CLI for HZL - External task ledger for coding agents and OpenClaw.
npm install hzl-cliExternal task ledger for coding agents.
š Full Documentation ā Concepts, workflows, and CLI reference
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Most task trackers are built for humans. HZL is built for agents:
- Backend-first ā Task database with a CLI, not another Trello
- Model-agnostic ā Tasks live outside any vendor's memory
- Multi-agent safe ā Atomic claiming prevents duplicate work
- Resumable ā Checkpoints let work survive session boundaries
If you already have a favorite human todo app, keep it. HZL is for shared task state that multiple agents can read and write.
HZL is for when work outlives a single session:
- Cross-agent workflows ā Claude Code, Codex, Gemini sharing one task board
- Session persistence ā Pick up where you left off tomorrow
- Orchestration ā One agent delegates to another with clean handoffs
- Backup ā Cloud sync keeps task state safe
If you only use one agent and never need persistence, the built-in tracker is fine. Once you need durability or coordination, reach for HZL.
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Requires Node.js 22.14+.
``bash`
curl -fsSL "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tmchow/hzl/main/scripts/install.sh?$(date +%s)" | bash
Alternative install methods
Homebrew (macOS/Linux):
`bash`
brew tap tmchow/hzl && brew install hzl && hzl init
NPM:
`bash`
npm install -g hzl-cli && hzl init
Append the agent policy to your repo so agents know when to use HZL:
`bash`
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tmchow/hzl/main/snippets/AGENT-POLICY.md >> AGENTS.md
`bashCreate a project and tasks
hzl project create my-feature
hzl task add "Design the API" -P my-feature
hzl task add "Implement endpoints" -P my-feature --depends-on 1
$3
`bash
hzl init --sync-url libsql://.turso.io --auth-token
`---
Documentation
| Section | What's There |
|---------|-------------|
| Getting Started | Installation, quickstart, agent setup |
| Concepts | Projects, tasks, dependencies, checkpoints, leases |
| Workflows | Single-agent, multi-agent, handoffs, breakdown patterns |
| CLI Reference | Complete command documentation |
| Web Dashboard | Kanban board setup and usage |
| Troubleshooting | Common issues and fixes |
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Agent Setup
$3
`bash
/plugin marketplace add tmchow/hzl
/plugin install hzl@hzl
`$3
`bash
mkdir -p ~/.codex/skills/hzl
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tmchow/hzl/main/skills/hzl/SKILL.md -o ~/.codex/skills/hzl/SKILL.md
`$3
Copy/paste into an OpenClaw chat:
`
Install HZL from https://github.com/tmchow/hzl and run hzl init. Install the HZL skill from https://www.clawhub.ai/tmchow/hzl. Then append the HZL policy from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tmchow/hzl/main/openclaw/OPENCLAW-TOOLS-PROMPT.md to my TOOLS.md.
`See Coding Agents Setup for full details.
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Packages
| Package | Description | Install |
|---------|-------------|---------|
|
hzl-cli | CLI for task management | npm install -g hzl-cli |
| hzl-core | Core library for programmatic use | npm install hzl-core |
| hzl-web | Web server and Kanban dashboard | npm install hzl-web` |---
MIT