implemented --remove-parent flag on the edit cli command

docs/src/pages/cli.astro

@@ -163,12 +163,17 @@ dex complete abc123 --result "Planning complete, no code changes" --no-commit`}
       <li><code>-d, --description</code> — Updated description</li>
       <li><code>--add-blocker &lt;id&gt;</code> — Add blocking dependency</li>
       <li><code>--remove-blocker &lt;id&gt;</code> — Remove blocking dependency</li>
+      <li><code>--parent &lt;id&gt;</code> — Move task under a new parent</li>
+      <li><code>--remove-parent</code> — Promote a subtask to a top-level task</li>
     </ul>
+    <p><strong>Note:</strong> <code>--parent</code> and <code>--remove-parent</code> cannot be used together.</p>
     <Terminal title="Terminal">
       <Code
         code={`dex edit abc123 -n "Updated name"
 dex edit abc123 --add-blocker xyz789
-dex edit abc123 --remove-blocker xyz789`}
+dex edit abc123 --remove-blocker xyz789
+dex edit abc123 --parent xyz789
+dex edit abc123 --remove-parent`}
         lang="bash"
         theme="vitesse-black"
       />

plugins/dex/skills/dex/cli-reference.md

@@ -67,8 +67,12 @@ This captures commit SHA, message, and branch automatically. The linked GitHub/S
 dex edit <id> -n "Updated name" --description "Updated description"
 dex edit <id> --add-blocker xyz123      # Add blocking dependency
 dex edit <id> --remove-blocker xyz123   # Remove blocking dependency
+dex edit <id> --parent xyz123           # Move task under a new parent
+dex edit <id> --remove-parent           # Promote a subtask to a top-level task
 ```
 
+Note: `--parent` and `--remove-parent` cannot be used together.
+
 ## Delete a Task
 
 ```bash

src/cli/completion.test.ts

@@ -52,6 +52,13 @@ describe("completion command", () => {
       expect(out).toContain("complete");
       expect(out).toContain("completion");
     });
+
+    it("includes --remove-parent flag for edit command", async () => {
+      await runCli(["completion", "bash"], { storage });
+
+      const out = getStdout();
+      expect(out).toContain("--remove-parent");
+    });
   });
 
   describe("zsh completion", () => {
@@ -73,6 +80,15 @@ describe("completion command", () => {
       expect(out).toContain("list:List tasks");
       expect(out).toContain("show:View task details");
     });
+
+    it("includes --remove-parent flag for edit command", async () => {
+      await runCli(["completion", "zsh"], { storage });
+
+      const out = getStdout();
+      expect(out).toContain(
+        "--remove-parent[Promote subtask to top-level task]",
+      );
+    });
   });
 
   describe("fish completion", () => {
@@ -93,6 +109,13 @@ describe("completion command", () => {
       expect(out).toContain('-a "list" -d "List tasks"');
       expect(out).toContain('-a "show" -d "View task details"');
     });
+
+    it("includes --remove-parent flag for edit command", async () => {
+      await runCli(["completion", "fish"], { storage });
+
+      const out = getStdout();
+      expect(out).toContain("-l remove-parent");
+    });
   });
 
   describe("help", () => {

src/cli/completion/bash.ts

@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ _dex_completion() {
                 flags="--expand -e --full -f --json --help -h"
                 ;;
             edit|update)
-                flags="--name -n --description -d --priority -p --parent --add-blocker --remove-blocker --help -h"
+                flags="--name -n --description -d --priority -p --parent --remove-parent --add-blocker --remove-blocker --help -h"
                 ;;
             complete|done)
                 flags="--result -r --commit -c --help -h"

src/cli/completion/fish.ts

@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ complete -c dex -n "contains -- edit (commandline -opc); or contains -- update (
 complete -c dex -n "contains -- edit (commandline -opc); or contains -- update (commandline -opc)" -s d -l description -d "New description" -r
 complete -c dex -n "contains -- edit (commandline -opc); or contains -- update (commandline -opc)" -s p -l priority -d "New priority" -r
 complete -c dex -n "contains -- edit (commandline -opc); or contains -- update (commandline -opc)" -l parent -d "New parent task ID" -r -a "(__dex_task_ids)"
+complete -c dex -n "contains -- edit (commandline -opc); or contains -- update (commandline -opc)" -l remove-parent -d "Promote subtask to top-level task"
 complete -c dex -n "contains -- edit (commandline -opc); or contains -- update (commandline -opc)" -s s -l status -d "New status" -r -a "pending completed"
 complete -c dex -n "contains -- edit (commandline -opc); or contains -- update (commandline -opc)" -s h -l help -d "Show help"
 

src/cli/completion/zsh.ts

@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ _dex() {
                                 '(-d --description)'{-d,--description}'[New description]:description:' \\
                                 '(-p --priority)'{-p,--priority}'[New priority]:priority:' \\
                                 '--parent[New parent task ID]:parent:_dex_task_ids' \\
+                                '--remove-parent[Promote subtask to top-level task]' \\
                                 '--add-blocker[Add blocker task IDs]:blockers:_dex_task_ids' \\
                                 '--remove-blocker[Remove blocker task IDs]:blockers:_dex_task_ids' \\
                                 '(-h --help)'{-h,--help}'[Show help]'

src/cli/edit.test.ts

@@ -285,13 +285,92 @@ describe("edit command", () => {
     expect(out).toContain("--description");
     expect(out).toContain("--add-blocker");
     expect(out).toContain("--remove-blocker");
+    expect(out).toContain("--remove-parent");
   });
 
   it("requires task ID", async () => {
     await expect(runCli(["edit"], { storage })).rejects.toThrow("process.exit");
     expect(output.stderr.join("\n")).toContain("Task ID is required");
   });
 
+  it("fails if both --remove-parent and --parent is provided", async () => {
+    await expect(
+      runCli(
+        [
+          "edit",
+          "abc123", // taskId
+          "--remove-parent",
+          "--parent",
+          "def456", // parentId
+        ],
+        { storage },
+      ),
+    ).rejects.toThrow("process.exit");
+
+    const out = output.stderr.join("\n");
+    expect(out).toContain(
+      "You cannot both remove a parent and set a new parent.",
+    );
+    expect(out).toContain(
+      "Use --parent <id> to overwrite the existing parent ID with another parent task.",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("removes parent_id from task if --remove-parent is provided", async () => {
+    // Create parent task
+    await runCli(["create", "-n", "Test task", "--description", "ctx"], {
+      storage,
+    });
+    const parentTaskId = output.stdout.join("\n").match(TASK_ID_REGEX)?.[1];
+    output.stdout.length = 0;
+
+    // Create subtask
+    await runCli(
+      [
+        "create",
+        "-n",
+        "Test subtask",
+        "--description",
+        "ctx",
+        "--parent",
+        parentTaskId!,
+      ],
+      {
+        storage,
+      },
+    );
+    const taskId = output.stdout.join("\n").match(TASK_ID_REGEX)?.[1];
+    output.stdout.length = 0;
+
+    // Test the paren taks lists the subtask as a child
+    await runCli(["show", parentTaskId!, "--json"], { storage });
+    let showOut = output.stdout.join("\n");
+    expect(JSON.parse(showOut).children.includes(taskId!)).toBe(true);
+    output.stdout.length = 0;
+
+    // Test the task is a child of the parent task
+    await runCli(["show", taskId!], { storage });
+    showOut = output.stdout.join("\n");
+    expect(showOut).toContain(`View parent task: dex show ${parentTaskId!}`);
+    output.stdout.length = 0;
+
+    // Remove the parent
+    await runCli(["edit", taskId!, "--remove-parent"], { storage });
+    output.stdout.length = 0;
+
+    // Test the task no longer shows it's parent task
+    await runCli(["show", taskId!], { storage });
+    showOut = output.stdout.join("\n");
+    expect(showOut).not.toContain("View parent task");
+    output.stdout.length = 0;
+
+    // Test the parent task no longer lists the subtask as a child
+    await runCli(["show", parentTaskId!, "--json"], { storage });
+    showOut = output.stdout.join("\n");
+    expect(JSON.parse(showOut).children.includes(taskId!)).toBe(false);
+    output.stdout.length = 0;
+  });
+
   it("links commit to task with --commit flag", async () => {
     await runCli(["create", "-n", "Test task", "--description", "ctx"], {
       storage,

src/cli/edit.ts

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export async function editCommand(
       parent: { hasValue: true },
       "add-blocker": { hasValue: true },
       "remove-blocker": { hasValue: true },
+      "remove-parent": { hasValue: false },
       commit: { short: "c", hasValue: true },
       help: { short: "h", hasValue: false },
     },
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ ${colors.bold}OPTIONS:${colors.reset}
   --parent <id>              New parent task ID
   --add-blocker <ids>        Comma-separated task IDs to add as blockers
   --remove-blocker <ids>     Comma-separated task IDs to remove as blockers
+  --remove-parent            Change the task from a subtask to a task
   -c, --commit <sha>         Link a git commit to the task
   -h, --help                 Show this help message
 
@@ -54,6 +56,7 @@ ${colors.bold}EXAMPLE:${colors.reset}
   dex edit abc123 --description "More details about the task"
   dex edit abc123 --add-blocker def456
   dex edit abc123 --remove-blocker def456
+  dex edit abc123 --remove-parent
   dex edit abc123 --commit a1b2c3d
 `);
     return;
@@ -97,6 +100,20 @@ ${colors.bold}EXAMPLE:${colors.reset}
     process.exit(1);
   }
 
+  // Determine what parentId to assign to the task
+  const removeParent = getBooleanFlag(flags, "remove-parent");
+  const setParentId = getStringFlag(flags, "parent");
+  if (removeParent && setParentId) {
+    console.error(
+      `${colors.red}Error:${colors.reset} You cannot both remove a parent and set a new parent.`,
+    );
+    console.error(
+      `  Use --parent <id> to overwrite the existing parent ID with another parent task.`,
+    );
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  const newParentId = removeParent ? null : setParentId;
+
   const service = createService(options);
   try {
     // Fetch existing task to merge metadata
@@ -122,7 +139,7 @@ ${colors.bold}EXAMPLE:${colors.reset}
       id,
       name: getStringFlag(flags, "name"),
       description: getStringFlag(flags, "description"),
-      parent_id: getStringFlag(flags, "parent"),
+      parent_id: newParentId,
       priority: parseIntFlag(flags, "priority"),
       add_blocked_by: addBlockedBy,
       remove_blocked_by: removeBlockedBy,