---
# nbd-7cab
title: Add backlog status to tickets
status: completed
type: feature
priority: normal
created_at: 2026-03-10T23:30:31Z
updated_at: 2026-03-10T23:30:31Z
---

## Goal

Add a `backlog` status variant so tickets can be created without immediately surfacing in the active work queue. Tickets in `backlog` are created but intentionally deferred; they should not appear in `nbd list`, `nbd ready`, or `nbd next` by default.

## Semantics

- `backlog` = created, but not yet ready to be worked on (intentionally deferred)
- Default status for new tickets remains `todo`
- `backlog` tickets are excluded from `nbd list` (same as `done` and `closed`)
- `backlog` tickets are excluded from `nbd ready` and `nbd next`
- `backlog` tickets do **not** count as resolved for dependency purposes (unlike `done` and `closed`) — a dependency on a `backlog` ticket still blocks
- `backlog` tickets are visible with `--all`, `--filter status=backlog`, or `--filter status=*`

## Files to change

### `src/ticket.rs`

Add `Backlog` variant to the `Status` enum:

```rust
pub enum Status {
    #[default]
    Todo,
    InProgress,
    Done,
    Closed,
    Backlog,  // new
}
```

Serialises as `"backlog"`.

### `src/main.rs`

- `parse_status`: add `"backlog" => Ok(Status::Backlog)` arm and update the error message
- `cmd_list`: exclude `Status::Backlog` in the default (no `--all`, no `status=` filter) case, alongside `Done` and `Closed`
- `cmd_ready`: exclude `Status::Backlog` from the ready set (a backlog ticket is never ready)
- `cmd_next`: same exclusion as `cmd_ready`

### `src/display.rs`

- `status_str`: add `Status::Backlog => "backlog"` arm

### `src/graph.rs`

- `status_str` (internal helper, duplicated): add `Status::Backlog => "backlog"` arm

### README.md

- Update the Status table to include `backlog`
- Update `nbd list` usage examples to mention that `backlog` is also hidden by default

### CLAUDE.md

- Update CLI Interface block to show `backlog` as a valid status value

### `src/tests.rs`

- Add unit test: a ticket with `Status::Backlog` is excluded from the ready list and is visible under `--all`

### `tests/integration.rs`

- Add integration test: create a ticket with `--status backlog`, confirm it does not appear in plain `nbd list` or `nbd ready`, and does appear in `nbd list --all`

## Validation

```sh
cargo fmt && cargo check && cargo clippy && cargo test
cargo run -- create --title "Backlog item" --status backlog --json
cargo run -- list --json           # should NOT appear
cargo run -- list --all --json     # should appear
cargo run -- ready --json          # should NOT appear
```