update

Q: How do I install update?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins --skill update in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/update/ (personal) or .claude/skills/update/ (project).

by anthropics OfficialProductivity & Automation

Sync tasks and refresh memory from your current activity. Use when pulling new assignments from your project tracker into TASKS.md, triaging stale or overdue tasks, filling memory gaps for unknown people or projects, or running a comprehensive scan to catch todos buried in chat and email.

Installs: 5K
Last 24h: +9
Trending rank: #9224
Security: Warn

Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins --skill update

01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads update automatically when relevant.
03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

Security audits

Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.

Gen Agent Trust Hub PassSAFE ·This skill facilitates productivity by syncing tasks and memory from various activity sources. It includes security considerations regarding the processing of external communication data, though it incorporates user confirmation as a safeguard.

Socket PassNo alerts

Snyk WarnMEDIUM ·Risk: MEDIUM · 1 issue

Runlayer PassLOW ·1/1 file flagged

ZeroLeaks PassNONE ·Score: 93/100 · 2 sections analyzed

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Update Command

If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.

Keep your task list and memory current. Two modes:

Default: Sync tasks from external tools, triage stale items, check memory for gaps
--comprehensive: Deep scan chat, email, calendar, docs — flag missed todos and suggest new memories

Usage

/productivity:update
/productivity:update --comprehensive

Default Mode

1. Load Current State

Read TASKS.md and memory/ directory. If they don't exist, suggest /productivity:start first.

2. Sync Tasks from External Sources

Check for available task sources:

Project tracker (e.g. Asana, Linear, Jira) (if MCP available)
GitHub Issues (if in a repo): gh issue list --assignee=@me

If no sources are available, skip to Step 3.

Fetch tasks assigned to the user (open/in-progress). Compare against TASKS.md:

External task	TASKS.md match?	Action
Found, not in TASKS.md	No match	Offer to add
Found, already in TASKS.md	Match by title (fuzzy)	Skip
In TASKS.md, not in external	No match	Flag as potentially stale
Completed externally	In Active section	Offer to mark done

Present diff and let user decide what to add/complete.

3. Triage Stale Items

Review Active tasks in TASKS.md and flag:

Tasks with due dates in the past
Tasks in Active for 30+ days
Tasks with no context (no person, no project)

Present each for triage: Mark done? Reschedule? Move to Someday?

4. Decode Tasks for Memory Gaps

For each task, attempt to decode all entities (people, projects, acronyms, tools, links):

Task: "Send PSR to Todd re: Phoenix blockers"

Decode:
- PSR → ✓ Pipeline Status Report (in glossary)
- Todd → ✓ Todd Martinez (in people/)
- Phoenix → ? Not in memory

Track what's fully decoded vs. what has gaps.

5. Fill Gaps

Present unknown terms grouped:

I found terms in your tasks I don't have context for:

1. "Phoenix" (from: "Send PSR to Todd re: Phoenix blockers")
   → What's Phoenix?

2. "Maya" (from: "sync with Maya on API design")
   → Who is Maya?

Add answers to the appropriate memory files (people/, projects/, glossary.md).

6. Capture Enrichment

Tasks often contain richer context than memory. Extract and update:

Links from tasks → add to project/people files
Status changes ("launch done") → update project status, demote from CLAUDE.md
Relationships ("Todd's sign-off on Maya's proposal") → cross-reference people
Deadlines → add to project files

7. Report

Update complete:
- Tasks: +3 from project tracker (e.g. Asana), 1 completed, 2 triaged
- Memory: 2 gaps filled, 1 project enriched
- All tasks decoded ✓

Comprehensive Mode (`--comprehensive`)

Everything in Default Mode, plus a deep scan of recent activity.

Extra Step: Scan Activity Sources

Gather data from available MCP sources:

Chat: Search recent messages, read active channels
Email: Search sent messages
Documents: List recently touched docs
Calendar: List recent + upcoming events

Extra Step: Flag Missed Todos

Compare activity against TASKS.md. Surface action items that aren't tracked:

## Possible Missing Tasks

From your activity, these look like todos you haven't captured:

1. From chat (Jan 18):
   "I'll send the updated mockups by Friday"
   → Add to TASKS.md?

2. From meeting "Phoenix Standup" (Jan 17):
   You have a recurring meeting but no Phoenix tasks active
   → Anything needed here?

3. From email (Jan 16):
   "I'll review the API spec this week"
   → Add to TASKS.md?

Let user pick which to add.

Extra Step: Suggest New Memories

Surface new entities not in memory:

## New People (not in memory)
| Name | Frequency | Context |
|------|-----------|---------|
| Maya Rodriguez | 12 mentions | design, UI reviews |
| Alex K | 8 mentions | DMs about API |

## New Projects/Topics
| Name | Frequency | Context |
|------|-----------|---------|
| Starlight | 15 mentions | planning docs, product |

## Suggested Cleanup
- **Horizon project** — No mentions in 30 days. Mark completed?

Present grouped by confidence. High-confidence items offered to add directly; low-confidence items asked about.

Notes

Never auto-add tasks or memories without user confirmation
External source links are preserved when available
Fuzzy matching on task titles handles minor wording differences
Safe to run frequently — only updates when there's new info
--comprehensive always runs interactively

FAQ

What does the update skill do?

How do I install update?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins --skill update in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/update/ (personal) or .claude/skills/update/ (project).

Which AI agents can use update?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is update safe to install?

Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk flagged items to review; Runlayer passed; ZeroLeaks passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.

Who maintains update?

It is published by anthropics in anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins, and it is an official skill from the maker of the technology it covers. It has 4,970 recorded installs.