update
Sync tasks and refresh memory from your current activity
Install / Use
npx skills add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins --skill updateInstalls into whichever agent you are using.
SKILL.md
Installable skill definition
Quality Score
Category
CommunicationSupported Platforms
Tags
Our assessment of update
update scores 83/100 on our quality scale, 143rd of 196 Communication skills we index.
Its SKILL.md is 4.9 KB long, well organised into 19 sections with 6 code examples: a solid amount of guidance for an agent.
With 25,526 GitHub stars, it is one of the more widely adopted skills in the catalogue.
Maintenance, license and trust
- The repository was last updated 2 days ago, so update is actively maintained.
- It is released under the Apache-2.0 license, a permissive license that allows use, modification and commercial use with attribution.
- Its trust signals score 100/100, with no cautions. These come from repository metadata, not a code audit — read the skill file before letting an agent act on it.
update compared with similar skills
All 4 of these similar skills score higher than update; compare them before choosing.
| Skill | Score | Stars | Updated | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| update (this skill)by anthropics | 83 | 25.5k | 2d ago | SKILL.md |
| algorithmic-artby anthropics | 100 | 177.9k | 4d ago | SKILL.md |
| pptxby anthropics | 100 | 177.9k | 4d ago | SKILL.md |
| designby nextlevelbuilder | 100 | 130.2k | 5d ago | SKILL.md |
| ui-ux-pro-maxby nextlevelbuilder | 100 | 130.2k | 5d ago | SKILL.md |
Frequently asked questions
- How do I install update?
- Run
npx skills add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins --skill update. The install tabs above show the steps for each supported agent. - Which AI agents does update work with?
- It is written for Universal, as a SKILL.md file. Other agents that read the same format can often use it too.
- Is update safe to use?
- It is Apache-2.0-licensed and scores 100/100 on trust signals. Skills are instructions an agent will follow, so read the file before installing it and do not approve commands you do not understand.
- Is update still maintained?
- The repository was last updated 2 days ago, so update is actively maintained.
Skill content
View source on GitHubname: update description: Sync tasks and refresh memory from your current activity. Use when pulling new assignments from your project tracker into TASKS.md, triaging stale or overdue tasks, filling memory gaps for unknown people or projects, or running a comprehensive scan to catch todos buried in chat and email. argument-hint: "[--comprehensive]"
Update Command
If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.
Keep your task list and memory current. Two modes:
- Default: Sync tasks from external tools, triage stale items, check memory for gaps
--comprehensive: Deep scan chat, email, calendar, docs — flag missed todos and suggest new memories
Usage
/productivity:update
/productivity:update --comprehensive
Default Mode
1. Load Current State
Read TASKS.md and memory/ directory. If they don't exist, suggest /productivity:start first.
2. Sync Tasks from External Sources
Check for available task sources:
- Project tracker (e.g. Asana, Linear, Jira) (if MCP available)
- GitHub Issues (if in a repo):
gh issue list --assignee=@me
If no sources are available, skip to Step 3.
Fetch tasks assigned to the user (open/in-progress). Compare against TASKS.md:
| External task | TASKS.md match? | Action | |---------------|-----------------|--------| | Found, not in TASKS.md | No match | Offer to add | | Found, already in TASKS.md | Match by title (fuzzy) | Skip | | In TASKS.md, not in external | No match | Flag as potentially stale | | Completed externally | In Active section | Offer to mark done |
Present diff and let user decide what to add/complete.
3. Triage Stale Items
Review Active tasks in TASKS.md and flag:
- Tasks with due dates in the past
- Tasks in Active for 30+ days
- Tasks with no context (no person, no project)
Present each for triage: Mark done? Reschedule? Move to Someday?
4. Decode Tasks for Memory Gaps
For each task, attempt to decode all entities (people, projects, acronyms, tools, links):
Task: "Send PSR to Todd re: Phoenix blockers"
Decode:
- PSR → ✓ Pipeline Status Report (in glossary)
- Todd → ✓ Todd Martinez (in people/)
- Phoenix → ? Not in memory
Track what's fully decoded vs. what has gaps.
5. Fill Gaps
Present unknown terms grouped:
I found terms in your tasks I don't have context for:
1. "Phoenix" (from: "Send PSR to Todd re: Phoenix blockers")
→ What's Phoenix?
2. "Maya" (from: "sync with Maya on API design")
→ Who is Maya?
Add answers to the appropriate memory files (people/, projects/, glossary.md).
6. Capture Enrichment
Tasks often contain richer context than memory. Extract and update:
- Links from tasks → add to project/people files
- Status changes ("launch done") → update project status, demote from CLAUDE.md
- Relationships ("Todd's sign-off on Maya's proposal") → cross-reference people
- Deadlines → add to project files
7. Report
Update complete:
- Tasks: +3 from project tracker (e.g. Asana), 1 completed, 2 triaged
- Memory: 2 gaps filled, 1 project enriched
- All tasks decoded ✓
Comprehensive Mode (--comprehensive)
Everything in Default Mode, plus a deep scan of recent activity.
Extra Step: Scan Activity Sources
Gather data from available MCP sources:
- Chat: Search recent messages, read active channels
- Email: Search sent messages
- Documents: List recently touched docs
- Calendar: List recent + upcoming events
Extra Step: Flag Missed Todos
Compare activity against TASKS.md. Surface action items that aren't tracked:
## Possible Missing Tasks
From your activity, these look like todos you haven't captured:
1. From chat (Jan 18):
"I'll send the updated mockups by Friday"
→ Add to TASKS.md?
2. From meeting "Phoenix Standup" (Jan 17):
You have a recurring meeting but no Phoenix tasks active
→ Anything needed here?
3. From email (Jan 16):
"I'll review the API spec this week"
→ Add to TASKS.md?
Let user pick which to add.
Extra Step: Suggest New Memories
Surface new entities not in memory:
## New People (not in memory)
| Name | Frequency | Context |
|------|-----------|---------|
| Maya Rodriguez | 12 mentions | design, UI reviews |
| Alex K | 8 mentions | DMs about API |
## New Projects/Topics
| Name | Frequency | Context |
|------|-----------|---------|
| Starlight | 15 mentions | planning docs, product |
## Suggested Cleanup
- **Horizon project** — No mentions in 30 days. Mark completed?
Present grouped by confidence. High-confidence items offered to add directly; low-confidence items asked about.
Notes
- Never auto-add tasks or memories without user confirmation
- External source links are preserved when available
- Fuzzy matching on task titles handles minor wording differences
- Safe to run frequently — only updates when there's new info
--comprehensivealways runs interactively
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Languages
Trust signals
From repository metadata: license, adoption, age and documentation. Not a code audit — see the Safety scan above for what the skill file itself contains.
