kb-trash

name: kb-trash description: Move a Cline Kanban task (or an entire column) to trash, stopping any active session and cleaning up its worktree. Auto-cascades any linked backlog tasks (one in trash → next in chain auto-starts). Use when the user says "kb-trash", "trash that task", "trash kanban", "clean up the review column", "drop those tickets", or wants to remove tasks from the board. category: execution runtimes: [claude] pii_safe: true

Cline Kanban Trash Skill

Move a single task or an entire column to the trash column. Stops the agent session if running, cleans up the worktree, and triggers any dependent backlog tasks waiting on it.

When to use

Triggers: /kb-trash, "kb-trash", "trash this task", "trash the review column", "clean up backlog", "drop that ticket".

Often called after /kb-status shows tasks that are done with their review and ready to clear, OR to bulk-clean abandoned/superseded work.

Inputs

Exactly one of:

• --task-id <id> — trash a single task
• --column <col> — trash every task in backlog / in_progress / review / trash

Plus:

• --project <path> — defaults to cwd

Important behaviors to know

1. Trash is reversible for a single task in the sense that the task remains in the trash column (you can read its prompt, see its outputs). It is NOT deleted. Use /kanban task delete if you actually want to remove it permanently.
2. Trashing a task in review triggers any linked backlog tasks. This is how the auto-cascade pipeline works: task A finishes → moves to review → user/agent trashes it → linked task B auto-starts.
3. Trashing a running task interrupts it. The session is stopped (not gracefully drained). Don't trash a task mid-run unless you mean to abort it.
4. task trash --column trash is a no-op — it doesn't permanently delete, just confirms tasks already in trash. Use task delete --column trash to actually empty the trash column.

Procedure

1. Resolve project path. --project <path> if given, else pwd.

2. Confirm scope before destructive action:

   • For --task-id: print the task title and current column. Ask for confirmation if the task is in in_progress (this aborts the session).
   • For --column: print the count of tasks that will be trashed. Ask for confirmation. Always.

3. Execute:

   '/usr/bin/node' '<LOCAL_PATH>/.local/bin/kanban' task trash \
     [--task-id <id> | --column <col>] \
     --project-path <project>
   

4. Show what auto-started. The command response includes autoStartedTasks — print these so the user knows the cascade fired.

5. Suggest next step. If multiple tasks were trashed, suggest /kb-status to see the new board state.

Example flows

Single task done with review

User: kb-trash b8920
Skill:
  Task [b8920] "Audit session token handling" is in review.
  Trashing... done.
  Auto-started: [c526a] BIN Enrichment Service
  Run /kb-status to see updated board.

Bulk-clean review column

User: kb-trash --column review
Skill:
  4 tasks currently in review:
    [b8920] Audit session token handling
    [d54ed] Domain allowlist
    [a41d1] PAN validator
    [44e24] Bot canonicalization
  Confirm trashing all 4? (y/n)
User: y
Skill:
  Trashed 4 tasks.
  Auto-started: [b8920], [c526a]   # cascading dependencies
  Run /kb-status to see updated board.

Aborting a running task

User: kb-trash a4321
Skill:
  Task [a4321] "Build credential extraction pipeline" is IN PROGRESS.
  Trashing will interrupt the running session. Confirm? (y/n)
User: y
Skill:
  Trashed (session interrupted, worktree cleaned).

Anti-patterns

• Do NOT trash without confirmation when the column is in_progress or when bulk-trashing.
• Do NOT use this skill for permanent deletion — use kanban task delete directly with explicit user intent.
• Do NOT auto-trash ALL tasks "to clean up" without user instruction.

Companion skills

• /kb-status — see what's on the board (good to run before bulk-trashing)
• /kb-do, /kb-plan, /kb-new — create work
• /kb-link — wire dependencies (you'll trash review tasks that have dependents to fire the cascade)