diff --git a/apps/cli/src/commands/list.command.ts b/apps/cli/src/commands/list.command.ts
index b9b97dfd..cb6fbead 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/commands/list.command.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/commands/list.command.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ import {
 	calculateSubtaskStatistics,
 	calculateDependencyStatistics,
 	getPriorityBreakdown,
+	displayRecommendedNextTask,
+	getTaskDescription,
+	displaySuggestedNextSteps,
 	type NextTaskInfo
 } from '../ui/index.js';
 
@@ -258,7 +261,7 @@ export class ListTasksCommand extends Command {
 
 		// Get file path for display
 		const filePath = this.tmCore ? `.taskmaster/tasks/tasks.json` : undefined;
-		
+
 		// Display header with Task Master banner
 		displayHeader({
 			version: '0.26.0', // You may want to get this dynamically
@@ -284,16 +287,40 @@ export class ListTasksCommand extends Command {
 		const nextTask = this.findNextTask(tasks);
 
 		// Display dashboard boxes
-		displayDashboards(taskStats, subtaskStats, priorityBreakdown, depStats, nextTask);
+		displayDashboards(
+			taskStats,
+			subtaskStats,
+			priorityBreakdown,
+			depStats,
+			nextTask
+		);
 
-		// Task table
-		console.log(chalk.blue.bold(`\n📋 Tasks (${tasks.length}):\n`));
+		// Task table - no title, just show the table directly
 		console.log(
 			ui.createTaskTable(tasks, {
 				showSubtasks: withSubtasks,
-				showDependencies: true
+				showDependencies: true,
+				showComplexity: true // Enable complexity column
 			})
 		);
+		
+		// Display recommended next task section immediately after table
+		if (nextTask) {
+			// Find the full task object to get description
+			const fullTask = tasks.find(t => String(t.id) === String(nextTask.id));
+			const description = fullTask ? getTaskDescription(fullTask) : undefined;
+			
+			displayRecommendedNextTask({
+				...nextTask,
+				status: 'pending', // Next task is typically pending
+				description
+			});
+		} else {
+			displayRecommendedNextTask(undefined);
+		}
+		
+		// Display suggested next steps at the end
+		displaySuggestedNextSteps();
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -308,21 +335,21 @@ export class ListTasksCommand extends Command {
 	 * Implements the same logic as scripts/modules/task-manager/find-next-task.js
 	 */
 	private findNextTask(tasks: Task[]): NextTaskInfo | undefined {
-		const priorityValues: Record<string, number> = { 
+		const priorityValues: Record<string, number> = {
 			critical: 4,
-			high: 3, 
-			medium: 2, 
-			low: 1 
+			high: 3,
+			medium: 2,
+			low: 1
 		};
 
 		// Build set of completed task IDs (including subtasks)
 		const completedIds = new Set<string>();
-		tasks.forEach(t => {
+		tasks.forEach((t) => {
 			if (t.status === 'done' || t.status === 'completed') {
 				completedIds.add(String(t.id));
 			}
 			if (t.subtasks) {
-				t.subtasks.forEach(st => {
+				t.subtasks.forEach((st) => {
 					if (st.status === 'done' || st.status === 'completed') {
 						completedIds.add(`${t.id}.${st.id}`);
 					}
@@ -332,32 +359,36 @@ export class ListTasksCommand extends Command {
 
 		// First, look for eligible subtasks in in-progress parent tasks
 		const candidateSubtasks: NextTaskInfo[] = [];
-		
+
 		tasks
-			.filter(t => t.status === 'in-progress' && t.subtasks && t.subtasks.length > 0)
-			.forEach(parent => {
-				parent.subtasks!.forEach(st => {
+			.filter(
+				(t) => t.status === 'in-progress' && t.subtasks && t.subtasks.length > 0
+			)
+			.forEach((parent) => {
+				parent.subtasks!.forEach((st) => {
 					const stStatus = (st.status || 'pending').toLowerCase();
 					if (stStatus !== 'pending' && stStatus !== 'in-progress') return;
 
 					// Check if dependencies are satisfied
-					const fullDeps = st.dependencies?.map(d => {
-						// Handle both numeric and string IDs
-						if (typeof d === 'string' && d.includes('.')) {
-							return d;
-						}
-						return `${parent.id}.${d}`;
-					}) ?? [];
+					const fullDeps =
+						st.dependencies?.map((d) => {
+							// Handle both numeric and string IDs
+							if (typeof d === 'string' && d.includes('.')) {
+								return d;
+							}
+							return `${parent.id}.${d}`;
+						}) ?? [];
 
-					const depsSatisfied = fullDeps.length === 0 || 
-						fullDeps.every(depId => completedIds.has(String(depId)));
+					const depsSatisfied =
+						fullDeps.length === 0 ||
+						fullDeps.every((depId) => completedIds.has(String(depId)));
 
 					if (depsSatisfied) {
 						candidateSubtasks.push({
 							id: `${parent.id}.${st.id}`,
 							title: st.title || `Subtask ${st.id}`,
 							priority: st.priority || parent.priority || 'medium',
-							dependencies: fullDeps.map(d => String(d))
+							dependencies: fullDeps.map((d) => String(d))
 						});
 					}
 				});
@@ -380,15 +411,16 @@ export class ListTasksCommand extends Command {
 		}
 
 		// Fall back to finding eligible top-level tasks
-		const eligibleTasks = tasks.filter(task => {
+		const eligibleTasks = tasks.filter((task) => {
 			// Skip non-eligible statuses
 			const status = (task.status || 'pending').toLowerCase();
 			if (status !== 'pending' && status !== 'in-progress') return false;
 
 			// Check dependencies
 			const deps = task.dependencies || [];
-			const depsSatisfied = deps.length === 0 || 
-				deps.every(depId => completedIds.has(String(depId)));
+			const depsSatisfied =
+				deps.length === 0 ||
+				deps.every((depId) => completedIds.has(String(depId)));
 
 			return depsSatisfied;
 		});
@@ -416,7 +448,7 @@ export class ListTasksCommand extends Command {
 			id: nextTask.id,
 			title: nextTask.title,
 			priority: nextTask.priority,
-			dependencies: nextTask.dependencies?.map(d => String(d))
+			dependencies: nextTask.dependencies?.map((d) => String(d))
 		};
 	}
 
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/ui/components/index.ts b/apps/cli/src/ui/components/index.ts
index 27f59c5c..268a96a1 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/ui/components/index.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/ui/components/index.ts
@@ -3,4 +3,6 @@
  */
 
 export * from './header.component.js';
-export * from './dashboard.component.js';
\ No newline at end of file
+export * from './dashboard.component.js';
+export * from './next-task.component.js';
+export * from './suggested-steps.component.js';
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/ui/components/next-task.component.ts b/apps/cli/src/ui/components/next-task.component.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..beb5d7cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/ui/components/next-task.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+/**
+ * @fileoverview Next task recommendation component
+ * Displays detailed information about the recommended next task
+ */
+
+import chalk from 'chalk';
+import boxen from 'boxen';
+import type { Task } from '@tm/core/types';
+
+/**
+ * Next task display options
+ */
+export interface NextTaskDisplayOptions {
+	id: string | number;
+	title: string;
+	priority?: string;
+	status?: string;
+	dependencies?: (string | number)[];
+	description?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Display the recommended next task section
+ */
+export function displayRecommendedNextTask(
+	task: NextTaskDisplayOptions | undefined
+): void {
+	if (!task) {
+		// If no task available, show a message
+		console.log(
+			boxen(
+				chalk.yellow(
+					'No tasks available to work on. All tasks are either completed, blocked by dependencies, or in progress.'
+				),
+				{
+					padding: 1,
+					borderStyle: 'round',
+					borderColor: 'yellow',
+					title: '⚠ NO TASKS AVAILABLE ⚠',
+					titleAlignment: 'center'
+				}
+			)
+		);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	// Build the content for the next task box
+	const content = [];
+
+	// Task header with ID and title
+	content.push(
+		`🔥 ${chalk.hex('#FF8800').bold('Next Task to Work On:')} ${chalk.yellow(`#${task.id}`)}${chalk.hex('#FF8800').bold(` - ${task.title}`)}`
+	);
+	content.push('');
+
+	// Priority and Status line
+	const statusLine = [];
+	if (task.priority) {
+		const priorityColor =
+			task.priority === 'high'
+				? chalk.red
+				: task.priority === 'medium'
+					? chalk.yellow
+					: chalk.gray;
+		statusLine.push(`Priority: ${priorityColor.bold(task.priority)}`);
+	}
+	if (task.status) {
+		const statusDisplay =
+			task.status === 'pending'
+				? chalk.yellow('○ pending')
+				: task.status === 'in-progress'
+					? chalk.blue('▶ in-progress')
+					: chalk.gray(task.status);
+		statusLine.push(`Status: ${statusDisplay}`);
+	}
+	content.push(statusLine.join('  '));
+
+	// Dependencies
+	const depsDisplay =
+		!task.dependencies || task.dependencies.length === 0
+			? chalk.gray('None')
+			: chalk.cyan(task.dependencies.join(', '));
+	content.push(`Dependencies: ${depsDisplay}`);
+
+	// Description if available
+	if (task.description) {
+		content.push('');
+		content.push(`Description: ${chalk.white(task.description)}`);
+	}
+
+	// Action commands
+	content.push('');
+	content.push(
+		`${chalk.cyan('Start working:')} ${chalk.yellow(`task-master set-status --id=${task.id} --status=in-progress`)}`
+	);
+	content.push(
+		`${chalk.cyan('View details:')} ${chalk.yellow(`task-master show ${task.id}`)}`
+	);
+
+	// Display in a styled box with orange border
+	console.log(
+		boxen(content.join('\n'), {
+			padding: 1,
+			margin: { top: 1, bottom: 1 },
+			borderStyle: 'round',
+			borderColor: '#FFA500', // Orange color
+			title: chalk.hex('#FFA500')('⚡ RECOMMENDED NEXT TASK ⚡'),
+			titleAlignment: 'center',
+			width: process.stdout.columns * 0.97,
+			fullscreen: false
+		})
+	);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get task description from the full task object
+ */
+export function getTaskDescription(task: Task): string | undefined {
+	// Try to get description from the task
+	// This could be from task.description or the first line of task.details
+	if ('description' in task && task.description) {
+		return task.description as string;
+	}
+
+	if ('details' in task && task.details) {
+		// Take first sentence or line from details
+		const details = task.details as string;
+		const firstLine = details.split('\n')[0];
+		const firstSentence = firstLine.split('.')[0];
+		return firstSentence;
+	}
+
+	return undefined;
+}
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/ui/components/suggested-steps.component.ts b/apps/cli/src/ui/components/suggested-steps.component.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..66e5eb19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/ui/components/suggested-steps.component.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/**
+ * @fileoverview Suggested next steps component
+ * Displays helpful command suggestions at the end of the list
+ */
+
+import chalk from 'chalk';
+import boxen from 'boxen';
+
+/**
+ * Display suggested next steps section
+ */
+export function displaySuggestedNextSteps(): void {
+	const steps = [
+		`${chalk.cyan('1.')} Run ${chalk.yellow('task-master next')} to see what to work on next`,
+		`${chalk.cyan('2.')} Run ${chalk.yellow('task-master expand --id=<id>')} to break down a task into subtasks`,
+		`${chalk.cyan('3.')} Run ${chalk.yellow('task-master set-status --id=<id> --status=done')} to mark a task as complete`
+	];
+
+	console.log(
+		boxen(
+			chalk.white.bold('Suggested Next Steps:') + '\n\n' + steps.join('\n'),
+			{
+				padding: 1,
+				margin: { top: 0, bottom: 1 },
+				borderStyle: 'round',
+				borderColor: 'gray',
+				width: process.stdout.columns * 0.97
+			}
+		)
+	);
+}
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/utils/ui.ts b/apps/cli/src/utils/ui.ts
index 4912a519..7ddbd34e 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/utils/ui.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/utils/ui.ts
@@ -18,19 +18,39 @@ export function getStatusWithColor(
 	const statusConfig = {
 		done: {
 			color: chalk.green,
-			icon: String.fromCharCode(8730),
-			tableIcon: String.fromCharCode(8730)
-		}, // √
-		pending: { color: chalk.yellow, icon: 'o', tableIcon: 'o' },
+			icon: '✓',
+			tableIcon: '✓'
+		},
+		pending: {
+			color: chalk.yellow,
+			icon: '○',
+			tableIcon: '○'
+		},
 		'in-progress': {
 			color: chalk.hex('#FFA500'),
-			icon: String.fromCharCode(9654),
-			tableIcon: '>'
-		}, // ▶
-		deferred: { color: chalk.gray, icon: 'x', tableIcon: 'x' },
-		blocked: { color: chalk.red, icon: '!', tableIcon: '!' },
-		review: { color: chalk.magenta, icon: '?', tableIcon: '?' },
-		cancelled: { color: chalk.gray, icon: 'X', tableIcon: 'X' }
+			icon: '▶',
+			tableIcon: '▶'
+		},
+		deferred: {
+			color: chalk.gray,
+			icon: 'x',
+			tableIcon: 'x'
+		},
+		review: {
+			color: chalk.magenta,
+			icon: '?',
+			tableIcon: '?'
+		},
+		cancelled: {
+			color: chalk.gray,
+			icon: 'x',
+			tableIcon: 'x'
+		},
+		blocked: {
+			color: chalk.red,
+			icon: '!',
+			tableIcon: '!'
+		}
 	};
 
 	const config = statusConfig[status] || {
@@ -39,18 +59,7 @@ export function getStatusWithColor(
 		tableIcon: 'X'
 	};
 
-	// Use simple ASCII characters for stable display
-	const simpleIcons = {
-		done: String.fromCharCode(8730), // √
-		pending: 'o',
-		'in-progress': '>',
-		deferred: 'x',
-		blocked: '!',
-		review: '?',
-		cancelled: 'X'
-	};
-
-	const icon = forTable ? simpleIcons[status] || 'X' : config.icon;
+	const icon = forTable ? config.tableIcon : config.icon;
 	return config.color(`${icon} ${status}`);
 }
 
@@ -245,10 +254,24 @@ export function createTaskTable(
 	} = options || {};
 
 	// Calculate dynamic column widths based on terminal width
-	const terminalWidth = process.stdout.columns || 100;
+	const terminalWidth = process.stdout.columns * 0.9 || 100;
+	// Adjust column widths to better match the original layout
 	const baseColWidths = showComplexity
-		? [8, Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.35), 18, 12, 15, 12] // ID, Title, Status, Priority, Dependencies, Complexity
-		: [8, Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.4), 18, 12, 20]; // ID, Title, Status, Priority, Dependencies
+		? [
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.06),
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.4),
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.15),
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.12),
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.2),
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.12)
+			] // ID, Title, Status, Priority, Dependencies, Complexity
+		: [
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.08),
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.4),
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.18),
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.12),
+				Math.floor(terminalWidth * 0.2)
+			]; // ID, Title, Status, Priority, Dependencies
 
 	const headers = [
 		chalk.blue.bold('ID'),
@@ -284,11 +307,19 @@ export function createTaskTable(
 		];
 
 		if (showDependencies) {
-			row.push(formatDependenciesWithStatus(task.dependencies, tasks));
+			// For table display, show simple format without status icons
+			if (!task.dependencies || task.dependencies.length === 0) {
+				row.push(chalk.gray('None'));
+			} else {
+				row.push(
+					chalk.cyan(task.dependencies.map((d) => String(d)).join(', '))
+				);
+			}
 		}
 
-		if (showComplexity && 'complexity' in task) {
-			row.push(getComplexityWithColor(task.complexity as number | string));
+		if (showComplexity) {
+			// Show N/A if no complexity score
+			row.push(chalk.gray('N/A'));
 		}
 
 		table.push(row);
diff --git a/src/utils/getVersion.js b/src/utils/getVersion.js
index 55a64f40..ffbd1f5e 100644
--- a/src/utils/getVersion.js
+++ b/src/utils/getVersion.js
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
-import fs from 'fs';
-import path from 'path';
-import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
-import { log } from '../../scripts/modules/utils.js';
+import packageJson from '../../package.json' with { type: 'json' };
 
 /**
  * Reads the version from the nearest package.json relative to this file.
@@ -9,27 +6,5 @@ import { log } from '../../scripts/modules/utils.js';
  * @returns {string} The version string or 'unknown'.
  */
 export function getTaskMasterVersion() {
-	let version = 'unknown';
-	try {
-		// Get the directory of the current module (getPackageVersion.js)
-		const currentModuleFilename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
-		const currentModuleDirname = path.dirname(currentModuleFilename);
-		// Construct the path to package.json relative to this file (../../package.json)
-		const packageJsonPath = path.join(
-			currentModuleDirname,
-			'..',
-			'..',
-			'package.json'
-		);
-
-		if (fs.existsSync(packageJsonPath)) {
-			const packageJsonContent = fs.readFileSync(packageJsonPath, 'utf8');
-			const packageJson = JSON.parse(packageJsonContent);
-			version = packageJson.version;
-		}
-	} catch (error) {
-		// Silently fall back to default version
-		log('warn', 'Could not read own package.json for version info.', error);
-	}
-	return version;
+	return packageJson.version || 'unknown';
 }