Torch

The dashboard

torch dashboard opens every project in your browser. It shows what is next, what needs you, each task and its notes, and the project summary. It runs on 127.0.0.1, so only your computer can open it.

Issue tracking in the terminal

Plain torch shows every project, with how many tasks need you and how many are next.

▲ torch  3 projects · 4 tasks need you

       project         you  next   where
  ST   Studio Notes      2     4   ~/Projects/studio-notes
  GA   Garden Planner    1     3   ~/Projects/garden-planner
  RE   Reading Club      1     1   ~/Projects/reading-club

  next: torch needs  ·  torch <project>  ·  torch <task ID>  ·  torch help

torch needs lists everything waiting on you across every project, so you can clear decisions in one go.

▲ 4 need you

Studio Notes  ST · 2
  ● ST-001  Choose the launch headline  35m
  ● ST-002  Approve the welcome email   3h

Reading Club  RE · 1
  ● RE-001  Choose the November book    10h

Garden Planner  GA · 1
  ● GA-001  Pick the spring seed list   24h

A project opens by its code or any part of its name, with your tasks at the top and what the agents are working on below.

▲ Studio Notes  ST · ~/Projects/studio-notes
  goal  A small weekly newsletter about making things.

needs you
  ● ST-001  Choose the launch headline     35m
  ● ST-002  Approve the welcome email      3h
others
  ● ST-003  Draft the first issue outline  Codex · 20m
  ◐ ST-006  Add the welcome image          Codex · 4h
  ● ST-004  Finish the signup page         Claude · 5h
  ◐ ST-005  Get feedback from Ari          Ari · 2d
3 backlog · 2 done · --backlog, --done or --all to list them

A task ID shows the task itself: why it exists, what is done, what is next and the last notes an agent left.

● next  Choose the launch headline  ST-001 · Mina · 35m

  why    The signup page and the first issue both lead with it.
  done   Two options drafted: "Small work, shared often" and "Notes from the making".
  next   Mina picks one; Claude updates the signup page.

  ── checkpoints ──
  35m  Claude     Changed: drafted two headline options. Evidence: launch brief. Next: Mina…

  full record: torch task show ST-001

Four statuses, no priority field. If something is next, it matters. If it matters less, it goes to the backlog. A task needs you when it is yours and it is next or waiting, and Torch works that out itself.

• ● next
• ◐ waiting
• ○ backlog
• ✓ done

Try it

This terminal has the same example projects, with output captured from the real CLI. Type a command or pick one below.

Example data: Mina's three projects. Type help for ideas.

Your agents do the rest

You mostly talk to your agent, and the skills tell it what to do with Torch. They work the same in Codex and Claude Code.

torch-start

“Set up Torch here.”

torch-list

“What needs me?”

torch-plan

“Plan the next steps for this project.”

torch-work

“Work on ST-003.”

torch-tidy

“Tidy this project’s tasks.”

Limits keep every record short, whichever model writes it. Anything over a limit is refused, with a message that says what to shorten. Every checkpoint has the same shape: what changed, the evidence and what is next.

Install

To install it yourself (Node 22 or newer):

npm install -g github:cs-jason/torch
torch owner "Your name"
torch skills install
torch dashboard

Or let your coding agent install it. Copy the prompt and paste it into your agent. It asks the agent to do a security review of the code first, so you can see what Torch does before you install it.

Install Torch (https://github.com/cs-jason/torch) for me. Do a security review before you install anything.

1. Security review first. Clone the repository into a temporary folder and read every file in src/, public/, skills/ and package.json. Check and report:
   - Network: the only server is the dashboard, and it listens on 127.0.0.1. There are no other outgoing requests, no telemetry and no analytics. The only other program it starts is your browser, to open the dashboard.
   - Install: package.json has no preinstall, install or postinstall scripts. The dependencies are only yaml, marked and sanitize-html (and their own dependencies).
   - Files: Torch writes only to the project's .torch/ folder, a short marked block in AGENTS.md (in the project and in folders you link), its own folder ~/.config/torch, and skill links in ~/.claude/skills and ~/.codex/skills. Only `torch init --public` adds .github/workflows/torch-guard.yml.
   - Nothing reads or sends credentials, SSH keys, browser data or files outside the project.
   Tell me what you found in a few lines. If anything is different from this list, stop and show me the code.

2. Only after I say yes:
   - npm install -g github:cs-jason/torch   (needs Node 22 or newer)
   - torch owner "<my name>"
   - torch skills install
   - In this project folder: torch init, then use the torch-start skill to write CONTEXT.md and the first tasks.
   - Start the dashboard with: torch dashboard

3. Show me the three commands I will use most: torch, torch needs and torch dashboard.

The README covers the file format and every command. If you try it, tell me how it goes on GitHub.