dependency-mapping

Generates Mermaid flowcharts visualizing GitHub issue dependencies and critical paths.

5|Updated Nov 9, 2025
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/britt/agent-skills --skill dependency-mapping-britt
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: dependency-mapping
Source: https://github.com/britt/agent-skills/tree/main/skills/dependency-mapping
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/britt/agent-skills --skill dependency-mapping-britt

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? When a project has many GitHub issues with blocking relationships, it is hard to see which work must happen first, what can run in parallel, and which chain of tasks determines the minimum project duration. This Skill reads open issues and turns their dependency signals into a clear visual map. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Dependency Detection: Parses issue labels and body text for signals like "Blocked by #X", "Depends on #X", and "Prerequisite: #X" to build a relationship map. - Mermaid Diagram Generation: Produces GitHub-renderable flowcharts with linear, parallel, and subgraph-grouped patterns, following strict syntax rules (no parentheses in labels, consistent I<number> node IDs). - Critical Path Highlighting: Identifies the longest dependency chain and emphasizes it with thick arrows and styling, while flagging circular dependencies as errors. - Use Case: After decomposing a feature into 15 GitHub issues during sprint planning, ask for a dependency map to see that the database schema issue blocks four downstream tasks and sits on the critical path. ## Quick Start Show me the dependency graph for all open GitHub issues and highlight the critical path.

Frequently Asked Questions about dependency-mapping

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I visualize GitHub issue dependencies?▼

Gather open issues with the gh CLI or a GitHub MCP server, parse labels and body text for signals like "Blocked by #X" or "Depends on #X", then generate a Mermaid flowchart showing arrows from blocking issues to blocked issues.

How to find the critical path in a project with GitHub issues?▼

Build a dependency map from issue blocking relationships, then trace the longest chain of dependent issues. Highlight that chain in the Mermaid diagram using thick arrows (==>) and node styling to show the minimum project duration.

Why does my Mermaid diagram not render on GitHub?▼

Parentheses in node labels break GitHub's Mermaid rendering. Replace labels like "#1 Setup (init)" with dash-separated text such as "#1 Setup - init", and keep node IDs consistent to avoid duplicate nodes.

What dependency keywords does it detect in issue bodies?▼

It recognizes patterns including "Blocked by #X", "Depends on #X", "After #X", "Blocks #X", "Required for #X", and "Prerequisite: #X", plus labels such as blocked, waiting, and depends-on.

Can it detect circular dependencies between issues?▼

Yes. If issue A blocks issue B and issue B blocks issue A, the diagram may still render but the plan is impossible. The Skill flags such cycles as errors so they can be resolved before scheduling.