feat: add required todos parameter to new_task tool for hierarchical task planning

- Export parseMarkdownChecklist function from updateTodoListTool.ts
- Update NewTaskToolUse interface to include todos parameter
- Add initialTodos to TaskOptions and Task constructor
- Update ClineProvider.initClineWithTask to pass initialTodos
- Implement todos parameter handling in newTaskTool.ts with markdown parsing
- Update tool documentation to include todos parameter and examples
- Add comprehensive tests for the new functionality

Fixes #6329

BREAKING CHANGE: The new_task tool now requires a todos parameter containing a markdown checklist string

src/core/prompts/tools/new-task.ts

@@ -2,22 +2,34 @@ import { ToolArgs } from "./types"
 
 export function getNewTaskDescription(_args: ToolArgs): string {
 	return `## new_task
-Description: This will let you create a new task instance in the chosen mode using your provided message.
+Description: This will let you create a new task instance in the chosen mode using your provided message and initial todo list.
 
 Parameters:
 - mode: (required) The slug of the mode to start the new task in (e.g., "code", "debug", "architect").
 - message: (required) The initial user message or instructions for this new task.
+- todos: (required) A markdown checklist string defining the initial todo list for the task.
 
 Usage:
 <new_task>
 <mode>your-mode-slug-here</mode>
 <message>Your initial instructions here</message>
+<todos>
+[ ] First task to complete
+[ ] Second task to complete
+[ ] Third task to complete
+</todos>
 </new_task>
 
 Example:
 <new_task>
 <mode>code</mode>
-<message>Implement a new feature for the application.</message>
+<message>Implement user authentication</message>
+<todos>
+[ ] Set up auth middleware
+[ ] Create login endpoint
+[ ] Add session management
+[ ] Write tests
+</todos>
 </new_task>
 `
 }

src/core/task/Task.ts

@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ export type TaskOptions = {
 	rootTask?: Task
 	parentTask?: Task
 	taskNumber?: number
+	initialTodos?: TodoItem[]
 	onCreated?: (cline: Task) => void
 }
 
@@ -270,6 +271,7 @@ export class Task extends EventEmitter<ClineEvents> {
 		rootTask,
 		parentTask,
 		taskNumber = -1,
+		initialTodos,
 		onCreated,
 	}: TaskOptions) {
 		super()
@@ -324,6 +326,11 @@ export class Task extends EventEmitter<ClineEvents> {
 			TelemetryService.instance.captureTaskCreated(this.taskId)
 		}
 
+		// Initialize todo list if provided
+		if (initialTodos) {
+			this.todoList = initialTodos
+		}
+
 		// Only set up diff strategy if diff is enabled
 		if (this.diffEnabled) {
 			// Default to old strategy, will be updated if experiment is enabled

src/core/tools/__tests__/newTaskTool.spec.ts

@@ -14,6 +14,13 @@ vi.mock("../../prompts/responses", () => ({
 	},
 }))
 
+vi.mock("../updateTodoListTool", () => ({
+	parseMarkdownChecklist: vi.fn((md: string) => [
+		{ id: "1", content: "Test todo 1", status: "pending" },
+		{ id: "2", content: "Test todo 2", status: "pending" },
+	]),
+}))
+
 // Define a minimal type for the resolved value
 type MockClineInstance = { taskId: string }
 
@@ -72,6 +79,7 @@ describe("newTaskTool", () => {
 			params: {
 				mode: "code",
 				message: "Review this: \\\\@file1.txt and also \\\\\\\\@file2.txt", // Input with \\@ and \\\\@
+				todos: "[ ] Test todo 1\n[ ] Test todo 2",
 			},
 			partial: false,
 		}
@@ -93,6 +101,12 @@ describe("newTaskTool", () => {
 			"Review this: \\@file1.txt and also \\\\\\@file2.txt", // Unit Test Expectation: \\@ -> \@, \\\\@ -> \\\\@
 			undefined,
 			mockCline,
+			{
+				initialTodos: [
+					{ id: "1", content: "Test todo 1", status: "pending" },
+					{ id: "2", content: "Test todo 2", status: "pending" },
+				],
+			},
 		)
 
 		// Verify side effects
@@ -109,6 +123,7 @@ describe("newTaskTool", () => {
 			params: {
 				mode: "code",
 				message: "This is already unescaped: \\@file1.txt",
+				todos: "[ ] Test todo",
 			},
 			partial: false,
 		}
@@ -126,6 +141,12 @@ describe("newTaskTool", () => {
 			"This is already unescaped: \\@file1.txt", // Expected: \@ remains \@
 			undefined,
 			mockCline,
+			{
+				initialTodos: [
+					{ id: "1", content: "Test todo 1", status: "pending" },
+					{ id: "2", content: "Test todo 2", status: "pending" },
+				],
+			},
 		)
 	})
 
@@ -136,6 +157,7 @@ describe("newTaskTool", () => {
 			params: {
 				mode: "code",
 				message: "A normal mention @file1.txt",
+				todos: "[ ] Test todo",
 			},
 			partial: false,
 		}
@@ -153,6 +175,12 @@ describe("newTaskTool", () => {
 			"A normal mention @file1.txt", // Expected: @ remains @
 			undefined,
 			mockCline,
+			{
+				initialTodos: [
+					{ id: "1", content: "Test todo 1", status: "pending" },
+					{ id: "2", content: "Test todo 2", status: "pending" },
+				],
+			},
 		)
 	})
 
@@ -163,6 +191,7 @@ describe("newTaskTool", () => {
 			params: {
 				mode: "code",
 				message: "Mix: @file0.txt, \\@file1.txt, \\\\@file2.txt, \\\\\\\\@file3.txt",
+				todos: "[ ] Test todo",
 			},
 			partial: false,
 		}
@@ -180,8 +209,41 @@ describe("newTaskTool", () => {
 			"Mix: @file0.txt, \\@file1.txt, \\@file2.txt, \\\\\\@file3.txt", // Unit Test Expectation: @->@, \@->\@, \\@->\@, \\\\@->\\\\@
 			undefined,
 			mockCline,
+			{
+				initialTodos: [
+					{ id: "1", content: "Test todo 1", status: "pending" },
+					{ id: "2", content: "Test todo 2", status: "pending" },
+				],
+			},
 		)
 	})
 
+	it("should handle missing todos parameter", async () => {
+		const block: ToolUse = {
+			type: "tool_use",
+			name: "new_task",
+			params: {
+				mode: "code",
+				message: "Test message",
+				// todos is missing
+			},
+			partial: false,
+		}
+
+		await newTaskTool(
+			mockCline as any,
+			block,
+			mockAskApproval,
+			mockHandleError,
+			mockPushToolResult,
+			mockRemoveClosingTag,
+		)
+
+		// Should call sayAndCreateMissingParamError for todos
+		expect(mockSayAndCreateMissingParamError).toHaveBeenCalledWith("new_task", "todos")
+		expect(mockCline.consecutiveMistakeCount).toBe(1)
+		expect(mockCline.recordToolError).toHaveBeenCalledWith("new_task")
+	})
+
 	// Add more tests for error handling (missing params, invalid mode, approval denied) if needed
 })

src/core/tools/newTaskTool.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { Task } from "../task/Task"
 import { defaultModeSlug, getModeBySlug } from "../../shared/modes"
 import { formatResponse } from "../prompts/responses"
 import { t } from "../../i18n"
+import { parseMarkdownChecklist } from "./updateTodoListTool"
 
 export async function newTaskTool(
 	cline: Task,
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ export async function newTaskTool(
 ) {
 	const mode: string | undefined = block.params.mode
 	const message: string | undefined = block.params.message
+	const todos: string | undefined = block.params.todos
 
 	try {
 		if (block.partial) {
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ export async function newTaskTool(
 				tool: "newTask",
 				mode: removeClosingTag("mode", mode),
 				content: removeClosingTag("message", message),
+				todos: removeClosingTag("todos", todos),
 			})
 
 			await cline.ask("tool", partialMessage, block.partial).catch(() => {})
@@ -42,6 +45,13 @@ export async function newTaskTool(
 				return
 			}
 
+			if (!todos) {
+				cline.consecutiveMistakeCount++
+				cline.recordToolError("new_task")
+				pushToolResult(await cline.sayAndCreateMissingParamError("new_task", "todos"))
+				return
+			}
+
 			cline.consecutiveMistakeCount = 0
 			// Un-escape one level of backslashes before '@' for hierarchical subtasks
 			// Un-escape one level: \\@ -> \@ (removes one backslash for hierarchical subtasks)
@@ -55,10 +65,24 @@ export async function newTaskTool(
 				return
 			}
 
+			// Parse the todos markdown
+			let parsedTodos
+			try {
+				parsedTodos = parseMarkdownChecklist(todos)
+			} catch (error) {
+				pushToolResult(
+					formatResponse.toolError(
+						`Invalid todos markdown format: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
+					),
+				)
+				return
+			}
+
 			const toolMessage = JSON.stringify({
 				tool: "newTask",
 				mode: targetMode.name,
 				content: message,
+				todos: parsedTodos,
 			})
 
 			const didApprove = await askApproval("tool", toolMessage)
@@ -81,7 +105,9 @@ export async function newTaskTool(
 			cline.pausedModeSlug = (await provider.getState()).mode ?? defaultModeSlug
 
 			// Create new task instance first (this preserves parent's current mode in its history)
-			const newCline = await provider.initClineWithTask(unescapedMessage, undefined, cline)
+			const newCline = await provider.initClineWithTask(unescapedMessage, undefined, cline, {
+				initialTodos: parsedTodos,
+			})
 			if (!newCline) {
 				pushToolResult(t("tools:newTask.errors.policy_restriction"))
 				return

src/core/tools/updateTodoListTool.ts

@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ function normalizeStatus(status: string | undefined): TodoStatus {
 	return "pending"
 }
 
-function parseMarkdownChecklist(md: string): TodoItem[] {
+export function parseMarkdownChecklist(md: string): TodoItem[] {
 	if (typeof md !== "string") return []
 	const lines = md
 		.split(/\r?\n/)

src/core/webview/ClineProvider.ts

@@ -532,7 +532,12 @@ export class ClineProvider
 		options: Partial<
 			Pick<
 				TaskOptions,
-				"enableDiff" | "enableCheckpoints" | "fuzzyMatchThreshold" | "consecutiveMistakeLimit" | "experiments"
+				| "enableDiff"
+				| "enableCheckpoints"
+				| "fuzzyMatchThreshold"
+				| "consecutiveMistakeLimit"
+				| "experiments"
+				| "initialTodos"
 			>
 		> = {},
 	) {

src/shared/tools.ts

@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ export interface SwitchModeToolUse extends ToolUse {
 
 export interface NewTaskToolUse extends ToolUse {
 	name: "new_task"
-	params: Partial<Pick<Record<ToolParamName, string>, "mode" | "message">>
+	params: Partial<Pick<Record<ToolParamName, string>, "mode" | "message" | "todos">>
 }
 
 export interface SearchAndReplaceToolUse extends ToolUse {