Reference

Technical reference and comparison documentation for AI Task Manager.

Understanding AI Task Manager

This section provides detailed comparisons and technical context to help you understand when and how to use AI Task Manager effectively.

What You’ll Learn

In this section:

  • Comparison with Other Tools: Understand the differences between plan mode and structured task management, and how AI Task Manager compares to other tools

Key Differentiators

Progressive Refinement with Validation Gates

AI Task Manager introduces mandatory human review gates between distinct phases, giving you control over scope and quality at each step.

Subscription-Based Model

Works within your existing AI assistant subscriptions (Claude Pro/Max, Gemini, GitHub Copilot, Codex). No additional API keys, no pay-per-token charges, no external service dependencies.

Extensibility Architecture

Fully customizable through hooks, templates, and configuration files. Every aspect of the workflow can be tailored to your project’s specific needs.

Skill-Based Agent Deployment

Tasks are automatically assigned to specialized agents based on their skill requirements, enabling parallel execution and domain expertise.

CLI Commands

Plan Management

Command-line interface for inspecting and managing plans:

npx @e0ipso/ai-task-manager plan <subcommand> <plan-id>

Subcommands:

plan show <plan-id> or plan <plan-id> (shorthand) Display plan metadata, executive summary, and task progress.

npx @e0ipso/ai-task-manager plan show 41
npx @e0ipso/ai-task-manager plan 41  # shorthand

plan archive <plan-id> Move a completed plan from plans/ directory to archive/ directory.

npx @e0ipso/ai-task-manager plan archive 41

plan delete <plan-id> Permanently delete a plan and all associated tasks. Cannot be undone.

npx @e0ipso/ai-task-manager plan delete 41

Usage Notes:

  • Plan ID must be numeric
  • Commands work on both active plans (in plans/) and archived plans (in archive/)
  • Shorthand plan <id> defaults to plan show <id> for convenience

See Workflow Guide for integrated workflow usage examples.

When to Use AI Task Manager

Use AI Task Manager when you need:

  • Complex multi-step projects (3+ features)
  • Tight scope control and YAGNI enforcement
  • Multiple implementation approaches to evaluate
  • Review before execution
  • Multi-session projects spanning days/weeks
  • Parallel task execution benefits
  • Clear task tracking and progress visibility

Next Steps

Explore Comparison with Other Tools to understand when to use AI Task Manager versus traditional plan mode or other task management tools.

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