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Task Todo List

The big picture: Never lose track of complex development tasks again. Task Todo Lists create interactive, persistent checklists that live right in your chat interface.

Why it matters: Complex workflows have lots of moving parts. Without structure, it's easy to miss steps, duplicate work, or forget what comes next.

Task Todo List overview showing interactive checklist in AI Cockpit Reasoning

How to trigger todo lists​

Automatic triggers:

  • Complex tasks with multiple steps
  • Working in Architect mode
  • Multi-phase workflows with dependencies

Manual triggers:

The bottom line: AI Cockpit decides what goes in the list, but you can provide feedback during approval dialogs.

The old way vs. the new way​

Before: You juggled task steps in your head or scattered notes, constantly wondering "what's next?"

Now: AI Cockpit creates structured checklists that update automatically as work progresses. You see exactly where you are and what's coming up.

Where todo lists appear​

1. Task Header Summary Quick progress overview with your next important item

Task header summary showing todo list progress

2. Interactive Tool Block Full todo interface in chat where you can:

  • See all items and their status
  • Edit descriptions when AI Cockpit asks for approval
  • Stage changes using the "Edit" button

3. Environment Details Background "REMINDERS" table that keeps AI Cockpit informed about current progress

Task status decoded​

Pending → Empty checkbox (not started)

Pending todo item with empty checkbox

In Progress → Yellow dot (currently working)

In progress todo item with yellow dot indicator

Completed → Green checkmark (finished)

Completed todo item with green checkmark

Common questions​

"Can I create my own todo lists?" Yes, just ask AI Cockpit to use the update_todo_list tool. But AI Cockpit stays in control of the content and workflow.

"What about simple tasks?" AI Cockpit typically skips todo lists for simple tasks. The overhead isn't worth it.

"Why can't I directly edit the list?" Design choice. AI Cockpit maintains authority over task management to ensure consistent progress tracking. You provide input, AI Cockpit executes.

tip

Pro tip: Auto-approval​

What it does: Automatically approves todo list updates without confirmation prompts.

When to use it: Long workflows where constant interruptions slow you down.

How to enable it: Check the Update Todo List auto-approval settings.

The catch: Less control, but faster execution.