Reply Queue Bar

Use this skill when the user wants a local, Mac-first reply triage lane for copied comments, inbox snippets, or feedback fragments without pretending to be a full inbox client.

Default product shapes:

• a menu-bar popover that keeps the next reply, draft, and archive action one click away
• a deterministic local helper that stores reply items in a small JSON queue and renders a brief for prompts, notes, or clipboard handoff

Quick Start

1. Confirm whether the user needs a one-off reply queue snapshot, a local helper workflow, or a real menu-bar utility shell.
2. Use python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py capture --clipboard --source "X comment" --bucket urgent --urgency high --tag launch to save the current copied snippet into the local queue.
3. Use python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py brief --format prompt when the next step is deciding which reply deserves attention now.
4. Use python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py draft --id <item-id> --text "..." --copy-draft when the answer is ready to paste back into the destination app.
5. Use python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py archive --id <item-id> --move-to-archive-bucket after the response is handled.
6. Use the SwiftUI starter in prototype/ when the user wants a real menu-bar shell instead of only the local queue helper.

Accepted Inputs

• copied comments, DMs, support replies, feedback snippets, or short email fragments
• a source label such as Telegram, X, Gmail, Linear, or Support inbox
• a queue bucket: urgent, reusable, or archive
• urgency level, tags, and an optional draft
• whether the output should print, render as markdown or prompt text, or copy back to the clipboard
• whether the user wants a one-off summary or a reusable macOS utility concept

Workflow

Keep the queue local and deterministic

• Store the queue in a local JSON file instead of inventing a cloud inbox, analytics pipeline, or unsupported background listener.
• Capture from explicit text, a file, stdin, or pbpaste; do not imply live inbox access when the source app has not been connected.
• Treat the queue as a handoff tool for the next response, not a full CRM or comment dashboard.

Lead with the next reply that matters

• Show urgent and reusable items before archive material.
• Keep the source, bucket, urgency, and current draft visible without forcing the user back through tabs.
• Prefer one short draft that is ready to copy out over a long thread-management surface.

Keep the Mac utility shape narrow

• Prefer a menu-bar popover or compact panel over a large multi-window app.
• Use one primary reply action and a few supporting actions like capture, copy draft, and archive.
• If the queue grows, make the summary scannable first and push deeper detail into a secondary view.

Local Helper

Use scripts/reply_queue_bar.py when a deterministic local queue is useful:

python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py capture --clipboard --source "Telegram DM" --bucket urgent --urgency high --tag support
python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py capture --text "Can you pin the latest meeting note link?" --source "X reply" --bucket reusable --tag faq
python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py brief --format prompt
python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py list --format markdown --limit 8
python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py draft --id rqb-20260413-000001 --text "Pinned in the latest update thread. I’ll keep the note linked there." --copy-draft
python skills/reply-queue-bar/scripts/reply_queue_bar.py archive --id rqb-20260413-000001 --move-to-archive-bucket

The helper keeps a local queue at ~/.codex/reply-queue-bar/queue.json by default, ranks urgent and reusable items ahead of archive material, supports plain, markdown, prompt, or json output, and can copy a rendered brief or saved draft with pbcopy.

Prototype

• SwiftUI starter files live in prototype/.
• The prototype sketches a menu-bar shell with queue counts, bucket switching, the current reply card, and a draft handoff area.

Example Prompts

• Use $reply-queue-bar to design a compact macOS menu-bar utility that turns copied comments into an urgent-versus-reusable reply lane with one ready draft.
• Use $reply-queue-bar to keep the workflow local: capture from clipboard, rank the queue, and copy the next draft without inventing inbox APIs.
• Use $reply-queue-bar to create a menu-bar shell for community replies with explicit capture, copy, and archive actions instead of a full social dashboard.

Resources

• scripts/reply_queue_bar.py: local queue helper for capture, summary, drafting, and archive actions
• prototype/: menu-bar-first SwiftUI starter for the reply triage surface

When extending

• Add more depth only when it improves the short reply handoff loop.
• If the skill grows, keep the queue summary and next reply readable at a glance.