Refactor acceptance criteria into model

app/Actions/Tickets/CreateProjectTicket.php

@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ class CreateProjectTicket
 
             $ticket = Ticket::query()->create([
                 'acceptance_criteria' => TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::toLegacyText($acceptanceCriteria),
-                'acceptance_criteria_data' => TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::forStorage($acceptanceCriteria),
                 'assignee_user_id' => Arr::get($attributes, 'assignee_user_id'),
                 'author_user_id' => $actor?->id,
                 'description' => Arr::get($attributes, 'description'),
@@ -69,6 +68,8 @@ class CreateProjectTicket
                 'story_points' => Arr::get($attributes, 'story_points'),
             ]);
 
+            TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::syncTicket($ticket, $acceptanceCriteria);
+
             $occurredAt = CarbonImmutable::now();
 
             if ($actor !== null) {

app/Actions/Tickets/Support/TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData.php

@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 namespace App\Actions\Tickets\Support;
 
+use App\Models\AcceptanceCriterion;
+use App\Models\Ticket;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Collection as EloquentCollection;
 use Illuminate\Support\Arr;
 
 class TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData
@@ -9,6 +12,7 @@ class TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData
     public const MAX_INDENT_LEVEL = 8;
 
     /**
+     * @param  iterable<AcceptanceCriterion>  $criteria
      * @return array{
      *     summary: string|null,
      *     items: array<int, array{
@@ -18,17 +22,37 @@ class TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData
      *     }>
      * }
      */
-    public static function fromStored(mixed $storedData, ?string $legacyText): array
+    public static function fromModels(iterable $criteria, ?string $legacyText): array
     {
-        $normalizedStoredData = is_array($storedData)
+        $summary = self::normalize($legacyText)['summary'];
-            ? self::normalize($storedData)
+        $models = ($criteria instanceof EloquentCollection ? $criteria : collect($criteria))
-            : self::empty();
+            ->sort(function (AcceptanceCriterion $left, AcceptanceCriterion $right): int {
+                return [
+                    $left->parent_acceptance_criterion_id ?? 0,
+                    $left->position,
+                    $left->id,
+                ] <=> [
+                    $right->parent_acceptance_criterion_id ?? 0,
+                    $right->position,
+                    $right->id,
+                ];
+            })
+            ->values();
 
-        if (self::hasContent($normalizedStoredData)) {
+        if ($models->isEmpty()) {
-            return $normalizedStoredData;
+            return self::normalize($legacyText);
         }
 
-        return self::normalize($legacyText);
+        /** @var array<int|null, array<int, AcceptanceCriterion>> $grouped */
+        $grouped = $models->groupBy('parent_acceptance_criterion_id')->all();
+        $items = [];
+
+        self::flattenItems($items, $grouped, null, 0);
+
+        return [
+            'summary' => $summary,
+            'items' => $items,
+        ];
     }
 
     /**
@@ -71,6 +95,7 @@ class TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData
     }
 
     /**
+     * @param  Ticket  $ticket
      * @param  array{
      *     summary: string|null,
      *     items: array<int, array{
@@ -79,22 +104,39 @@ class TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData
      *         text: string
      *     }>
      * }  $acceptanceCriteria
-     * @return array{
-     *     summary: string|null,
-     *     items: array<int, array{
-     *         checked: bool,
-     *         indent: int,
-     *         text: string
-     *     }>
-     * }|null
      */
-    public static function forStorage(array $acceptanceCriteria): ?array
+    public static function syncTicket(Ticket $ticket, array $acceptanceCriteria): void
     {
         $normalized = self::normalize($acceptanceCriteria);
 
-        return self::hasContent($normalized)
+        $ticket->acceptanceCriteria()->delete();
-            ? $normalized
+
-            : null;
+        if ($normalized['items'] === []) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $parentStack = [];
+        $positionsByParent = [];
+
+        foreach ($normalized['items'] as $item) {
+            $indent = min($item['indent'], count($parentStack));
+            $parentId = $indent === 0 ? null : $parentStack[$indent - 1];
+            $positionKey = $parentId ?? 'root';
+            $position = $positionsByParent[$positionKey] ?? 0;
+
+            $criterion = $ticket->acceptanceCriteria()->create([
+                'parent_acceptance_criterion_id' => $parentId,
+                'position' => $position,
+                'text' => $item['text'],
+                'is_checked' => $item['checked'],
+            ]);
+
+            $positionsByParent[$positionKey] = $position + 1;
+            $parentStack[$indent] = $criterion->id;
+            $parentStack = array_slice($parentStack, 0, $indent + 1);
+        }
+
+        $ticket->unsetRelation('acceptanceCriteria');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -154,6 +196,23 @@ class TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData
         ];
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @param  array<int, array{checked: bool, indent: int, text: string}>  $items
+     * @param  array<int|string, iterable<AcceptanceCriterion>>  $grouped
+     */
+    private static function flattenItems(array &$items, array $grouped, ?int $parentId, int $indent): void
+    {
+        foreach ($grouped[$parentId] ?? [] as $criterion) {
+            $items[] = [
+                'checked' => $criterion->is_checked,
+                'indent' => $indent,
+                'text' => $criterion->text,
+            ];
+
+            self::flattenItems($items, $grouped, $criterion->id, $indent + 1);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * @param  array<string, mixed>  $value
      * @return array{

app/Actions/Tickets/UpdateProjectTicket.php

@@ -52,9 +52,12 @@ class UpdateProjectTicket
         array $validated,
     ): bool {
         $fieldValueAttributes = Arr::get($validated, 'field_values', []);
+        $nextAcceptanceCriteria = TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::normalize(
+            Arr::get($validated, 'acceptance_criteria'),
+        );
         $ticketAttributes = $this->buildTicketAttributes($ticket, $validated);
 
-        return DB::transaction(function () use ($actor, $fieldValueAttributes, $ticket, $ticketAttributes): bool {
+        return DB::transaction(function () use ($actor, $fieldValueAttributes, $nextAcceptanceCriteria, $ticket, $ticketAttributes): bool {
             if (! $ticketAttributes['is_blocked']) {
                 $ticketAttributes['blocked_comment'] = null;
             }
@@ -62,6 +65,7 @@ class UpdateProjectTicket
             $ticket->loadMissing([
                 'assignee',
                 'author',
+                'acceptanceCriteria',
                 'fieldValues.ticketFieldDefinition',
                 'fieldValues.userValue',
                 'parentTicket',
@@ -85,14 +89,10 @@ class UpdateProjectTicket
             /** @var Collection<int, TicketFieldValue> $existingFieldValues */
             $existingFieldValues = $ticket->fieldValues
                 ->keyBy('ticket_field_definition_id');
-            $currentAcceptanceCriteria = TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::fromStored(
+            $currentAcceptanceCriteria = TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::fromModels(
-                $ticket->acceptance_criteria_data,
+                $ticket->acceptanceCriteria,
                 $ticket->acceptance_criteria,
             );
-            $nextAcceptanceCriteria = TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::fromStored(
-                $ticketAttributes['acceptance_criteria_data'],
-                $ticketAttributes['acceptance_criteria'],
-            );
 
             $changes = [];
             $summaryLabels = [];
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ class UpdateProjectTicket
                 $ticket->save();
             }
 
+            if ($currentAcceptanceCriteria !== $nextAcceptanceCriteria) {
+                TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::syncTicket($ticket, $nextAcceptanceCriteria);
+            }
+
             $fieldValueChangeSet = $this->syncProjectTicketFieldValues->handle(
                 $ticket,
                 $fieldDefinitions,
@@ -252,14 +256,6 @@ class UpdateProjectTicket
      * }  $validated
      * @return array{
      *     acceptance_criteria: string|null,
-     *     acceptance_criteria_data: array{
-     *         summary: string|null,
-     *         items: array<int, array{
-     *             checked: bool,
-     *             indent: int,
-     *             text: string
-     *         }>
-     *     }|null,
      *     assignee_user_id: int|null,
      *     author_user_id: int|null,
      *     blocked_comment: string|null,
@@ -280,7 +276,6 @@ class UpdateProjectTicket
 
         return [
             'acceptance_criteria' => TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::toLegacyText($acceptanceCriteria),
-            'acceptance_criteria_data' => TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::forStorage($acceptanceCriteria),
             'assignee_user_id' => Arr::exists($validated, 'assignee_user_id')
                 ? Arr::get($validated, 'assignee_user_id')
                 : $ticket->assignee_user_id,

app/Http/Resources/TicketResource.php

@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ class TicketResource extends JsonResource
     {
         return [
             'id' => $this->id,
-            'acceptance_criteria' => TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::fromStored(
+            'acceptance_criteria' => TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::fromModels(
-                $this->acceptance_criteria_data,
+                $this->relationLoaded('acceptanceCriteria')
+                    ? $this->acceptanceCriteria
+                    : $this->acceptanceCriteria()->get(),
                 $this->acceptance_criteria,
             ),
             'acceptance_criteria_text' => $this->acceptance_criteria,

app/Mcp/Support/KanbanGitMcp.php

@@ -227,8 +227,10 @@ class KanbanGitMcp
     public function updatePayload(Ticket $ticket): array
     {
         return [
-            'acceptance_criteria' => TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::fromStored(
+            'acceptance_criteria' => TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::fromModels(
-                $ticket->acceptance_criteria_data,
+                $ticket->relationLoaded('acceptanceCriteria')
+                    ? $ticket->acceptanceCriteria
+                    : $ticket->acceptanceCriteria()->get(),
                 $ticket->acceptance_criteria,
             ),
             'assignee_user_id' => $ticket->assignee_user_id,

app/Models/AcceptanceCriterion.php

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Models;
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Attributes\Fillable;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\BelongsTo;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\HasMany;
+
+#[Fillable([
+    'ticket_id',
+    'parent_acceptance_criterion_id',
+    'position',
+    'text',
+    'is_checked',
+])]
+class AcceptanceCriterion extends Model
+{
+    /**
+     * @return array<string, string>
+     */
+    protected function casts(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'is_checked' => 'boolean',
+        ];
+    }
+
+    public function children(): HasMany
+    {
+        return $this->hasMany(self::class, 'parent_acceptance_criterion_id')
+            ->orderBy('position')
+            ->orderBy('id');
+    }
+
+    public function parent(): BelongsTo
+    {
+        return $this->belongsTo(self::class, 'parent_acceptance_criterion_id');
+    }
+
+    public function ticket(): BelongsTo
+    {
+        return $this->belongsTo(Ticket::class);
+    }
+}

app/Models/Ticket.php

@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\HasMany;
 
 #[Fillable([
     'acceptance_criteria',
-    'acceptance_criteria_data',
     'assignee_user_id',
     'author_user_id',
     'blocked_comment',
@@ -38,11 +37,17 @@ class Ticket extends Model
     protected function casts(): array
     {
         return [
-            'acceptance_criteria_data' => 'array',
             'is_blocked' => 'boolean',
         ];
     }
 
+    public function acceptanceCriteria(): HasMany
+    {
+        return $this->hasMany(AcceptanceCriterion::class)
+            ->orderBy('position')
+            ->orderBy('id');
+    }
+
     public function assignee(): BelongsTo
     {
         return $this->belongsTo(User::class, 'assignee_user_id');

database/migrations/2026_04_24_203500_add_acceptance_criteria_data_to_tickets_table.php

@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
-use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
-use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
-
-return new class extends Migration
-{
-    /**
-     * Run the migrations.
-     */
-    public function up(): void
-    {
-        Schema::table('tickets', function (Blueprint $table): void {
-            $table->json('acceptance_criteria_data')->nullable();
-        });
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Reverse the migrations.
-     */
-    public function down(): void
-    {
-        Schema::table('tickets', function (Blueprint $table): void {
-            $table->dropColumn('acceptance_criteria_data');
-        });
-    }
-};

database/migrations/2026_04_24_203500_create_acceptance_criteria_table.php

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+
+return new class extends Migration
+{
+    /**
+     * Run the migrations.
+     */
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+        Schema::create('acceptance_criteria', function (Blueprint $table): void {
+            $table->id();
+            $table->foreignId('ticket_id')
+                ->constrained()
+                ->cascadeOnDelete();
+            $table->foreignId('parent_acceptance_criterion_id')
+                ->nullable()
+                ->constrained('acceptance_criteria')
+                ->cascadeOnDelete();
+            $table->unsignedInteger('position')->default(0);
+            $table->text('text');
+            $table->boolean('is_checked')->default(false);
+            $table->timestamps();
+
+            $table->index(['ticket_id', 'parent_acceptance_criterion_id', 'position']);
+        });
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reverse the migrations.
+     */
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        Schema::dropIfExists('acceptance_criteria');
+    }
+};

tests/Feature/Projects/ProjectTicketControllerTest.php

@@ -527,9 +527,34 @@ class ProjectTicketControllerTest extends TestCase
             'ticket_priority_id' => $highPriority->id,
         ]);
 
-        $ticket->refresh();
+        $ticket->refresh()->load('acceptanceCriteria');
 
-        $this->assertEquals($updatedAcceptanceCriteria, $ticket->acceptance_criteria_data);
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            $updatedAcceptanceCriteria,
+            \App\Actions\Tickets\Support\TicketAcceptanceCriteriaData::fromModels(
+                $ticket->acceptanceCriteria,
+                $ticket->acceptance_criteria,
+            ),
+        );
+        $this->assertDatabaseHas('acceptance_criteria', [
+            'ticket_id' => $ticket->id,
+            'parent_acceptance_criterion_id' => null,
+            'position' => 0,
+            'text' => 'Shows success banner',
+            'is_checked' => false,
+        ]);
+        $rootCriterionId = \App\Models\AcceptanceCriterion::query()
+            ->where('ticket_id', $ticket->id)
+            ->where('text', 'Shows success banner')
+            ->value('id');
+        $this->assertNotNull($rootCriterionId);
+        $this->assertDatabaseHas('acceptance_criteria', [
+            'ticket_id' => $ticket->id,
+            'parent_acceptance_criterion_id' => $rootCriterionId,
+            'position' => 0,
+            'text' => 'Includes nested confirmations',
+            'is_checked' => true,
+        ]);
         $this->assertDatabaseHas('ticket_field_values', [
             'ticket_id' => $ticket->id,
             'ticket_field_definition_id' => $reviewerField->id,