docs: sharpen user-facing copy across core commands

cmd/context.go

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 var resumeCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:     "resume [issue-id]",
-	Short:   "Show context and set focus",
+	Short:   "Show an issue's context and focus on it",
 	GroupID: "session",
 	Args:    cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -31,8 +31,14 @@ var resumeCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 var usageCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:     "usage",
-	Short:   "Generate optimized context block for AI agents",
+	Use:   "usage",
+	Short: "Print a session-aware context block for AI agents",
+	Long: `Print a compact summary of your session, focused issue, in-progress work,
+and reviewable issues. Designed to be pasted into an AI agent at the start of
+a conversation so it knows where to pick up.
+
+Use --new-session at conversation start (or after /clear) to rotate sessions.
+Use -q/--quiet for the compact form suited to agent prompts.`,
 	GroupID: "session",
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		baseDir := getBaseDir()

cmd/create.go

@@ -18,11 +18,16 @@ import (
 var createCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:     "create [title]",
 	Aliases: []string{"add", "new"},
-	Short:   "Create a new issue",
-	Long:    `Create a new issue with optional flags for type, priority, labels, and more.`,
+	Short:   "Create an issue",
+	Long: `Create an issue. Title is required; type, priority, labels, parent,
+dependencies, and rich-text description/acceptance are all optional.
+
+You can prefix the title with a type (e.g., "epic: Migrate auth") and td will
+extract it; explicit --type wins.`,
 	Example: "  td create \"Add user auth\" --type feature --priority P1\n" +
-		"  td create \"Rich markdown issue\" --description-file description.md --acceptance-file acceptance.md\n" +
-		"  cat acceptance.md | td create \"Import from stdin\" --acceptance-file -",
+		"  td create \"epic: Migrate auth\"                                # type from prefix\n" +
+		"  td create \"Rich issue\" --description-file body.md --acceptance-file accept.md\n" +
+		"  cat accept.md | td create \"From stdin\" --acceptance-file -",
 	GroupID: "core",
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		// Route "td new task Title" → td create --type task "Title"

cmd/focus.go

@@ -12,8 +12,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 var focusCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:     "focus [issue-id]",
-	Short:   "Set the current working issue",
+	Use:   "focus [issue-id]",
+	Short: "Pin an issue as the default for log, handoff, and close",
+	Long: `Set the focused issue so commands like 'td log' and 'td handoff' can be
+run without an ID. Focus is cleared automatically when an issue moves to
+review or closed.`,
 	GroupID: "session",
 	Args:    cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {

cmd/handoff.go

@@ -18,23 +18,28 @@ import (
 
 var handoffCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "handoff <issue-id> [message]",
-	Short: "Capture structured working state",
-	Long: `Required before submitting for review. Captures git state automatically.
-
-Accepts YAML-like format via stdin:
+	Short: "Capture working state so the next session can resume",
+	Long: `Record what's done, what's left, decisions made, and open questions.
+Captures git state automatically. Run this before 'td review' so the reviewer
+(or the next session) has full context.
+
+Provide items via flags, stdin (-), file (@path), or a YAML-like block on
+stdin with done/remaining/decisions/uncertain sections.
+
+Examples:
+  td handoff td-abc1 --done "wired up oauth" --remaining "add tests"
+  td handoff td-abc1 --done @done.txt        # one item per line from file
+  echo "fixed login" | td handoff td-abc1 --done -
+  td handoff td-abc1 <<EOF
   done:
-    - Item completed
+    - Wired up oauth flow
   remaining:
-    - Item to do
+    - Add integration tests
   decisions:
-    - Decision made
+    - Use PKCE for native clients
   uncertain:
-    - Question/uncertainty
-
-Or use flags with values, stdin (-), or file (@path):
-  --done "item"          Single item
-  --done @done.txt       Items from file (one per line)
-  echo "item" | td handoff ID --done -   Items from stdin`,
+    - Token refresh strategy
+  EOF`,
 	GroupID: "workflow",
 	Args:    cobra.RangeArgs(0, 2),
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {

cmd/list.go

@@ -15,9 +15,19 @@ import (
 )
 
 var listCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:     "list [filters]",
+	Use:     "list [query]",
 	Aliases: []string{"ls"},
-	Short:   "List issues matching given filters",
+	Short:   "List issues, optionally filtered by flags or a TDQ query",
+	Long: `List issues. With no arguments, shows open/in-progress/blocked/in-review
+issues (use --all to include closed and deferred). Combine flags for quick
+filters, or pass a TDQ expression for full query power.
+
+Examples:
+  td list                                     # default view
+  td list --mine --status in_progress         # your active work
+  td list --type bug --priority P1            # high-priority bugs
+  td list "status=open AND label=backend"     # TDQ query
+  td list --epic td-epic1                     # all tasks under an epic`,
 	GroupID: "core",
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		baseDir := getBaseDir()

cmd/log.go

@@ -22,21 +22,17 @@ var issueIDPattern = regexp.MustCompile(`^td-[0-9a-f]{6,8}$`)
 
 var logCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "log [issue-id] <message>",
-	Short: "Append a log entry to the current issue",
-	Long: `Low-friction progress tracking during a session.
-
-Syntax:
-  td log <message>              # Log to focused issue
-  td log <issue-id> <message>   # Log to specific issue
-  td log --issue <id> <message> # Log to specific issue (flag syntax)
-
-Supports stdin input for multi-line messages or piped input:
-  echo "message" | td log
-  td log < notes.txt
-  td log <<EOF
-  Multi-line
-  log message
-  EOF`,
+	Short: "Record progress, decisions, or blockers on an issue",
+	Long: `Append a timestamped log entry. With no issue ID, logs to the focused
+issue. Use type flags (--decision, --blocker, --hypothesis, --tried, --result)
+to tag entries for later filtering.
+
+Examples:
+  td log "fixed login redirect"               # log to focused issue
+  td log td-abc1 "investigating timeout"      # log to a specific issue
+  td log --decision "use websocket"           # tag as a decision
+  echo "long note" | td log                   # read message from stdin
+  td log < notes.txt                          # read message from file`,
 	GroupID: "workflow",
 	Args:    cobra.MaximumNArgs(2),
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {

cmd/review.go

@@ -190,19 +190,21 @@ func isRoutineWorkflowLogMessage(message string) bool {
 var reviewCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:     "review [issue-id...]",
 	Aliases: []string{"submit", "finish"},
-	Short:   "Submit one or more issues for review",
-	Long: `Submits the issue(s) for review. If no handoff exists, a minimal one is
-auto-created (consider using 'td handoff' for better documentation).
+	Short:   "Submit issues for independent review",
+	Long: `Move issues to in_review and record this session as the requester.
+If no handoff exists, a minimal one is auto-created — prefer running
+'td handoff' first so the reviewer has real context.
 
-The submitting session is recorded as 'review_requested_by_session' on the
-issue. Under review_policy_mode=delegated, an active independent approval is
-the close gate, so any session may close after a reviewer records approval.
+Epics cascade automatically to all open/in_progress descendants, which do not
+need individual handoffs.
 
-For epics/parent issues, automatically cascades to all open/in_progress
-descendants. Cascaded children don't require individual handoffs.
+Under review_policy_mode=delegated, an active independent approval is the
+close gate; any session may close once a reviewer records approval.
 
-Supports bulk operations:
-  td review td-abc1 td-abc2 td-abc3    # Submit multiple issues for review`,
+Examples:
+  td review td-abc1
+  td review td-abc1 td-abc2 td-abc3       # bulk submit
+  td review td-epic1                      # cascades to all open descendants`,
 	GroupID: "workflow",
 	Args:    cobra.MinimumNArgs(1),
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -493,7 +495,7 @@ func rejectFollowupGuidance(issue *models.Issue) string {
 
 var approveCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "approve [issue-id...]",
-	Short: "Approve and close one or more issues, or record a review",
+	Short: "Approve reviewed work (and close, unless --record-only)",
 	Long: `Approves the issue(s). You cannot review your own implementation, but you
 can close after an independent review has been recorded. 'td approve' operates
 in one of three modes:
@@ -1085,12 +1087,14 @@ To surface issues reviewed by a sub-agent that you can close, use
 
 var rejectCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "reject [issue-id...]",
-	Short: "Reject and return to open",
-	Long: `Rejects the issue(s) and returns them to open status so they can be
-picked up again by td next.
+	Short: "Reject reviewed work and return it to open",
+	Long: `Send issues back to open so they can be picked up again. Supersedes any
+active approval review and clears the implementer/reviewer/requester stamps so
+a fresh review cycle starts clean.
 
-Supports bulk operations:
-  td reject td-abc1 td-abc2    # Reject multiple issues`,
+Examples:
+  td reject td-abc1 -m "tests are flaky, please rerun"
+  td reject td-abc1 td-abc2                 # bulk reject`,
 	GroupID: "workflow",
 	Args:    cobra.MinimumNArgs(1),
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -1227,7 +1231,7 @@ Supports bulk operations:
 var closeCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:     "close [issue-id...]",
 	Aliases: []string{"done", "complete"},
-	Short:   "Admin close: duplicates, won't-fix, cleanup (NOT for reviewed work)",
+	Short:   "Admin close for duplicates, won't-fix, or cleanup",
 	Long: `Closes the issue(s) directly. Admin-only scope: duplicates, won't-fix,
 or cleanup of never-implemented issues.
 

cmd/root.go

@@ -35,10 +35,12 @@ func SetVersion(v string) {
 
 var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "td",
-	Short: "Local task and session management CLI",
-	Long: `td - A minimalist local task and session management CLI designed for AI-assisted development workflows.
+	Short: "Track tasks and hand off work between AI sessions",
+	Long: `td is a local-first task tracker built for AI-assisted development.
 
-Optimized for session continuity—capturing working state so new context windows can resume where previous ones stopped.`,
+It captures progress, decisions, and git state so a new context window can
+pick up exactly where the previous one stopped. Run 'td usage -q' for a
+condensed command reference, or 'td next' to see what to work on.`,
 	PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		cmdStartTime = time.Now()
 		runGatedSyncStartupHook(cmd)

cmd/start.go

@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@ import (
 var startCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:     "start [issue-id...]",
 	Aliases: []string{"begin"},
-	Short:   "Begin work on issue(s)",
-	Long: `Records current session as implementer and captures git state.
+	Short:   "Begin work on one or more issues",
+	Long: `Mark issues as in-progress, claim them for this session, and snapshot
+git HEAD so diffs at handoff time are accurate.
 
 Examples:
-  td start td-abc1                    # Start single issue
-  td start td-abc1 td-abc2 td-abc3    # Start multiple issues`,
+  td start td-abc1                    # Start a single issue
+  td start td-abc1 td-abc2 td-abc3    # Start several at once
+  td start td-abc1 --force            # Override blocked status`,
 	GroupID: "workflow",
 	Args:    cobra.MinimumNArgs(1),
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {