Dependencies
Dependencies tell Plenar that one task cannot start until another finishes. They are the primary way you express ordering constraints in your plan, and Plenar honors them in every schedule it computes.
How dependencies work
All dependencies in Plenar are finish-to-start: task B cannot start until task A is complete. This is the only dependency type Plenar supports — there are no start-to-start, finish-to-finish, or start-to-finish dependencies.
When you say “Task B depends on Task A,” Plenar guarantees that B’s scheduled start date falls after A’s scheduled end date.
Dependencies are always enforced. Plenar will never produce a plan that violates one, regardless of target dates or priorities.
Adding dependencies
From the dashboard
- Open a task in the Scope tab.
- Click the dependency count, or the dependency field in the detail panel.
- Search for the predecessor task and add it.
From Claude Code
Or for multiple dependencies at once:
Claude calls plenar_add_dependency for a single link, or plenar_bulk_add_dependencies for several at once. The New Plan preview shows how the dependency change affects the plan before you apply it.
Removing dependencies
From the dashboard
Open the task, click the dependency count, and remove the predecessor.
From Claude Code
Removing a dependency frees tasks to be scheduled earlier. The preview shows whether anything moves.
Scope rules
Must tasks cannot depend on Nice tasks. Nice items might not be scheduled when capacity is tight, so they must never block required work. Plenar enforces this — you cannot create a dependency where a Must task depends on a Nice task.
The reverse is fine: Nice tasks can depend on Must tasks.
Circular dependencies
If Task A depends on Task B, and Task B depends on Task A — directly or through a chain — no valid ordering exists and the plan cannot be computed. Plenar detects the cycle and flags it. See Warnings and conflicts for how the warning surfaces and how to clear it.
Cascading effects
Dependencies create chains. When one task in a chain moves, everything downstream shifts:
If the schema task’s estimate increases from 3 to 5 days, the registration flow starts 2 days later, and the login and signup pages start 2 days later still. The preview shows the full cascade so you can assess the impact before you apply.
Critical path
The critical path is the longest chain of dependent tasks from the project start to the last task’s end. Tasks on the critical path have zero slack — any delay directly delays the projected ship date.
Tasks off the critical path have slack: they can slip by some number of days without moving the project end date. How much slack depends on how far off the critical path they sit.
Best practices
A long chain like this one leaves no room for Plenar to rearrange work — every task waits for the one before it:
Design dashboard wireframes → Implement dashboard layout system → Build chart component library → Create metric card widgets → Build dashboard API endpoints → Add real-time data refresh
Common questions
Does Plenar support start-to-start or finish-to-finish dependencies? No. Every dependency is finish-to-start: the successor starts only after the predecessor finishes. Model other relationships with milestones or by splitting tasks.
Can a Must task depend on a Nice task? No — Plenar blocks it, because a Nice task might be dropped under capacity pressure and can’t be allowed to block required work. The reverse (Nice depending on Must) is allowed.
What happens if I create a cycle? Plenar detects it and flags a circular-dependency warning instead of producing a plan. Remove one link in the cycle to clear it. See Warnings and conflicts.
Do dependencies move tasks immediately? No. Adding or removing a dependency opens a New Plan preview first. The Plan of Record changes only when you click Apply.
What to do next
- Manage your plan — see how dependency edits flow through edit → preview → apply.
- Goals and milestones — group related tasks instead of over-sequencing them.
- Bulk operations — wire up many dependencies in a single preview.
- Warnings and conflicts — resolve circular dependencies and other plan conflicts.
- How scheduling works — the model behind sequencing and the critical path.