GWS Tasks Rapid

Rapid-execution command for Google Tasks operations -- create, list, update, move, and delete tasks and task lists with minimal ceremony through the GWS CLI.

When to Use This Command

Run this command when you need to manage Google Tasks quickly -- adding items, listing pending work, or reorganizing task lists.

• You need to quickly add a new task to your default or a specific task list
• You want to list all tasks in a task list to review your pending work
• You are moving tasks between positions or creating subtasks under parent tasks
• You need to clear completed tasks or delete specific items from a list

Use it also when:

• You are building a daily standup report that includes open tasks
• You want to programmatically create task lists for new projects

Quick Start

Copy
# .claude/commands/gws-tasks-rapid.md
name: gws-tasks-rapid
description: Rapid Google Tasks management
arguments:
  operation: The Tasks operation to execute

Copy
# List all tasks in the default task list
claude gws-tasks-rapid "tasks list --params '{\"tasklist\": \"@default\"}'"

Expected output:
{
  "items": [
    {
      "id": "task_abc123",
      "title": "Review PR #42",
      "status": "needsAction",
      "due": "2026-03-16T00:00:00Z"
    },
    {
      "id": "task_def456",
      "title": "Deploy staging build",
      "status": "needsAction"
    }
  ]
}

Core Concepts

Concept	Description
Task List	A container for related tasks (up to 2,000 lists per user)
Task	An individual to-do item with title, notes, due date, and status
Subtask	A child task nested under a parent (up to 2,000 subtasks per task)
Status	Either needsAction (open) or completed (done)
Move	Reposition a task within or between lists, including nesting

Tasks Hierarchy:
  Task List: "Work"
       │
       ├── Task: "Sprint Planning"  (needsAction)
       │     ├── Subtask: "Review backlog"  (completed)
       │     └── Subtask: "Update estimates" (needsAction)
       │
       └── Task: "Code Review"  (needsAction)

Configuration

Parameter	Default	Description
tasklist	@default	The task list ID (@default for the primary list)
task	varies	The task ID for task-level operations
format	json	Output format: json, table, yaml, csv
page-all	false	Auto-paginate through all tasks
dry-run	false	Validate without executing

Best Practices

1. Use @default for the primary task list -- The string @default references the user's primary task list, avoiding the need to look up the list ID.

2. Set due dates in RFC 3339 format -- Task due dates must be in ISO 8601/RFC 3339 format: 2026-03-16T00:00:00Z. Omitting the timezone defaults to UTC.

3. Use patch over update for single-field changes -- The patch method modifies only the specified fields, while update replaces the entire task. Prefer patch for targeted edits.

4. Clear completed tasks periodically -- Use the clear method to hide completed tasks from the list view, keeping active task lists clean and focused.

5. Be aware of task limits -- Users can have up to 20,000 non-hidden tasks per list and 100,000 total. Monitor usage in high-volume automation scenarios.

Common Issues

1. Cannot create assigned tasks via API -- Tasks assigned from Google Docs or Chat Spaces cannot be created through the Tasks API. They can only be managed through their originating surface.

2. Task list not found -- Task list IDs are opaque strings. Use tasklists list first to retrieve valid list IDs before referencing them in task operations.

3. Move operation fails silently -- The move method requires both the source task ID and the destination position (parent or previous task). Missing either parameter can produce unexpected results. Always specify both --params '{"task": "TASK_ID", "parent": "PARENT_ID"}' or use "previous": "SIBLING_ID" to control ordering precisely. Verify the result by listing tasks after the move operation to confirm the new position.