Dependency Management

Create and manage dependencies between tasks to establish execution order and prevent blocked work.

Instructions

Adding Dependencies

Dependencies indicate that a task cannot start until its blockers are complete.

# Add single dependency
backlog task edit <task-id> --dep task-5

# Add multiple dependencies
backlog task edit <task-id> --dep task-1,task-2,task-3

# Create task with dependencies
backlog task create "Deploy to production" --dep task-10,task-11,task-12

Viewing Dependencies

• Task view: backlog task <id> shows dependencies in the details
• Board view: backlog board displays dependency indicators
• List with deps: Dependencies shown in task listings

Dependency Validation

Backlog.md automatically validates dependencies:

• Circular dependency prevention: Cannot create A→B→C→A chains
• Existence validation: Referenced tasks must exist
• Status tracking: See which dependencies are blocking

Dependency Patterns

Sequential Work:

task-1 (Design) → task-2 (Implement) → task-3 (Test) → task-4 (Deploy)

Parallel with Join:

task-1 (Frontend) ─┐
                   ├→ task-3 (Integration)
task-2 (Backend)  ─┘

Feature Gates:

task-1 (Auth) ─┬→ task-2 (User Profile)
               ├→ task-3 (Settings)
               └→ task-4 (Dashboard)

Execution Sequences

View recommended execution order:

# Via MCP, use project analytics tools to see execution plans
# The board view also shows dependency-aware ordering
backlog board

Best Practices

1. Only add necessary dependencies - don't over-constrain
2. Keep dependency chains short (max 3-4 levels deep)
3. Review dependencies when tasks are blocked too long
4. Use dependencies for true blockers, not just suggested order