How status is computed
Status in Tree is computed from the graph, not set manually. Three of the four states are determined by structure; only in-progress is set by user action.
Status in Tree is computed from the graph, not set manually. Every node has one of four states: locked, available, in-progress, or complete. Three of those four are determined by the graph's current structure. Only one (in-progress) is set by user action.
Locked
A node is locked when at least one of its prerequisites is incomplete. The computation runs continuously: as the graph changes, every node re-evaluates whether its prerequisites are all satisfied. Locked is the default state for most nodes during most of the project.
Available
A node is available when all of its prerequisites are complete and the node hasn't been claimed yet. The transition from locked to available is automatic and immediate. The moment the last prerequisite completes, the dependent node enters the available tier.
In-progress
A node is in-progress when a team member claims it. This is the only state transition triggered by user action rather than graph state. Claiming a node signals to the rest of the team that work is happening.
Complete
A node is complete when its work is done. The user marks it complete manually. This action fires the unlock check for every dependent node: the graph evaluates each downstream node to see whether its prerequisites are now all satisfied.
Why four states
The four-state model is deliberately minimal. Most project tools support custom workflow states (in review, blocked, ready for QA, deferred, won't fix) configured by admins. Tree doesn't, because the graph's structure already encodes that information.
- A node "in review" is a node whose review prerequisite is incomplete.
- A node "deferred" is a node that hasn't been picked up.
The graph carries the meaning that custom workflows usually have to invent.
Related
LAST UPDATED · 2026-05-11