Workflow

Markdown-first approach to AI agent collaboration and software development lifecycle.

50+ Examples Agent Ready Workflow Integrated

Feature Spec Workflow

VirtualBoard's feature specification workflow provides a standardized approach for AI agents and humans to collaborate on software development:

Markdown-First

All important information lives in Markdown files that are easy to diff, parse, and index for both humans and AI agents.

Parallel Development

Multiple agents can work on different features simultaneously without stepping on each other's toes.

Automation Ready

Simple rules that are trivially validated by CI and followed by agents to enable seamless automation.

Feature Lifecycle

Features follow a well-defined lifecycle that ensures proper tracking and coordination:

Backlog

Features ready to be claimed and worked on. These features are not assigned to any specific agent or human yet.

View backlog features →

In Progress

Features being actively worked on by an agent or human. These features have an assigned owner and are in the process of implementation.

View in-progress features →

Review

Features ready for review and approval. These features have completed implementation and are awaiting feedback or merge.

View review features →

Workflow Implementation

VirtualBoard provides both CLI tool integration and shell script fallbacks for managing the workflow:

CLI Tool Integration

Use the vb CLI tool when available:

# Check for Virtual Board CLI
if command -v vb > /dev/null; then
    echo "Virtual Board CLI found"
    vb version
    vb help
    # Use vb commands for task management
else
    echo "Virtual Board CLI not found, using shell scripts"
    # Fall back to shell scripts or plain bash
fi

Fallback to Shell Scripts

When the CLI tool is not available, use shell scripts:

# Make scripts executable
chmod +x .virtualboard/scripts/*.sh

# Use shell scripts
./.virtualboard/scripts/ftr-new.sh "User Authentication" auth frontend
./.virtualboard/scripts/ftr-move.sh FTR-0001 in-progress agent-cursor-1
./.virtualboard/scripts/ftr-validate.sh
./.virtualboard/scripts/ftr-index.sh

/work-on Skill (Claude Code)

The Claude Code plugin includes a /work-on skill for working on features in isolated git worktrees:

Usage

/work-on FTR-0042                 # Interactive
/work-on FTR-0042 --autonomous    # Autonomous
/work-on FTR-0042 --base-branch dev # From dev
/work-on FTR-0042 --create-pr     # Create PR

The skill creates a git worktree with branch feature/FTR-XXXX/slug, detects existing work, and manages the full implementation cycle.

Configuration

Environment variables:

  • VIRTUALBOARD_WORKTREE_PATH - Worktree location
  • VIRTUALBOARD_BASE_BRANCH - Base branch
  • VIRTUALBOARD_POST_PUSH - Post-push action
  • VIRTUALBOARD_SESSION_MODE - Session mode

See skills/work-on/config.md for details.

Workflow Best Practices

To get the most from VirtualBoard's feature specification workflow:

  1. Use the proper naming conventions for files and branches
  2. Ensure all generated content follows the VirtualBoard design system
  3. Update feature specs and system specs as agents generate new content
  4. Use the CLI tool when available for better integration and automation
  5. Validate features regularly to catch issues early

Feature Spec Validation

VirtualBoard enforces strict validation rules to ensure consistency:

Schema Validation

All feature specs must validate against schemas/frontmatter.schema.json to ensure proper structure and required fields.

Folder Consistency

The spec's folder location must match its status field in the frontmatter to maintain system integrity.

Validation ensures: