Add formal ticket dependencies: prevent orchestrator

Home Epics Add formal ticket dependencies: prevent orchestrator assigning blocked tasksEdit

Add formal ticket dependencies: prevent orchestrator assigning blocked tasks

Cancel

Title *

Project *

Description

The orchestrator can assign tasks without knowing about dependencies. Blocking relationships are only stored in comments, not in the database. This causes workers to be assigned tasks they can't complete because dependencies aren't done.

## Current State

**Problem:**
- Dependencies only in comments (e.g., "Blocked on #131")
- `is_blocked` field exists but not based on actual dependencies
- Orchestrator assigns tasks without checking dependencies
- Workers get stuck on tasks they can't complete

**Example:**
```ruby
# Ticket #130
comment: "Blocked on #131"
is_blocked: false  # ❌ System doesn't know!
dependencies: []   # ❌ Empty!
```

Orchestrator sees #130 as available → assigns to worker → worker can't start because #131 isn't done.

## Requirements

### 1. Add Formal Dependencies Field

**Database migration:**
```ruby
add_column :tickets, :dependencies, :text, default: "[]"
# Store as JSON array of ticket IDs
```

**Model:**
```ruby
class Ticket < ApplicationRecord
  serialize :dependencies, JSON
  
  # Dependency relationship
  belongs_to :parent, class_name: 'Ticket', optional: true
  has_many :subtasks, class_name: 'Ticket', foreign_key: 'parent_id'
  
  # Cross-ticket dependencies (not parent-child)
  def dependent_tickets
    Ticket.where("? = ANY(dependencies)", id)
  end
  
  def blocking_tickets
    Ticket.where(id: dependencies)
  end
  
  def blocked?
    dependencies.any? { |dep_id| 
      t = Ticket.find_by(id: dep_id)
      t && !t.done?
    }
  end
  
  def can_start?
    !blocked?
  end
end
```

### 2. Update Ticket Creation/Edit

**When creating/editing tickets:**
```ruby
# Add dependency
ticket.update(dependencies: [131])

# Add multiple dependencies
ticket.update(dependencies: [131, 133])

# Remove dependency
ticket.update(dependencies: [])
```

### 3. Orchestrator Filters by Dependencies

**Orchestrator assigns only:**
```ruby
def available_tickets
  Ticket.where(status: :todo)
    .select { |t| t.can_start? }  # ✅ Check dependencies
end
```

**Blocked tickets excluded:**
```ruby
# #130 has dependencies: [131]
# If #131 is NOT done → #130 excluded from assignable
# If #131 IS done → #130 becomes assignable
```

### 4. Update Comments to Set Dependencies

**Migration script:**
```ruby
# Parse comment "Blocked on #123, #456"
# Extract ticket IDs
# Set dependencies field
Ticket.where("comments LIKE ?", "%Blocked on%").find_each do |ticket|
  ids = ticket.comments.scan(/Blocked on #(\d+)/).flatten
  ticket.update(dependencies: ids) if ids.any?
end
```

### 5. API Changes

**Add to ticket API:**
```ruby
# GET /api/v1/tickets/:id/dependencies
# POST /api/v1/tickets/:id/dependencies (add dependency)
# DELETE /api/v1/tickets/:id/dependencies/:id (remove)

# Response includes:
{
  "id": 130,
  "dependencies": [131],
  "blocking_tickets": [{id: 131, title: "...", status: "backlog"}],
  "blocked": true
}
```

### 6. Avo Admin

- Show dependencies field
- Link to dependent tickets
- Visual indicator when ticket is blocked
- Can't start blocked tickets (warn user)

## Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] `dependencies` field added to tickets table
- [ ] `blocked?` and `can_start?` methods work
- [ ] Orchestrator only assigns tickets where `can_start?` is true
- [ ] Existing comment-based dependencies migrated to field
- [ ] API returns dependencies and blocked status
- [ ] Avo shows dependencies and blocked status