beads-viewer
Graph analysis with bv (Beads Viewer). Use when analyzing the task graph, finding blockers, getting recommendations, checking critical path, or when the user mentions "bv", "graph", "dependencies", or "what should I work on".
When & Why to Use This Skill
Beads Viewer (bv) is a sophisticated graph analysis tool designed to optimize task management and dependency tracking within complex workflows. By utilizing advanced graph metrics such as PageRank, Betweenness, and Critical Path analysis, this skill enables AI agents and developers to intelligently prioritize work, identify bottlenecks, and resolve blocking dependencies. It serves as a specialized layer for automated triage, risk assessment, and multi-agent coordination, ensuring project hygiene and efficient execution through data-driven insights.
Use Cases
- Intelligent Task Prioritization: Use automated triage to identify the 'single best' next task or 'quick wins' based on graph impact and PageRank metrics.
- Dependency & Blocker Resolution: Trace and analyze complex blocker chains to uncover foundational issues that are stalling project progress.
- Multi-Agent Work Partitioning: Efficiently split and organize project tasks into parallel tracks for seamless collaboration between multiple AI agents.
- Pre-Refactor Impact Analysis: Evaluate the potential ripple effects of code changes or refactors by analyzing file relations and task dependencies within the graph.
- Project Health & Risk Monitoring: Conduct hygiene checks to detect stale issues, circular dependencies, or architectural drift before they become critical failures.
| name | beads-viewer |
|---|---|
| description | Graph analysis with bv (Beads Viewer). Use when analyzing the task graph, finding blockers, getting recommendations, checking critical path, or when the user mentions "bv", "graph", "dependencies", or "what should I work on". |
Beads Viewer (bv)
Graph analysis layer for the Beads task graph. Precomputes metrics like PageRank and critical path.
When This Applies
| Signal | Action |
|---|---|
| "What should I work on?" | bv --robot-triage |
| Need single best task | bv --robot-next |
| Multi-agent partitioning | bv --robot-triage --robot-triage-by-track |
| Risk/hygiene check | bv --robot-alerts |
| Finding blockers | bv --robot-blocker-chain |
CRITICAL RULE
Always use --robot-* flags. Never run bare bv.
Bare bv launches a TUI that will hang AI agents.
Session Kickoff
# Default (fast)
bv --robot-next # Single best next task
# Full triage bundle
bv --robot-triage # Blockers, quick wins, commands
Multi-Agent Partitioning
# Split work by parallel tracks
bv --robot-triage --robot-triage-by-track
# Track details + what each task unblocks
bv --robot-plan
Risk & Hygiene
Use before starting "big" work:
bv --robot-alerts # Stale issues, blocking cascades, drift
bv --robot-suggest # Duplicates, missing deps, cycle breaks
Debugging & Analysis
# What changed recently?
bv --robot-diff --diff-since HEAD~5
# Historical state
bv --as-of HEAD~10 --robot-triage
# Blocker analysis
bv --robot-blocker-chain bd-123
# Impact analysis before refactor
bv --robot-impact path/to/file1,path/to/file2
bv --robot-file-relations path/to/core_file
Handoff / Audit Trail
bv --robot-history --bead-history bd-123
Semantic Search
bv --search "your query" --robot-search
Graph Metrics Explained
| Metric | Meaning | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| PageRank | Foundational blockers | Tasks that enable many others |
| Betweenness | Bottlenecks | Must pass through these |
| Critical Path | Longest dependency chain | Overall timeline |
Keeping bv Current
bv --check-update && bv --update --yes
Quick Reference
bv --robot-next # Single best task (fast)
bv --robot-triage # Full recommendations
bv --robot-triage --robot-triage-by-track # Multi-agent
bv --robot-plan # Execution order
bv --robot-alerts # Risk signals
bv --robot-suggest # Hygiene suggestions
bv --robot-blocker-chain ID # Why is this blocked?
Anti-Patterns
| Don't | Why |
|---|---|
Run bare bv |
Launches TUI, hangs agent |
Ignore --robot-alerts |
Miss stale/risky work |
| Skip before big work | Miss blocking cascades |
See Also
beads-cli/— Task management withbdadvance/— Full bead lifecycle (claiming, working, closing)