Creating a unit task
- Navigate to your AutoDev dashboard
- Select your repository from the dropdown
- Enter your task description in the prompt field
- Leave “Create as Composite Task” unchecked for unit tasks
- (Optional) Configure advanced settings:
- AI Agent: Choose your preferred AI coding agent
- Model Version: Specify the model version
- Base Branch: Choose the branch to work from
- Click Create Task
Task lifecycle
1. Pending
Your task is created and queued for execution. AutoDev prepares to trigger the GitHub Actions workflow.2. In Progress
The AI agent is actively working on your task:- Analyzing your requirements
- Writing code
- Creating pull requests
- Running tests
3. Completed
The task is marked complete when all pull requests are merged. This means:- All code changes have been reviewed and approved
- All PRs have been merged to their target branches
- The task objectives have been successfully implemented
4. Failed
The task encountered an error. Common reasons:- GitHub Actions workflow failed
- Invalid configuration
- AI agent encountered an issue
Task details page
The task details page shows:Task overview
- Task title (automatically generated from your prompt)
- Original prompt
- Repository and branch information
- Current status
- Creation timestamp
Pull requests
All PRs created for this task:- PR title and number
- Status (open/closed/merged)
- CI check results
- Review comment count
- Links to GitHub
Workflow executions
History of all workflow runs:- Execution status (pending/in_progress/completed/failed)
- Type (task creation, PR update, review response, CI fix)
- Timestamps
- GitHub Actions run link
- Retry button for failed executions
Managing pull requests
Automatic PR comments
When a PR is created, AutoDev adds two types of comments: Task link comment (always added):- Links back to the AutoDev task
- Provides context for reviewers
- Shows the original task prompt
- Helps reviewers understand the AI’s instructions
- Can be disabled in Settings
PR workflow
- PR Creation - AI creates PR and opens it for review
- Draft Status - PR is converted to draft during automated updates
- Code Review - Team members review the changes
- AI Responds - AutoDev automatically responds to review comments
- CI Checks - Automated tests run
- CI Fixes - AutoDev fixes failing checks automatically
- Ready to Merge - PR is undrafted when all checks pass
Updating a pull request
You can manually request updates to any PR:- Go to the task details page
- Find the PR you want to update
- Click Update PR
- Enter your update instructions
- AutoDev converts the PR to draft and makes the changes
Retrying a task
If a task fails, you can retry it:- Go to the task details page
- Click Retry Task in the workflow executions section
- The task will re-execute with the same configuration
Syncing task status
Use the sync feature to refresh task status from GitHub:- Go to the task details page
- Click Sync Task in the Debug menu
- AutoDev checks all PRs and updates the task status automatically:
- All PRs merged → Task marked as completed
- All PRs closed without merge → Task marked as failed
- PRs still open → Status remains in progress
Deleting a task
Deleting a task:- Closes all open pull requests
- Cancels any running workflows
- Removes the task from your dashboard
Best practices
Write clear prompts
Be specific about what you want: Good prompts:Include context
Reference specific files, functions, or error messages:Use file references
Include file paths with@ for better AI understanding:
Specify requirements
Include technical requirements or constraints:Break down large tasks
For complex work, consider using Composite Tasks or creating multiple unit tasks.Troubleshooting
See the Unit Task Troubleshooting guide for common issues and solutions.Next steps
- Learn about Composite Tasks
- Understand PR Review Process
- Configure AI Agents