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Migration Guide: New .taskmaster Directory Structure

Overview

Task Master v0.16.0 introduces a new .taskmaster/ directory structure to keep your project directories clean and organized. This guide explains the benefits of the new structure and how to migrate existing projects.

What's New

Before (Legacy Structure)

your-project/
├── tasks/                    # Task files
│   ├── tasks.json
│   ├── task-1.txt
│   └── task-2.txt
├── scripts/                  # PRD and reports
│   ├── prd.txt
│   ├── example_prd.txt
│   └── task-complexity-report.json
├── .taskmasterconfig         # Configuration
└── ... (your project files)

After (New Structure)

your-project/
├── .taskmaster/              # Consolidated Task Master files
│   ├── config.json          # Configuration (was .taskmasterconfig)
│   ├── tasks/               # Task files
│   │   ├── tasks.json
│   │   ├── task-1.txt
│   │   └── task-2.txt
│   ├── docs/                # Project documentation
│   │   └── prd.txt
│   ├── reports/             # Generated reports
│   │   └── task-complexity-report.json
│   └── templates/           # Example/template files
│       └── example_prd.txt
└── ... (your project files)

Benefits of the New Structure

✅ Cleaner Project Root: No more scattered Task Master files
✅ Better Organization: Logical separation of tasks, docs, reports, and templates
✅ Hidden by Default: .taskmaster/ directory is hidden from most file browsers
✅ Future-Proof: Centralized location for Task Master extensions
✅ Backward Compatible: Existing projects continue to work until migrated

Migration Options

Option 1: Automatic Migration (Recommended)

Task Master provides a built-in migration command that handles everything automatically:

CLI Migration

# Dry run to see what would be migrated
task-master migrate --dry-run

# Perform the migration with backup
task-master migrate --backup

# Force migration (overwrites existing files)
task-master migrate --force

# Clean up legacy files after migration
task-master migrate --cleanup

MCP Migration (Cursor/AI Editors)

Ask your AI assistant:

Please migrate my Task Master project to the new .taskmaster directory structure

Option 2: Manual Migration

If you prefer to migrate manually:

  1. Create the new directory structure:

    mkdir -p .taskmaster/{tasks,docs,reports,templates}

  2. Move your files:

    # Move tasks
mv tasks/* .taskmaster/tasks/

# Move configuration
mv .taskmasterconfig .taskmaster/config.json

# Move PRD and documentation
mv scripts/prd.txt .taskmaster/docs/
mv scripts/example_prd.txt .taskmaster/templates/

# Move reports (if they exist)
mv scripts/task-complexity-report.json .taskmaster/reports/ 2>/dev/null || true

  3. Clean up empty directories:

    rmdir tasks scripts 2>/dev/null || true

What Gets Migrated

The migration process handles these file types:

Tasks Directory → .taskmaster/tasks/

  • tasks.json
  • Individual task text files (.txt)

Scripts Directory → Multiple Destinations

  • PRD files → .taskmaster/docs/
    • prd.txt, requirements.txt, etc.
  • Example/Template files → .taskmaster/templates/
    • example_prd.txt, template files
  • Reports → .taskmaster/reports/
    • task-complexity-report.json

Configuration

  • .taskmasterconfig → .taskmaster/config.json

After Migration

Once migrated, Task Master will:

✅ Automatically use the new directory structure
✅ Show deprecation warnings when legacy files are detected
✅ Create new files in the proper locations
✅ Fall back gracefully to legacy locations if new ones don't exist

Verification

After migration, verify everything works:

  1. List your tasks:

    task-master list

  2. Check your configuration:

    task-master models

  3. Generate new task files:

    task-master generate

Troubleshooting

Migration Issues

Q: Migration says "no files to migrate"
A: Your project may already be using the new structure or have no Task Master files to migrate.

Q: Migration fails with permission errors
A: Ensure you have write permissions in your project directory.

Q: Some files weren't migrated
A: Check the migration output - some files may not match the expected patterns. You can migrate these manually.

Working with Legacy Projects

If you're working with an older project that hasn't been migrated:

  • Task Master will continue to work with the old structure
  • You'll see deprecation warnings in the output
  • New files will still be created in legacy locations
  • Use the migration command when ready to upgrade

New Project Initialization

New projects automatically use the new structure:

task-master init  # Creates .taskmaster/ structure

Path Changes for Developers

If you're developing tools or scripts that interact with Task Master files:

Configuration File

  • Old: .taskmasterconfig
  • New: .taskmaster/config.json
  • Fallback: Task Master checks both locations

Tasks File

  • Old: tasks/tasks.json
  • New: .taskmaster/tasks/tasks.json
  • Fallback: Task Master checks both locations

Reports

  • Old: scripts/task-complexity-report.json
  • New: .taskmaster/reports/task-complexity-report.json
  • Fallback: Task Master checks both locations

PRD Files

  • Old: scripts/prd.txt
  • New: .taskmaster/docs/prd.txt
  • Fallback: Task Master checks both locations

Need Help?

If you encounter issues during migration:

  1. Check the logs: Add --debug flag for detailed output
  2. Backup first: Always use --backup option for safety
  3. Test with dry-run: Use --dry-run to preview changes
  4. Ask for help: Use our Discord community or GitHub issues

This migration guide applies to Task Master v0.15.x and later. For older versions, please upgrade to the latest version first.