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transition

Move a task to a permitted status, validating required reasons, assignee ownership, and blockers to enforce workflow rules.

Instructions

Moves a task to another status along the fixed transition table.

Refusals: leaving in_progress without a summary filed since the last entry into it — summary_required; entering in_progress without an assignee — assignee_required, by anyone but the assignee — assignee_mismatch (assignee and caller signature in details), with an open blocker — task_blocked; open with incomplete sections — task_sections_incomplete; cancelled with open children — task_has_unclosed_children; done — closing_not_a_transition, since a task is closed by close_task; a move outside the table — transition_not_allowed, the allowed targets in details.allowed.

The tracker never moves a task into or out of waiting by itself: both moves are the caller's. Each entry into in_progress, from any status including waiting, starts a new pass of the task.

cancelled takes no verdicts. It clears the blocked feature of the tasks this one blocked (blocks), with no entry in their cases.

The response names the new status and version and the number of the filed status_changed entry.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`to`	Yes	Target status
`key`	Yes	Task key `PROJECT-N`, case-insensitive; a previous key of a moved task addresses it as well. An unknown key is refused with `task_not_found`
`reason`	No	Why the task moves. Required for any step back along `backlog < open < in_progress < done`, for `cancelled` and for `waiting` (`transition_reason_required` otherwise), optional elsewhere. For `waiting` it is the only record of what the task waits for. Filed in the `status_changed` entry

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`key`	Yes
`status`	Yes	Task status
`entries`	Yes	Numbers of the entries filed in this task's case, in filing order. Empty when the sent values were already in place; the version then stays the same
`version`	Yes	Task version after the call
`parent_entry`	No	Number of the `link_added` entry filed into the parent task's own case when `create_task` was given `parent`. `null` when no `parent` was given, and always `null` for `transition` and `update_task`: they touch no other task's case.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed18 schema fields changedv0.5.2Sep 25, 2026

removedInput schema / $defs

Removed value: -{
-  "TaskStatus": {
-    "description": "Зашитый список статусов (`CONCEPT.md`, 3.3).",
-    "enum": [
-      "backlog",
-      "open",
-      "in_progress",
-      "waiting",
-      "done",
-      "cancelled"
-    ],
-    "title": "TaskStatus",
-    "type": "string"
-  }
-}

changedInput schema / properties / key / description

Previous value: -"Ключ задачи, например `TRK-42`. Регистр не важен"New value: +"Task key `PROJECT-N`, case-insensitive; a previous key of a moved task addresses it as well. An unknown key is refused with `task_not_found`"

changedInput schema / properties / reason / description

Previous value: -"Почему задача идёт туда. Обязательна для любого шага назад по цепочке `backlog < open < in_progress < done`, для `cancelled` и для `waiting`; в остальных переходах необязательна. У `waiting` она называет, чего ждём, — больше это записать негде. Попадает в дело записью `status_changed`"New value: +"Why the task moves. Required for any step back along `backlog < open < in_progress < done`, for `cancelled` and for `waiting` (`transition_reason_required` otherwise), optional elsewhere. For `waiting` it is the only record of what the task waits for. Filed in the `status_changed` entry"

removedInput schema / properties / reason / examples

Removed value: -[
-  "Жду ответа на TRK-42#7"
-]

removedInput schema / properties / to / $ref
```
Removed value: -"#/$defs/TaskStatus"
```

changedInput schema / properties / to / description

Previous value: -"Целевой статус"New value: +"Target status"

addedInput schema / properties / to / enum

Added value: +[
+  "backlog",
+  "open",
+  "in_progress",
+  "waiting",
+  "done",
+  "cancelled"
+]

removedInput schema / properties / to / examples
```
Removed value: -[
-  "open"
-]
```
addedInput schema / properties / to / type
```
Added value: +"string"
```

removedOutput schema / $defs

Removed value: -{
-  "TaskStatus": {
-    "description": "Зашитый список статусов (`CONCEPT.md`, 3.3).",
-    "enum": [
-      "backlog",
-      "open",
-      "in_progress",
-      "waiting",
-      "done",
-      "cancelled"
-    ],
-    "title": "TaskStatus",
-    "type": "string"
-  }
-}

changedOutput schema / description

Previous value: -"Ответ изменяющего инструмента: что стало и чем это подшито, без карточки."New value: +"Task state after the call and the entries it filed; the card in full is returned\nby `get_task`."

addedOutput schema / properties / entries / description

Added value: +"Numbers of the entries filed in this task's case, in filing order. Empty when the sent values were already in place; the version then stays the same"

addedOutput schema / properties / parent_entry

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "description": "Number of the `link_added` entry filed into the parent task's own case when `create_task` was given `parent`. `null` when no `parent` was given, and always `null` for `transition` and `update_task`: they touch no other task's case.",
+  "title": "Parent Entry"
+}

removedOutput schema / properties / status / $ref
```
Removed value: -"#/$defs/TaskStatus"
```
addedOutput schema / properties / status / description
```
Added value: +"Task status"
```

addedOutput schema / properties / status / enum

Added value: +[
+  "backlog",
+  "open",
+  "in_progress",
+  "waiting",
+  "done",
+  "cancelled"
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / status / type
```
Added value: +"string"
```
addedOutput schema / properties / version / description
```
Added value: +"Task version after the call"
```

First observedSep 23, 2026

TDQS

A4.9/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond the all-false annotations, the description discloses many side effects and invariants: waiting is never moved automatically, entering in_progress starts a new pass, cancelled clears the blocked feature on dependent tasks without adding an entry, and the response includes the new status, version, and status_changed entry number. This is exactly the behavioral context an agent needs.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Although dense, the description is front-loaded with the core action and every subsequent sentence carries distinct information about refusals, side effects, or response shape. No filler or redundant restatement of the schema is present.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a state-transition tool with an output schema, the description covers allowed targets, refusal codes, side effects, caller responsibilities, and response contents. An agent has enough information to decide when to call it and what to expect, including the close_task alternative.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, and the description adds extra meaning: it explains that for waiting the reason is 'the only record of what the task waits for' and ties refusal conditions to specific target statuses. The main description does not need to repeat the schema's parameter documentation.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The opening sentence 'Moves a task to another status along the fixed transition table' states a specific verb and resource and immediately scopes the operation to a predefined table. It further differentiates from the sibling close_task by saying a move to done is not a transition and 'a task is closed by close_task'.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives explicit refusal conditions that tell an agent when the transition cannot be performed, and names close_task as the alternative for closing. It also states who must perform certain transitions ('both moves are the caller's') and when reason is required, giving clear usage context.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.