kandev/docs/specs/tasks/requirements/task-dependency-detail-editing.md

status, system, created, owners

status	system	created	owners
active	tasks	2026-09-03	kandev

Edit task dependencies Requirements

Overview

The task system owns dependency edges and their effect on task execution. Users need to change these edges when work plans change after task creation.

Terminology

• Predecessor: A task that must complete successfully before the dependent task is unblocked.
• Dependent task: The open task that waits for one or more predecessors.

Requirements

REQ-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001: Manage dependencies in the Edit task dialog

Intent: Let users correct task order from the existing task editor without task recreation or direct database changes.

User story: As a developer, I want to change task dependencies after creation, so that the task graph matches the current work plan.

Acceptance criteria

• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.1: The existing Edit task dialog shall show a dependency field for every non-archived task, including a task that has started.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.2: The field shall show each current predecessor as selected and shall show No dependency when the set is empty.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.3: The picker shall search non-archived tasks in the edited task's workspace and shall exclude the edited task.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.4: Picker changes shall remain draft changes until the user activates Update.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.5: When the user cancels the dialog, the system shall not change the dependency set.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.6: Update shall replace the direct predecessor set as one atomic dependency operation.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.7: After a successful update, the task editor and Kanban board shall show the new blocked state without a reload.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.8: When the replacement creates a cycle, the dialog shall stay open, show the cycle error, preserve the confirmed dependency set, and keep the draft available for correction.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.9: When another replacement error occurs, the dialog shall stay open, preserve the confirmed dependency set, and permit a retry.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.10: Existing Edit actions on Kanban cards, desktop task menus, and touch task menus shall open the same dependency editor.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.11: The task-detail dependency chip shall remain read-only. Its reverse blocks direction shall remain readable and navigable.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.12: Desktop and touch layouts shall provide the same search, selection, save, cancel, and error outcomes.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.13: Touch controls and task rows shall have a target of at least 44 CSS pixels in the active dimension.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.14: The mobile dialog shall use one form scroll region and shall not add document-level horizontal overflow.
• AC-TASKS-TASK-DEPENDENCY-DETAIL-EDITING-001.15: Dependency edits shall keep the existing workspace authorization, cycle prevention, and auto-start behavior.

Out of scope

• Bulk dependency edits from the Kanban selection toolbar.
• Cross-workspace dependencies.
• Changes to start_when_unblocked after task creation.
• Editable attributes on an edge. An edge has only add and remove operations.
• Changes to the Office task-properties dependency picker.
• Inline mutation controls in the task-detail dependency chip.