posit-devInstall New Work
Pick your agent. Every command is ready to paste.
npx skills add posit-dev/skills --skill new-workThe open skills CLI detects your agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and 70+ more) and installs to the right folder. Add -g to install globally.
01
Install it
Run the command above, or upload the folder in Claude.
02
Ask naturally
Describe the task. Your agent loads new-work when the request matches its description.
03
Name it if needed
If it does not trigger, say “use the new-work skill”. In Codex, type $new-work.
New Work
Todo notes track work items as markdown files with YAML front matter capturing status, context, and progress.
Storage Location
Use _dev/todos/ if it exists in the repository root; otherwise ask the user where to store todo notes before creating anything. It contains two subdirectories: pending/ (active) and done/ (finished).
File Naming
YYYY-MM-DD_short-kebab-slug.md, e.g. 2026-02-18_add-oauth-support.md.
File Contents
YAML front matter plus a markdown body. Only status is required.
---
status: pending # pending | in progress | review | blocked | done
issue: https://github.com/org/repo/issues/123 # optional
pr: https://github.com/org/repo/pull/456 # optional
---
# Title
Overview of what this is about and why it matters.
## Key Files
- `src/relevant-file.ts` — what it does
- `src/other-file.ts:functionName()` — why it matters
## Work Items
- [ ] First thing to do
- [ ] Second thing to do
## Design Decisions
Context, constraints, or choices worth capturing.
## Decision Log
<!--
### YYYY-MM-DD — Short Decision Title
**Decision:** What was decided?
**Rationale:** Why?
-->
Lifecycle
- Create: make
pending/if needed, create the date-prefixed file withstatus: pending, and write enough context to resume later. - In progress: update
status; addissue/prlinks when they exist; check off Work Items (- [ ]→- [x]); record significant decisions in the Decision Log. - Complete: set
status: doneandmvthe file frompending/todone/.
Keeping the Document Current
Treat the todo as a living record for the rest of the session. Update it after any decision, newly discovered problem or requirement, issue raised/resolved, significant implementation work, or commit. When in doubt, update it.
When you form a plan — whether in response to a user request or on your own initiative — write it to the todo document rather than presenting it only in chat. The document is the persistent record; the chat is not.
To resume in a future session, use /working-on <path-to-todo> — same live-document behavior without re-creating the file.
Tips for New Work
- • Start a fresh session after installing so your agent picks up the new skill.
- • It is part of a pack with 30 skills. Install only the ones you need with --skill to keep triggers precise.
- • If two skills overlap, mention the one you want by name.
Questions about New Work
What does the New Work skill do?
Create and manage todo tracking documents for features, bugs, and multi-step tasks. Use when starting new work that benefits from a persistent record of decisions, progress, and context.
How do I install New Work?
Run "npx skills add posit-dev/skills --skill new-work" in your project. The skills CLI installs it for Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and 70+ other agents. In Claude on the web, upload the skill folder as a ZIP under Customize > Skills.
Does New Work work in Cursor and Codex?
Yes. New Work uses the open SKILL.md format, so it works in Claude Code, Claude, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and other agents that support agent skills.
Is New Work free?
New Work is open source on GitHub under the MIT license. It is free to install; check the license before commercial use.
Who made New Work?
New Work is published by posit-dev in the posit-dev/skills repository, together with 29 other skills.
