VTM Expert is a specialized Virtual Task Manager skill designed to optimize developer workflows and project organization within Claude. It streamlines task tracking, dependency resolution, and context management, featuring a high-efficiency architecture that reduces token usage by up to 99% for AI-assisted development.

When should I use vtm-expert?

vtm-expert is useful in the following scenarios: • Automated Task Prioritization: Identify the next 'ready' task in a complex project by analyzing dependencies and workflow status automatically. • Token-Efficient Context Loading: Generate minimal, surgical context for specific coding tasks to stay within model limits and reduce operational costs. • Real-time Progress Tracking: Monitor project health and individual task status using integrated CLI commands and automated statistics recalculation. • End-to-End Workflow Management: Manage the full lifecycle of development tasks from initiation to completion, ensuring all dependencies are met and status is accurately tracked.

name	vtm-expert
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VTM Expert Skill

What This Skill Does

Helps you manage your Virtual Task Manager workflow with smart command suggestions.

Auto-discovers when you mention task-related work and suggests the appropriate VTM command.

Available Commands

/vtm:next - Get next ready task to work on
/vtm:context - Generate minimal context for a specific task
/vtm:task - View details of a specific task
/vtm:start - Mark a task as in-progress
/vtm:complete - Mark a task as completed
/vtm:stats - Show VTM statistics and progress
/vtm:list - List all tasks with their status

When Claude Uses This

When you mention things like:

"What should I work on?" → Suggests /vtm:next
"I need context for TASK-003" → Suggests /vtm:context TASK-003
"Show me task status" → Suggests /vtm:stats or /vtm:list
"Start working on TASK-005" → Suggests /vtm:start TASK-005
"Mark TASK-003 as done" → Suggests /vtm:complete TASK-003
"How many tasks are left?" → Suggests /vtm:stats

VTM Workflow

The typical VTM workflow:

Find work: /vtm:next - Shows ready tasks (dependencies met)
Get context: /vtm:context TASK-XXX - Token-efficient task context
Start task: /vtm:start TASK-XXX - Mark as in-progress
Implement: Use PROMPT 2 with TDD based on test_strategy
Complete: /vtm:complete TASK-XXX - Mark as done, unblocks dependents
Repeat: Back to step 1

Token Efficiency

VTM achieves 99% token reduction by:

Surgical access to specific tasks (not loading entire manifest)
Dependency resolution built-in
Two context modes: minimal (~~2000 tokens) and compact (~~500 tokens)
No need to load related specs unless specifically needed

Best Practices

Before starting: Run /vtm:next to see what's ready
Get context first: Always use /vtm:context before implementing
Follow TDD: Respect the task's test_strategy field
Track progress: Use /vtm:stats to monitor overall progress
Update status: Mark tasks in-progress and completed for accurate tracking

Integration

Works seamlessly with other Claude Code domains:

Can be invoked manually: /vtm:operation
Auto-triggered by Claude based on conversation
Integrates with git hooks for validation
Supports team workflows via shared vtm.json

Customization

Edit trigger phrases in the frontmatter above to match your vocabulary.

Examples:

Add project-specific terms: "backlog item", "sprint task"
Add abbreviations: "ctx" for context, "nxt" for next
Add workflow terms: "pick up task", "finish task"

Technical Details

Architecture:

Commands wrap the vtm CLI (npm package)
Requires vtm.json in project root
Atomic writes with automatic stats recalculation
Dependency validation built-in

Data Flow:

User phrase → Skill triggers → Command suggested →
User approves → vtm CLI executes → Stats auto-update

vtm-expert

When & Why to Use This Skill

Use Cases