Ticket-Driven Development

Use tickets to guide AI agents through structured development workflows.

Difficulty: Intermediate Time: 15 minutes

What You'll Build

A workflow that:

• Uses tickets to define work
• Has agents implement changes
• Tracks progress automatically
• Links conversations to tickets

TBD: Replace with screenshot of ticket-driven workflow

Prerequisites

• Sciorex installed
• Understanding of Tickets
• Familiarity with Agents

The Workflow

┌──────────┐    ┌───────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐
│  Create   │───→│   Plan    │───→│ Implement│───→│  Review  │
│  Ticket   │    │   Agent   │    │   Agent  │    │   Agent  │
└──────────┘    └───────────┘    └──────────┘    └──────────┘
      │               │               │               │
      └───────────────┴───────────────┴───────────────┘
                      All linked to ticket

Step 1: Create a Well-Structured Ticket

Good tickets guide agents effectively.

Ticket Structure

id: T-042
title: Add user profile avatar upload
type: feature
priority: medium
status: planned

description: |
  ## Overview
  Users should be able to upload and change their profile avatar.

  ## Requirements
  - Accept JPEG, PNG, GIF (max 5MB)
  - Crop to square aspect ratio
  - Store in cloud storage
  - Display in header and profile page

  ## Technical Notes
  - Use existing FileUpload component
  - Store in S3 bucket
  - Generate thumbnails (64px, 128px, 256px)

  ## Acceptance Criteria
  - [ ] User can upload image from profile settings
  - [ ] Image is cropped to square
  - [ ] Thumbnails are generated
  - [ ] Avatar displays throughout app
  - [ ] Old avatar is replaced on re-upload

subtasks:
  - title: Design upload UI
    status: pending
  - title: Implement backend upload endpoint
    status: pending
  - title: Add image processing
    status: pending
  - title: Update profile display components
    status: pending
  - title: Write tests
    status: pending

Step 2: Create Development Agents

Planning Agent

name: Technical Planner
description: Creates implementation plans from tickets

systemPrompt: |
  You are a senior developer creating implementation plans.

  Given a ticket:
  1. Analyze requirements thoroughly
  2. Break down into concrete tasks
  3. Identify dependencies and order
  4. Note potential challenges
  5. Estimate complexity

  Output a detailed, actionable plan.

model: claude-opus-4-6
thinkingLevel: think-hard

mcpServers:
  - sciorex-tickets

allowedTools:
  - tool: Read
    allowed: true
  - tool: Glob
    allowed: true
  - tool: Grep
    allowed: true

Implementation Agent

name: Feature Developer
description: Implements features based on plans

systemPrompt: |
  You are a skilled developer implementing features.

  Follow the plan closely:
  - Write clean, tested code
  - Follow existing patterns
  - Update subtask status as you progress
  - Ask for clarification when needed

model: claude-sonnet-5-0
thinkingLevel: think

mcpServers:
  - sciorex-tickets
  - sciorex-interactions

allowedTools:
  - tool: Read
    allowed: true
  - tool: Write
    allowed: true
  - tool: Edit
    allowed: true
  - tool: Glob
    allowed: true
  - tool: Grep
    allowed: true
  - tool: Bash
    allowed: true

Review Agent

name: Code Reviewer
description: Reviews implementations against requirements

systemPrompt: |
  You are a thorough code reviewer.

  Check implementations against:
  - Ticket requirements
  - Acceptance criteria
  - Code quality standards
  - Test coverage

  Provide specific, actionable feedback.

model: claude-sonnet-5-0
thinkingLevel: think

mcpServers:
  - sciorex-tickets

Step 3: The Development Session

Start with Planning

1. Open a chat with Technical Planner
2. Link to the ticket
3. Request a plan:

Plan the implementation for ticket T-042 (avatar upload feature).
Review the existing codebase for relevant patterns.

The agent will:

• Read the ticket details
• Explore the codebase
• Create a detailed plan

Implement with Tracking

1. Switch to Feature Developer
2. Continue in the same ticket context:

Implement the plan for T-042. Start with the first subtask.
Update subtask status as you complete each one.

The agent will:

• Follow the plan
• Write code
• Mark subtasks complete via MCP
• Ask questions when stuck

Review Before Completion

1. Switch to Code Reviewer
2. Request review:

Review the implementation for T-042 against the requirements.
Check all acceptance criteria are met.

Step 4: Automate with a Flow

Create a flow for repeatable ticket processing:

┌────────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌───────────┐    ┌────────────┐
│ Ticket      │───→│ Planner  │───→│ Developer │───→│ Condition  │
│ Updated     │    │ Agent    │    │ Agent     │    │ (passed?)  │
└────────────┘    └──────────┘    └───────────┘    └────────────┘
                                                         │
                                        ┌────────────────┴────────────────┐
                                        ▼                                 ▼
                                   [passed]                          [default]
                                        │                                 │
                                        ▼                                 ▼
                                 ┌──────────┐                      ┌──────────┐
                                 │ Mark Done│                      │ Fix Loop │
                                 └──────────┘                      └──────────┘

Flow Configuration

{
  "name": "Ticket Development Pipeline",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "trigger",
      "type": "trigger",
      "label": "Ticket Updated",
      "config": {},
      "position": { "x": 0, "y": 0 },
      "triggerType": "ticket-updated",
      "triggerConfig": {
        "ticketFilter": {
          "status": "in_progress"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "plan",
      "type": "agent",
      "label": "Plan",
      "config": {},
      "position": { "x": 250, "y": 0 },
      "agentId": "technical-planner",
      "inputMapping": {
        "ticketId": "trigger.input.ticketId"
      },
      "outputMapping": {},
      "worktreeMode": "new",
      "worktreeConfig": {
        "label": "ticket-implementation",
        "baseBranch": "main",
        "autoMergeOnSuccess": true,
        "cleanupOnComplete": true
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "implement",
      "type": "agent",
      "label": "Implement",
      "config": {},
      "position": { "x": 500, "y": 0 },
      "agentId": "feature-developer",
      "inputMapping": {
        "plan": "nodes.plan.output",
        "ticketId": "trigger.input.ticketId"
      },
      "outputMapping": {},
      "worktreeMode": "inherit",
      "inheritWorktreeFromNodeId": "plan"
    },
    {
      "id": "review",
      "type": "agent",
      "label": "Review",
      "config": {},
      "position": { "x": 750, "y": 0 },
      "agentId": "code-reviewer",
      "inputMapping": {
        "ticketId": "trigger.input.ticketId",
        "implementation": "nodes.implement.output"
      },
      "outputMapping": {},
      "worktreeMode": "inherit",
      "inheritWorktreeFromNodeId": "plan"
    },
    {
      "id": "checkPassed",
      "type": "condition",
      "label": "Review Passed?",
      "config": {},
      "position": { "x": 1000, "y": 0 },
      "conditions": [
        {
          "path": "nodes.review.output.passed",
          "operator": "eq",
          "value": true
        }
      ],
      "targetNodeId": "markDone",
      "defaultTargetNodeId": "fixLoop"
    },
    {
      "id": "markDone",
      "type": "ticket_action",
      "label": "Mark Done",
      "config": {},
      "position": { "x": 1250, "y": -100 },
      "action": "update_status",
      "actionParams": {
        "ticketId": "trigger.input.ticketId",
        "status": "done"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "fixLoop",
      "type": "agent",
      "label": "Fix Issues",
      "config": {},
      "position": { "x": 1250, "y": 100 },
      "agentId": "feature-developer",
      "inputMapping": {
        "feedback": "nodes.review.output",
        "ticketId": "trigger.input.ticketId"
      },
      "outputMapping": {},
      "worktreeMode": "inherit",
      "inheritWorktreeFromNodeId": "plan",
      "reuseSessionOnLoop": true
    },
    {
      "id": "endSuccess",
      "type": "end",
      "label": "Done",
      "config": {},
      "position": { "x": 1500, "y": -100 },
      "endType": "success"
    },
    {
      "id": "endFixed",
      "type": "end",
      "label": "Fixed",
      "config": {},
      "position": { "x": 1500, "y": 100 },
      "endType": "success"
    }
  ],
  "edges": [
    { "id": "e1", "source": "trigger", "target": "plan" },
    { "id": "e2", "source": "plan", "target": "implement" },
    { "id": "e3", "source": "implement", "target": "review" },
    { "id": "e4", "source": "review", "target": "checkPassed" },
    { "id": "e5", "source": "checkPassed", "target": "markDone", "label": "passed" },
    { "id": "e6", "source": "checkPassed", "target": "fixLoop", "label": "needs fixes" },
    { "id": "e7", "source": "markDone", "target": "endSuccess" },
    { "id": "e8", "source": "fixLoop", "target": "endFixed" }
  ],
  "variables": {},
  "maxIterations": 5
}

Key features in this flow:

• Worktree isolation: The planner creates a new worktree, and subsequent agents inherit it — all work happens in an isolated branch
• Session reuse: The fix loop agent uses reuseSessionOnLoop: true to continue its previous conversation
• Auto-merge: On success, the worktree branch merges back to main

Best Practices

Ticket Quality

Element	Purpose
Clear title	Quick identification
Detailed description	Full context
Acceptance criteria	Definition of done
Technical notes	Implementation hints
Subtasks	Progress tracking

Agent Instructions

• Reference ticket explicitly: "for ticket T-042"
• Request status updates: "mark subtasks complete"
• Ask for ticket context: "read the ticket requirements"

Session Linking

Always link sessions to tickets:

1. Set ticket context before starting
2. Or archive completed sessions to tickets

Example: Bug Fix Workflow

# Ticket
id: T-099
title: Fix login timeout on slow connections
type: bug
priority: high

description: |
  Users on slow connections get logged out unexpectedly.

  ## Steps to Reproduce
  1. Throttle network to 3G
  2. Attempt login
  3. Wait 10 seconds

  ## Expected
  Login completes successfully

  ## Actual
  Session times out, user sees error

  ## Technical Context
  - Auth timeout is 5 seconds
  - Should be increased or made configurable

Agent conversation:

You: Fix bug T-099. Read the ticket and investigate the issue.

Agent: I've read ticket T-099. The issue is a 5-second auth timeout.
       Let me search for the timeout configuration...

       Found it in src/config/auth.ts:15
       The AUTH_TIMEOUT is hardcoded at 5000ms.

       I'll make this configurable with a higher default.
       [Makes changes]

       Done. I've:
       1. Added AUTH_TIMEOUT to environment config
       2. Set default to 30000ms (30 seconds)
       3. Updated the auth service to use the config

       Marking ticket as ready for review.

Tips

• Write good tickets: Garbage in, garbage out
• Use subtasks: Break work into trackable pieces
• Link everything: Sessions, commits, discussions
• Review before closing: Verify requirements are met
• Update status: Keep tickets current
• Use worktrees: Isolate ticket work in dedicated branches

Related

• Linking Chats to Tickets
• Epic Planning with AI
• Tickets Reference
• MCP Servers