Beads Plugin: A Dependency-Aware Issue Tracker for Claude
Beads is a dependency-aware issue tracker for coding agents. Its Claude Code plugin adds /beads commands, a task agent and hooks to find and close ready work.
By Claudekit Team Published 1 min read
- Type
- Plugin
- Pricing
- Open Source
- Repository
- github.com
- GitHub stars
- 28,170
- Website
- github.com
Beads (bd) is a distributed, dependency-aware issue tracker built for coding agents. Its Claude Code plugin gives Claude slash commands, a bundled skill, lifecycle hooks and a task agent so it can track work as a graph of issues instead of loose Markdown plans.
Checked 24 Oct 2026 against the repo README, the Claude Code plugin docs and marketplace.json (plugin version 1.3.0). MIT licensed.
Who it is for
Developers running long, multi-session projects with Claude who want tasks, blockers and discovered work to survive between sessions.
Install
Install the CLI first, for example:
brew install beadsThen, in Claude Code, from the plugin docs:
/plugin marketplace add gastownhall/beads
/plugin install beadsRestart Claude Code to load the commands and hooks.
What it does
/beads:initsets up beads in a project./beads:create,/beads:show,/beads:updateand/beads:closemanage issues./beads:readylists tasks with no blockers./beads:workflowand/beads:statsshow the workflow guide and progress.@task-agentfinds and completes ready tasks on its own.- Issues sync across machines and agents through Dolt remotes.
Use cases
- Let Claude log bugs and TODOs it discovers mid-task instead of forgetting them.
- Resume a project after a break by asking for ready work.
- Coordinate several agents on one dependency graph.
Pros
- Structured, queryable task memory instead of ever-growing plan files.
- CLI-first design keeps token overhead low.
- Widely used and actively maintained.
Cons and caveats
- Another tool to install and learn, with its own storage based on Dolt.
- Schema upgrades can need migration steps, as the README notes.
- Best value comes on long projects; overkill for one-off tasks.
Links
- Repo: gastownhall/beads
- npm: @beads/bd
- Related: CCPM, Claude-Mem, subagents guide
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the bd CLI?
Yes. The plugin works through the bd command-line tool, so install the CLI first. Options include Homebrew, npm (@beads/bd) and an install script.
Does the plugin include an MCP server?
No. The docs say it drives the bd CLI directly for lower token overhead. A separate beads-mcp server exists if you want MCP tools.
What is ready work?
Issues with no open blockers. /beads:ready lists them, and closing an issue can unblock others that depended on it.
Where did the repo move?
GitHub redirects the old steveyegge/beads path to gastownhall/beads, and the plugin install commands in its docs use the new path.