later - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: later description: Log and track items to come back to later — bugs found mid-task, feature ideas, project feedback — using a local SQLite database. Use when the user asks to log, list, view, resolve, or work through items saved for later. user-invocable: true

You have access to a CLI at ~/dotfiles/claude/skills/later/run.

Run it with:

~/dotfiles/claude/skills/later/run <command>

Commands

later init
later migrate --project <name>
later add --project <name> --title "..." [--detail "..."] [--priority low|medium|high] [--status open|in-progress|blocked|done] [--category "..."]
later list [--project <name>] [--all]
later show <id>
later done <id>
later edit <id> [--title "..."] [--detail "..."] [--priority low|medium|high] [--status open|in-progress|blocked|done] [--category "..."]
later projects

Database modes

The CLI supports two database modes, selected automatically:

Local — if a .later.db file exists in the current directory, it is used. This file can be committed to git and synced across machines.
Global — fallback to ~/dotfiles/claude/skills/later/feedback.db, a personal cross-project store (gitignored).

later init creates a .later.db in the current directory, opting the project into local mode.

Rules

Ask the user about database mode at the start of each session. Before running any command for the first time, ask: "Do you want to use the global database (personal, cross-project) or a local .later.db in this repository (committable, synced across machines)?" If they say local and no .later.db exists in the CWD, run later init first.

Always list before show. The list command returns only titles and IDs — it is token-efficient. Only call show <id> when you need the full detail of a specific item.

Default is open items only. list excludes done items unless --all is passed. This is correct behaviour — do not add --all unless the user specifically asks to see completed items.

Always pass --project. Infer the project name from the current working directory or from context the user has provided. If ambiguous, ask the user before running any command.

Priorities: high for bugs or blockers, medium for improvements (default), low for nice-to-haves.

Statuses: open (default), in-progress, blocked, done. Use done <id> or edit <id> --status done to close items. The list command excludes done items unless --all is passed.

Categories: Free-text tag (e.g. bug, ux, performance, gameplay). Shown in list output as {category}.

Typical flows

Logging something to come back to:

Ask the user about database mode (global vs local) if not already established this session.
If local mode and no .later.db exists, run later init.
Run list --project <name> to retrieve open items.
Scan the titles for any that overlap with or closely resemble the item(s) the user wants to log.
If you spot a potential duplicate or near-duplicate, call show <id> on the overlapping item, then present your findings to the user and ask: "This looks similar to # — do you want to update that existing item or log a new one?"
Only proceed with add once the user has confirmed there is no overlap, or has explicitly asked for a new item.
Confirm how many items were added or updated.

Working through items:

Run list --project <name> to get open items.
Present the titles to the user and ask which to tackle.
Run show <id> only for items being actively discussed.
After an item is resolved, run done <id>.

User wants to move a project from global to local:

If no .later.db exists in the CWD, run later init.
Run later migrate --project <name>. This moves all items for that project out of the global database and into .later.db, then deletes them from the global database.
Remind the user to commit .later.db to git so it syncs across machines.

User asks "what's left?":

Run list --project <name> and present the output directly.