fix: improve subtask & parent task management

.changeset/curvy-weeks-flow.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"task-master-ai": patch
+---
+
+Change parent task back to "pending" when all subtasks are in "pending" state

apps/docs/capabilities/cli-root-commands.mdx

@@ -101,12 +101,7 @@ sidebarTitle: "CLI Commands"
     task-master set-status --id=1.1,1.2 --status=<status>
     ```
 
-    **Automatic Parent Status Management:**
-    When updating subtask statuses, parent task statuses are automatically adjusted:
-    - When **all subtasks** are marked `done`, the parent task becomes `done`
-    - When **at least one subtask** is `in-progress` or `done`, the parent task becomes `in-progress`
-    
-    When marking a parent task as "done", all of its subtasks will automatically be marked as "done" as well.
+    When marking a task as "done", all of its subtasks will automatically be marked as "done" as well.
   </Accordion>
 
   <Accordion title="Expand Tasks">

apps/docs/capabilities/mcp.mdx

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ The MCP tools can be categorized in the same way as the core functionalities:
 -   **`get_tasks`**: Lists all tasks.
 -   **`get_task`**: Shows the details of a specific task.
 -   **`next_task`**: Shows the next task to work on.
--   **`set_task_status`**: Sets the status of a task or subtask. When updating subtask statuses, parent task statuses are automatically adjusted based on subtask completion.
+-   **`set_task_status`**: Sets the status of a task or subtask.
 
 ### 3. Task Analysis and Expansion
 

apps/docs/capabilities/task-structure.mdx

@@ -120,23 +120,6 @@ The `show` command:
 - Provides contextual action suggestions based on the task's state
 - Works with both regular tasks and subtasks (using the format taskId.subtaskId)
 </Accordion>
-
-<Accordion title="Automatic Parent Status Management">
-Task Master automatically manages parent task statuses based on subtask changes:
-
-**Status Rules:**
-- When **all subtasks** are marked as `done`, the parent task is automatically set to `done`
-- When **at least one subtask** is `in-progress` or `done`, the parent task is automatically set to `in-progress`
-- This ensures parent tasks accurately reflect the progress of their subtasks
-
-**Example Workflow:**
-1. Parent task starts as `pending`
-2. First subtask marked `in-progress` → Parent becomes `in-progress`
-3. Some subtasks completed (`done`) → Parent remains `in-progress`
-4. All subtasks completed (`done`) → Parent automatically becomes `done`
-
-This automation eliminates the need to manually update parent task statuses and ensures consistency across your task hierarchy.
-</Accordion>
 </AccordionGroup>
 
 ## Best Practices for AI-Driven Development

apps/docs/whats-new.mdx

@@ -3,31 +3,4 @@ title: "What's New"
 sidebarTitle: "What's New"
 ---
 
-## Version 0.27.2 - Automatic Parent Status Management
-
-### ✨ New Features
-
-**Automatic Parent Status Management**
-- Parent tasks now automatically update their status based on subtask progress
-- When all subtasks are marked as `done`, the parent task automatically becomes `done`  
-- When at least one subtask is `in-progress` or `done`, the parent task automatically becomes `in-progress`
-- This eliminates manual parent status updates and ensures task hierarchy consistency
-
-### 🔧 How It Works
-
-The new system tracks subtask status changes and intelligently updates parent statuses:
-
-1. **Subtask Progress Tracking**: Each subtask status change triggers parent evaluation
-2. **Smart Status Rules**: Parent status reflects the collective progress of all subtasks
-3. **Seamless Integration**: Works automatically with existing `set-status` commands and MCP tools
-
-### 📈 Benefits
-
-- **Reduced Manual Work**: No need to manually update parent task statuses
-- **Better Visibility**: Parent tasks accurately reflect overall progress
-- **Consistency**: Eliminates mismatched parent/subtask status combinations
-- **AI-Friendly**: Provides clearer status hierarchy for AI assistants
-
----
-
-For a complete list of changes, see the [CHANGELOG.md](https://github.com/eyaltoledano/claude-task-master/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md).
+An easy way to see the latest releases

packages/tm-core/src/storage/file-storage/file-storage.ts

@@ -409,8 +409,11 @@ export class FileStorage implements IStorage {
 			const allDone = subs.every(isDoneLike);
 			const anyInProgress = subs.some((s) => norm(s) === 'in-progress');
 			const anyDone = subs.some(isDoneLike);
+			const allPending = subs.every((s) => norm(s) === 'pending');
+
 			if (allDone) parentNewStatus = 'done';
 			else if (anyInProgress || anyDone) parentNewStatus = 'in-progress';
+			else if (allPending) parentNewStatus = 'pending';
 		}
 
 		// Always bump updatedAt; update status only if changed