The session

Start with anb status. It shows active work and the latest log entry, so you can continue without reading the notebook’s history. A configured session-start hook provides this automatically; otherwise, run the command yourself.

Resume the work

Read the active Task with anb show <id>. Its latest log entry should say what is established and what remains to do. Check held Tasks before choosing new work: a hold records an intentional pause, and its reason may still apply.

If there is no active Task, inspect the ready queue:

$ anb ready
ready[1]{id,priority,age,title}:
  task.negative-corpus-wired-into-ci,-,0d,Negative corpus wired into CI

ready lists open Tasks with no unresolved dependencies and no hold, ordered by priority and then age. Priority 0 is most urgent; - means none was set. Use anb ready --for <hub> for one epic, then anb start <id> to take a Task into work.

The supplied skill keeps one Task active at a time. The CLI allows several, so check Status before starting another.

Leave a useful log

$ anb comment task.parser-accepts-fenced-bodies "fences parse; the indented-body case is next"
ok: comment task.parser-accepts-fenced-bodies — logged

Write what the next session needs to act: a result, an unresolved obstacle, or the next concrete check. Status includes the latest entry; show reads the full Task. A log that only says “made progress” gives the next session no starting point.

File an uncertainty as a Question with --from <task>. Record a ruling as a Decision and cite its id in the Task when it affects the work. These records let you follow an investigation without making the Task log explain every subject in full.

Read beyond the summary

Status also reports work awaiting review, standing rules, epic progress and Debt. Debt names matters that need attention, such as an old Question or a reference to a missing record. It does not change their state.

A compact section still has a count. ready: 7 means there are seven Tasks, even if the budget omitted their rows. anb status --budget 0 removes budget-driven cuts; individual sections still limit their rows. Use the relevant listing with --all for the complete set. Status and Debt specifies the sections, limits and clocks.

A quiet notebook produces one line. Holds alone do not trigger the full summary, but a stale hold becomes Debt and makes it visible again.

Finish or pause

Close completed work with proof and archive it. Tasks explains the proof options. If you need to pause, use anb hold <id> --reason "<why>"; the Task leaves the active display and ready queue until you unhold it.

Before ending a session, run anb check and resolve its findings. If the notebook is versioned, commit it with the work it describes. The next session can then read both the result and the reason for it.