Table of Contents

How to Handle Work Package Dependencies

Use dependencies to tell Spec Kitty which work packages (WPs) must land before another WP can safely build on them. Dependencies drive lane computation and keep parallel work predictable.

Understanding Dependencies

Dependencies are defined in each WP's frontmatter and describe upstream work that must exist for the current WP to compile, test, or merge.

---
work_package_id: "WP02"
title: "Build API"
dependencies: ["WP01"]
---

Declaring Dependencies

Declare dependencies as a YAML list in the WP frontmatter:

dependencies: ["WP01"]

For multiple dependencies:

dependencies: ["WP01", "WP03"]

Implementing with Dependencies

When a WP has dependencies, task finalization places it in the correct execution lane:

spec-kitty agent action implement WP02 --agent <name>

This resolves the correct lane workspace for WP02 with WP01's changes already present.

Multiple Dependencies

Task finalization folds multi-dependency work into a lane plan before implementation starts. Agents do not choose a primary dependency or manually merge sibling lane outputs to reconstruct the plan.

Keeping Dependencies Updated

When a dependency changes after you've started work, use spec-kitty sync workspace to update your workspace:

cd <workspace path printed by spec-kitty implement>
spec-kitty sync workspace

You may need to resolve conflicts during sync. See Sync Workspaces.

What Dependencies Do

  • Influence lane computation during finalize_tasks
  • Force dependent work into the same lane or into lanes with explicit ordering
  • Ensure spec-kitty agent action implement WP## --agent <name> resolves the correct workspace without manual branch selection

Handling Rebase When Parent Changes

If the parent WP changes after your dependent WP is in progress, rebase the child workspace:

cd <workspace path printed by spec-kitty implement>

git rebase <base branch printed by spec-kitty>

Repeat for each dependent WP that needs the updated base.

Common Dependency Patterns

Linear Chain

WP01 -> WP02 -> WP03 -> WP04

Fan-Out

        WP01
      /  |  \
   WP02 WP03 WP04

Diamond

      WP01
     /    \
  WP02   WP03
     \    /
      WP04

Common Errors and Fixes

Error:

WP02 has dependencies. Use: spec-kitty agent action implement WP02 --agent <name>

Fix: Re-run task finalization so the dependency graph is reflected in lanes.json.

Tips

  • Keep dependencies minimal to maximize parallelism.
  • Choose the most foundational WP as the base when there are multiple dependencies.
  • Use the workflow commands to keep lane changes and dashboards accurate.

Command Reference

See Also

Background

Getting Started

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