claude-task-master/.cursor/rules/architecture.mdc

---
description: Describes the high-level architecture of the Task Master CLI application.
globs: scripts/modules/*.js
alwaysApply: false
---

# Application Architecture Overview

- **Modular Structure**: The Task Master CLI is built using a modular architecture, with distinct modules responsible for different aspects of the application. This promotes separation of concerns, maintainability, and testability.

- **Main Modules and Responsibilities**:

  - **[`commands.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/commands.js): Command Handling**
    - **Purpose**: Defines and registers all CLI commands using Commander.js.
    - **Responsibilities** (See also: [`commands.mdc`](mdc:.cursor/rules/commands.mdc)):
      - Parses command-line arguments and options.
      - Invokes appropriate functions from other modules to execute commands.
      - Handles user input and output related to command execution.
      - Implements input validation and error handling for CLI commands.
    - **Key Components**:
      - `programInstance` (Commander.js `Command` instance): Manages command definitions.
      - `registerCommands(programInstance)`: Function to register all application commands.
      - Command action handlers: Functions executed when a specific command is invoked.

  - **[`task-manager.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/task-manager.js): Task Data Management**
    - **Purpose**: Manages task data, including loading, saving, creating, updating, deleting, and querying tasks.
    - **Responsibilities**:
      - Reads and writes task data to `tasks.json` file.
      - Implements functions for task CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete).
      - Handles task parsing from PRD documents using AI.
      - Manages task expansion and subtask generation.
      - Updates task statuses and properties.
      - Implements task listing and display logic.
      - Performs task complexity analysis using AI.
    - **Key Functions**:
      - `readTasks(tasksPath)` / `writeTasks(tasksPath, tasksData)`: Load and save task data.
      - `parsePRD(prdFilePath, outputPath, numTasks)`: Parses PRD document to create tasks.
      - `expandTask(taskId, numSubtasks, useResearch, prompt, force)`: Expands a task into subtasks.
      - `setTaskStatus(tasksPath, taskIdInput, newStatus)`: Updates task status.
      - `listTasks(tasksPath, statusFilter, withSubtasks)`: Lists tasks with filtering and subtask display options.
      - `analyzeComplexity(tasksPath, reportPath, useResearch, thresholdScore)`: Analyzes task complexity.

  - **[`dependency-manager.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/dependency-manager.js): Dependency Management**
    - **Purpose**: Manages task dependencies, including adding, removing, validating, and fixing dependency relationships.
    - **Responsibilities**:
      - Adds and removes task dependencies.
      - Validates dependency relationships to prevent circular dependencies and invalid references.
      - Fixes invalid dependencies by removing non-existent or self-referential dependencies.
      - Provides functions to check for circular dependencies.
    - **Key Functions**:
      - `addDependency(tasksPath, taskId, dependencyId)`: Adds a dependency between tasks.
      - `removeDependency(tasksPath, taskId, dependencyId)`: Removes a dependency.
      - `validateDependencies(tasksPath)`: Validates task dependencies.
      - `fixDependencies(tasksPath)`: Fixes invalid task dependencies.
      - `isCircularDependency(tasks, taskId, dependencyChain)`: Detects circular dependencies.

  - **[`ui.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/ui.js): User Interface Components**
    - **Purpose**: Handles all user interface elements, including displaying information, formatting output, and providing user feedback.
    - **Responsibilities**:
      - Displays task lists, task details, and command outputs in a formatted way.
      - Uses `chalk` for colored output and `boxen` for boxed messages.
      - Implements table display using `cli-table3`.
      - Shows loading indicators using `ora`.
      - Provides helper functions for status formatting, dependency display, and progress reporting.
      - Suggests next actions to the user after command execution.
    - **Key Functions**:
      - `displayTaskList(tasks, statusFilter, withSubtasks)`: Displays a list of tasks in a table.
      - `displayTaskDetails(task)`: Displays detailed information for a single task.
      - `displayComplexityReport(reportPath)`: Displays the task complexity report.
      - `startLoadingIndicator(message)` / `stopLoadingIndicator(indicator)`: Manages loading indicators.
      - `getStatusWithColor(status)`: Returns status string with color formatting.
      - `formatDependenciesWithStatus(dependencies, allTasks, inTable)`: Formats dependency list with status indicators.

  - **[`ai-services.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/ai-services.js) (Conceptual): AI Integration**
    - **Purpose**:  Abstracts interactions with AI models (like Anthropic Claude and Perplexity AI) for various features. *Note: This module might be implicitly implemented within `task-manager.js` and `utils.js` or could be explicitly created for better organization as the project evolves.*
    - **Responsibilities**:
      - Handles API calls to AI services.
      - Manages prompts and parameters for AI requests.
      - Parses AI responses and extracts relevant information.
      - Implements logic for task complexity analysis, task expansion, and PRD parsing using AI.
    - **Potential Functions**:
      - `getAIResponse(prompt, model, maxTokens, temperature)`: Generic function to interact with AI model.
      - `analyzeTaskComplexityWithAI(taskDescription)`: Sends task description to AI for complexity analysis.
      - `expandTaskWithAI(taskDescription, numSubtasks, researchContext)`: Generates subtasks using AI.
      - `parsePRDWithAI(prdContent)`: Extracts tasks from PRD content using AI.

  - **[`utils.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/utils.js): Utility Functions and Configuration**
    - **Purpose**: Provides reusable utility functions and global configuration settings used across the **CLI application**.
    - **Responsibilities** (See also: [`utilities.mdc`](mdc:.cursor/rules/utilities.mdc)):
      - Manages global configuration settings loaded from environment variables and defaults.
      - Implements logging utility with different log levels and output formatting.
      - Provides file system operation utilities (read/write JSON files).
      - Includes string manipulation utilities (e.g., `truncate`, `sanitizePrompt`).
      - Offers task-specific utility functions (e.g., `formatTaskId`, `findTaskById`, `taskExists`).
      - Implements graph algorithms like cycle detection for dependency management.
      - **Silent Mode Control**: Provides `enableSilentMode` and `disableSilentMode` functions to control log output.
    - **Key Components**:
      - `CONFIG`: Global configuration object.
      - `log(level, ...args)`: Logging function.
      - `readJSON(filepath)` / `writeJSON(filepath, data)`: File I/O utilities for JSON files.
      - `truncate(text, maxLength)`: String truncation utility.
      - `formatTaskId(id)` / `findTaskById(tasks, taskId)`: Task ID and search utilities.
      - `findCycles(subtaskId, dependencyMap)`: Cycle detection algorithm.
      - `enableSilentMode()` / `disableSilentMode()`: Control console logging output.

  - **[`mcp-server/`](mdc:mcp-server/): MCP Server Integration**
    - **Purpose**: Provides an MCP (Model Context Protocol) interface for Task Master, allowing integration with external tools like Cursor. Uses FastMCP framework.
    - **Responsibilities** (See also: [`mcp.mdc`](mdc:.cursor/rules/mcp.mdc)):
      - Registers Task Master functionalities as tools consumable via MCP.
      - Handles MCP requests via tool `execute` methods defined in `mcp-server/src/tools/*.js`.
      - Tool `execute` methods call corresponding **direct function wrappers**.
      - Tool `execute` methods use `getProjectRootFromSession` (from [`tools/utils.js`](mdc:mcp-server/src/tools/utils.js)) to determine the project root from the client session and pass it to the direct function.
      - **Direct function wrappers (`*Direct` functions in `mcp-server/src/core/direct-functions/*.js`) contain the main logic for handling MCP requests**, including path resolution, argument validation, caching, and calling core Task Master functions.
      - Direct functions use `findTasksJsonPath` (from [`core/utils/path-utils.js`](mdc:mcp-server/src/core/utils/path-utils.js)) to locate `tasks.json` based on the provided `projectRoot`.
      - **Silent Mode Implementation**: Direct functions use `enableSilentMode` and `disableSilentMode` to prevent logs from interfering with JSON responses.
      - **Async Operations**: Uses `AsyncOperationManager` to handle long-running operations in the background.
      - **Project Initialization**: Provides `initialize_project` command for setting up new projects from within integrated clients.
      - Tool `execute` methods use `handleApiResult` from [`tools/utils.js`](mdc:mcp-server/src/tools/utils.js) to process the result from the direct function and format the final MCP response.
      - Uses CLI execution via `executeTaskMasterCommand` as a fallback only when necessary.
      - **Implements Robust Path Finding**: The utility [`tools/utils.js`](mdc:mcp-server/src/tools/utils.js) (specifically `getProjectRootFromSession`) and [`core/utils/path-utils.js`](mdc:mcp-server/src/core/utils/path-utils.js) (specifically `findTasksJsonPath`) work together. The tool gets the root via session, passes it to the direct function, which uses `findTasksJsonPath` to locate the specific `tasks.json` file within that root.
      - **Implements Caching**: Utilizes a caching layer (`ContextManager` with `lru-cache`). Caching logic is invoked *within* the direct function wrappers using the `getCachedOrExecute` utility for performance-sensitive read operations.
      - Standardizes response formatting and data filtering using utilities in [`tools/utils.js`](mdc:mcp-server/src/tools/utils.js).
      - **Resource Management**: Provides access to static and dynamic resources.
    - **Key Components**:
      - `mcp-server/src/index.js`: Main server class definition with FastMCP initialization, resource registration, and server lifecycle management.
      - `mcp-server/src/server.js`: Main server setup and initialization.
      - `mcp-server/src/tools/`: Directory containing individual tool definitions. Each tool's `execute` method orchestrates the call to core logic and handles the response.
      - `mcp-server/src/tools/utils.js`: Provides MCP-specific utilities like `handleApiResult`, `processMCPResponseData`, `getCachedOrExecute`, and **`getProjectRootFromSession`**.
      - `mcp-server/src/core/utils/`: Directory containing utility functions specific to the MCP server, like **`path-utils.js` for resolving `tasks.json` within a given root** and **`async-manager.js` for handling background operations**.
      - `mcp-server/src/core/direct-functions/`: Directory containing individual files for each **direct function wrapper (`*Direct`)**. These files contain the primary logic for MCP tool execution.
      - `mcp-server/src/core/resources/`: Directory containing resource handlers for task templates, workflow definitions, and other static/dynamic data exposed to LLM clients.
      - [`task-master-core.js`](mdc:mcp-server/src/core/task-master-core.js): Acts as an import/export hub, collecting and exporting direct functions from the `direct-functions` directory and MCP utility functions.
    - **Naming Conventions**:
      - **Files** use **kebab-case**: `list-tasks.js`, `set-task-status.js`, `parse-prd.js`
      - **Direct Functions** use **camelCase** with `Direct` suffix: `listTasksDirect`, `setTaskStatusDirect`, `parsePRDDirect`
      - **Tool Registration Functions** use **camelCase** with `Tool` suffix: `registerListTasksTool`, `registerSetTaskStatusTool`
      - **MCP Tool Names** use **snake_case**: `list_tasks`, `set_task_status`, `parse_prd_document`
      - **Resource Handlers** use **camelCase** with pattern URI: `@mcp.resource("tasks://templates/{template_id}")`
    - **AsyncOperationManager**:
      - **Purpose**: Manages background execution of long-running operations.
      - **Location**: `mcp-server/src/core/utils/async-manager.js`
      - **Key Features**:
        - Operation tracking with unique IDs using UUID
        - Status management (pending, running, completed, failed)
        - Progress reporting forwarded from background tasks
        - Operation history with automatic cleanup of completed operations
        - Context preservation (log, session, reportProgress)
        - Robust error handling for background tasks
      - **Usage**: Used for CPU-intensive operations like task expansion and PRD parsing

- **Data Flow and Module Dependencies**:

  - **Commands Initiate Actions**: User commands entered via the CLI (handled by [`commands.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/commands.js)) are the entry points for most operations.
  - **Command Handlers Delegate to Managers**: Command handlers in [`commands.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/commands.js) call functions in [`task-manager.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/task-manager.js) and [`dependency-manager.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/dependency-manager.js) to perform core task and dependency management logic.
  - **UI for Presentation**:  [`ui.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/ui.js) is used by command handlers and task/dependency managers to display information to the user. UI functions primarily consume data and format it for output, without modifying core application state.
  - **Utilities for Common Tasks**: [`utils.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/utils.js) provides helper functions used by all other modules for configuration, logging, file operations, and common data manipulations.
  - **AI Services Integration**: AI functionalities (complexity analysis, task expansion, PRD parsing) are invoked from [`task-manager.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/task-manager.js) and potentially [`commands.js`](mdc:scripts/modules/commands.js), likely using functions that would reside in a dedicated `ai-services.js` module or be integrated within `utils.js` or `task-manager.js`.
  - **MCP Server Interaction**: External tools interact with the `mcp-server`. MCP Tool `execute` methods use `getProjectRootFromSession` to find the project root, then call direct function wrappers (in `mcp-server/src/core/direct-functions/`) passing the root in `args`. These wrappers handle path finding for `tasks.json` (using `path-utils.js`), validation, caching, call the core logic from `scripts/modules/` (passing logging context via the standard wrapper pattern detailed in mcp.mdc), and return a standardized result. The final MCP response is formatted by `mcp-server/src/tools/utils.js`. See [`mcp.mdc`](mdc:.cursor/rules/mcp.mdc) for details.

## Silent Mode Implementation Pattern in MCP Direct Functions

Direct functions (the `*Direct` functions in `mcp-server/src/core/direct-functions/`) need to carefully implement silent mode to prevent console logs from interfering with the structured JSON responses required by MCP. This involves both using `enableSilentMode`/`disableSilentMode` around core function calls AND passing the MCP logger via the standard wrapper pattern (see mcp.mdc). Here's the standard pattern for correct implementation:

1. **Import Silent Mode Utilities**:
   ```javascript
   import { enableSilentMode, disableSilentMode, isSilentMode } from '../../../../scripts/modules/utils.js';
   ```

2. **Parameter Matching with Core Functions**:
   - ✅ **DO**: Ensure direct function parameters match the core function parameters
   - ✅ **DO**: Check the original core function signature before implementing
   - ❌ **DON'T**: Add parameters to direct functions that don't exist in core functions
   ```javascript
   // Example: Core function signature
   // async function expandTask(tasksPath, taskId, numSubtasks, useResearch, additionalContext, options)
   
   // Direct function implementation - extract only parameters that exist in core
   export async function expandTaskDirect(args, log, context = {}) {
     // Extract parameters that match the core function
     const taskId = parseInt(args.id, 10);
     const numSubtasks = args.num ? parseInt(args.num, 10) : undefined;
     const useResearch = args.research === true;
     const additionalContext = args.prompt || '';
     
     // Later pass these parameters in the correct order to the core function
     const result = await expandTask(
       tasksPath, 
       taskId, 
       numSubtasks, 
       useResearch, 
       additionalContext,
       { mcpLog: log, session: context.session }
     );
   }
   ```

3. **Checking Silent Mode State**:
   - ✅ **DO**: Always use `isSilentMode()` function to check current status
   - ❌ **DON'T**: Directly access the global `silentMode` variable or `global.silentMode`
   ```javascript
   // CORRECT: Use the function to check current state
   if (!isSilentMode()) {
     // Only create a loading indicator if not in silent mode
     loadingIndicator = startLoadingIndicator('Processing...');
   }
   
   // INCORRECT: Don't access global variables directly
   if (!silentMode) { // ❌ WRONG
     loadingIndicator = startLoadingIndicator('Processing...');
   }
   ```

4. **Wrapping Core Function Calls**:
   - ✅ **DO**: Use a try/finally block pattern to ensure silent mode is always restored
   - ✅ **DO**: Enable silent mode before calling core functions that produce console output
   - ✅ **DO**: Disable silent mode in a finally block to ensure it runs even if errors occur
   - ❌ **DON'T**: Enable silent mode without ensuring it gets disabled
   ```javascript
   export async function someDirectFunction(args, log) {
     try {
       // Argument preparation
       const tasksPath = findTasksJsonPath(args, log);
       const someArg = args.someArg;
       
       // Enable silent mode to prevent console logs
       enableSilentMode();
       
       try {
         // Call core function which might produce console output
         const result = await someCoreFunction(tasksPath, someArg);
         
         // Return standardized result object
         return { 
           success: true, 
           data: result, 
           fromCache: false 
         };
       } finally {
         // ALWAYS disable silent mode in finally block
         disableSilentMode();
       }
     } catch (error) {
       // Standard error handling
       log.error(`Error in direct function: ${error.message}`);
       return { 
         success: false, 
         error: { code: 'OPERATION_ERROR', message: error.message }, 
         fromCache: false 
       };
     }
   }
   ```

5. **Mixed Parameter and Global Silent Mode Handling**:
   - For functions that need to handle both a passed `silentMode` parameter and check global state:
   ```javascript
   // Check both the function parameter and global state
   const isSilent = options.silentMode || (typeof options.silentMode === 'undefined' && isSilentMode());
   
   if (!isSilent) {
     console.log('Operation starting...');
   }
   ```

By following these patterns consistently, direct functions will properly manage console output suppression while ensuring that silent mode is always properly reset, even when errors occur. This creates a more robust system that helps prevent unexpected silent mode states that could cause logging problems in subsequent operations.

- **Testing Architecture**:

  - **Test Organization Structure** (See also: [`tests.mdc`](mdc:.cursor/rules/tests.mdc)):
    - **Unit Tests**: Located in `tests/unit/`, reflect the module structure with one test file per module
    - **Integration Tests**: Located in `tests/integration/`, test interactions between modules
    - **End-to-End Tests**: Located in `tests/e2e/`, test complete workflows from a user perspective
    - **Test Fixtures**: Located in `tests/fixtures/`, provide reusable test data

  - **Module Design for Testability**:
    - **Explicit Dependencies**: Functions accept their dependencies as parameters rather than using globals
    - **Functional Style**: Pure functions with minimal side effects make testing deterministic
    - **Separate Logic from I/O**: Core business logic is separated from file system operations
    - **Clear Module Interfaces**: Each module has well-defined exports that can be mocked in tests
    - **Callback Isolation**: Callbacks are defined as separate functions for easier testing
    - **Stateless Design**: Modules avoid maintaining internal state where possible

  - **Mock Integration Patterns**:
    - **External Libraries**: Libraries like `fs`, `commander`, and `@anthropic-ai/sdk` are mocked at module level
    - **Internal Modules**: Application modules are mocked with appropriate spy functions
    - **Testing Function Callbacks**: Callbacks are extracted from mock call arguments and tested in isolation
    - **UI Elements**: Output functions from `ui.js` are mocked to verify display calls

  - **Testing Flow**:
    - Module dependencies are mocked (following Jest's hoisting behavior)
    - Test modules are imported after mocks are established
    - Spy functions are set up on module methods
    - Tests call the functions under test and verify behavior
    - Mocks are reset between test cases to maintain isolation

- **Benefits of this Architecture**:

  - **Maintainability**: Modules are self-contained and focused, making it easier to understand, modify, and debug specific features.
  - **Testability**:  Each module can be tested in isolation (unit testing), and interactions between modules can be tested (integration testing).
    - **Mocking Support**: The clear dependency boundaries make mocking straightforward
    - **Test Isolation**: Each component can be tested without affecting others
    - **Callback Testing**: Function callbacks can be extracted and tested independently
  - **Reusability**: Utility functions and UI components can be reused across different parts of the application.
  - **Scalability**:  New features can be added as new modules or by extending existing ones without significantly impacting other parts of the application.
  - **Clarity**: The modular structure provides a clear separation of concerns, making the codebase easier to navigate and understand for developers.

This architectural overview should help AI models understand the structure and organization of the Task Master CLI codebase, enabling them to more effectively assist with code generation, modification, and understanding.

## Implementing MCP Support for a Command

Follow these steps to add MCP support for an existing Task Master command (see [`new_features.mdc`](mdc:.cursor/rules/new_features.mdc) for more detail):

1.  **Ensure Core Logic Exists**: Verify the core functionality is implemented and exported from the relevant module in `scripts/modules/`.

2.  **Create Direct Function File in `mcp-server/src/core/direct-functions/`:**
    - Create a new file (e.g., `your-command.js`) using **kebab-case** naming.
    - Import necessary core functions, **`findTasksJsonPath` from `../utils/path-utils.js`**, and **silent mode utilities**.
    - Implement `async function yourCommandDirect(args, log)` using **camelCase** with `Direct` suffix:
        - **Path Resolution**: Obtain the tasks file path using `const tasksPath = findTasksJsonPath(args, log);`. This relies on `args.projectRoot` being provided.
        - Parse other `args` and perform necessary validation.
        - **Implement Silent Mode**: Wrap core function calls with `enableSilentMode()` and `disableSilentMode()`.
        - Implement caching with `getCachedOrExecute` if applicable.
        - Call core logic.
        - Return `{ success: true/false, data/error, fromCache: boolean }`.
    - Export the wrapper function.

3.  **Update `task-master-core.js` with Import/Export**: Add imports/exports for the new `*Direct` function.

4.  **Create MCP Tool (`mcp-server/src/tools/`)**:
    - Create a new file (e.g., `your-command.js`) using **kebab-case**.
    - Import `zod`, `handleApiResult`, **`getProjectRootFromSession`**, and your `yourCommandDirect` function.
    - Implement `registerYourCommandTool(server)`.
    - **Define parameters, making `projectRoot` optional**: `projectRoot: z.string().optional().describe(...)`.
    - Consider if this operation should run in the background using `AsyncOperationManager`.
    - Implement the standard `execute` method:
      - Get `rootFolder` using `getProjectRootFromSession` (with fallback to `args.projectRoot`).
      - Call `yourCommandDirect({ ...args, projectRoot: rootFolder }, log)` or use `asyncOperationManager.addOperation`.
      - Pass the result to `handleApiResult`.

5.  **Register Tool**: Import and call `registerYourCommandTool` in `mcp-server/src/tools/index.js`.

6.  **Update `mcp.json`**: Add the new tool definition.

## Project Initialization

The `initialize_project` command provides a way to set up a new Task Master project:

- **CLI Command**: `task-master init`
- **MCP Tool**: `initialize_project`
- **Functionality**:
  - Creates necessary directories and files for a new project
  - Sets up `tasks.json` and initial task files
  - Configures project metadata (name, description, version)
  - Handles shell alias creation if requested
  - Works in both interactive and non-interactive modes

## Async Operation Management

The AsyncOperationManager provides background task execution capabilities:

- **Location**: `mcp-server/src/core/utils/async-manager.js`
- **Key Components**:
  - `asyncOperationManager` singleton instance
  - `addOperation(operationFn, args, context)` method
  - `getStatus(operationId)` method
- **Usage Flow**:
  1. Client calls an MCP tool that may take time to complete
  2. Tool uses AsyncOperationManager to run the operation in background
  3. Tool returns immediate response with operation ID
  4. Client polls `get_operation_status` tool with the ID
  5. Once completed, client can access operation results