserve completed tracks for reference
9. **Size appropriately**: Keep tracks between 1-5 days of work
10. **Clear acceptance criteria**: Every requirement must be testable
You MUST use this before any creative work - creating features, building components, adding functionality, or modifying behavior. Explores user intent, requirements and design before implementation.
Use when facing 2+ independent tasks that can be worked on without shared state or sequential dependencies
Use when you have a written implementation plan to execute in a separate session with review checkpoints