Explore beads library and usage with AMP

U G
U G Murthy ā€¢ @ugmurthy
 11moĀ ago
Medium
Unlisted
use Librarian to explore https://github.com/steveyegge/beads and provide a overview of beads, when should one use it, why should one use it, How can i use it to for my repo along with amp? show me usage examples

Beads Overview

Beads (bd) is a git-backed issue tracker designed for AI-assisted coding workflows. It gives AI agents persistent memory across sessions and prevents "agent amnesia" when handling complex multi-step tasks.

When to Use Beads

  • AI-assisted development with agents like Amp/Claude
  • Complex multi-step features with dependencies
  • Multi-agent coordination on the same repo
  • Monorepos (like your asyncAgent project)
  • Offline development with git sync

Why Use Beads

vs Alternative Beads Advantage
GitHub Issues Offline-first, semantic dependencies, bd ready detects unblocked work
Markdown TODOs Programmatic queries, dependency tracking, audit trail
Jira/Linear No external service, works offline, git-native sync

Quick Start for asyncAgent + Amp

# 1. Install
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/steveyegge/beads/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

# 2. Initialize in your repo
cd /Users/ugmurthy/riding-amp/asyncAgent
bd init --quiet

# 3. Install git hooks (auto-sync)
bd hooks install

# 4. Create your first issue
bd create "Implement new feature X" -p 1 -t task --json

# 5. Find ready work (no blockers)
bd ready --json

Key Commands for Amp Workflows

bd ready                    # Find unblocked work
bd create "Fix bug" -p 1    # Create issue
bd update bd-abc --status in_progress
bd close bd-abc --reason "Implemented"
bd dep add bd-2 bd-1        # Add dependency
bd sync                     # Force sync before ending session

Add to Your AGENTS.md

## Task Tracking with Beads
Use `bd` for all task management. Run `bd ready --json` to find next work.
Always run `bd sync` before ending a session.
I get the following warning after bd init --stealth and bd doctor --fix Warning: sync-branch not configured Fix: Add 'sync-branch: beads-sync' to .beads/config.yaml

The sync-branch warning is resolved. The remaining warnings are minor:

  • Claude Integration - Optional, run bd setup claude if you want hooks for Claude Code
  • LastBdVersion - Will auto-fix on next bd command

Your beads setup is now healthy.

I am using amp. My beads is setup as instructed above and the AGENTS.md is updated. I am about to start a new thread in amp. Is that anything i need to do with beads?

Before starting your new Amp thread:

  1. Sync first (good habit):

    bd sync

  2. Create an issue for your task (optional but recommended):

    bd create "Your task description" -p 1 -t task

  3. In the new thread, Amp will see the AGENTS.md instruction to use bd. You can tell Amp:

    • bd ready --json to see available work
    • Reference a specific issue: "Work on asyncAgent-hk3"

At the end of your session, always run bd sync (or remind Amp to do it).

Your setup task asyncAgent-hk3 is already ready to work on!

Ran 1 commandā 
close asyncAgent-hk3

Done. Run bd sync before ending your session.

Ran 1 commandā