Handoff

handoff

This skill runs when context is nearly exhausted. Budget is the constraint. Draft from what's already in conversation context — do not re-read files, do not grep, do not ask interview questions, do not run a self-check pass. One Write call is the goal.

Output path

docs/<slug>-handoff.md where <slug> is a 2–3 word kebab-case identifier derived from the session's main agenda (or the user's freeform argument to the slash command, if given).

• Lowercase, alphanumeric + hyphens only.
• If the file exists, append -2, -3, … — never clobber.
• mkdir -p docs if needed.

Audience

Another LLM coding agent with Read/Write/Bash but zero prior context. Write for them: concrete paths, exact commands, exact error strings. No prose pleasantries, no recap of the dialogue.

Sections (in order)

Include only sections with real content. Omit or write None this session. for empty ones — never pad.

1. Header — one-line crux (what this session was about), branch, date, working dir.
2. Agenda — 2–4 sentences on the goal.
3. Files read — bullet list: path + half-sentence on why it mattered.
4. Files written / edited — table: File | Change.
5. Bugs found — symptom + root cause (if known) + file:line.
6. Fixes made — what was broken + the fix + where.
7. Skills used — /ank:<skill> invocations + outcome. Omit if none.
8. Links / references — URLs, issue/PR numbers, doc paths.
9. Key decisions — non-obvious choices + why. Prevents re-litigation.
10. Current state — what works, what's half-done, what's untested. Quote actual build/test output if you ran any; say so if you didn't.
11. Open questions / not done — explicit gaps, deferred items.
12. Next steps — concrete, ordered. Each item must be actionable without a clarifying question (e.g. "read frontend/lib/auth.ts and trace refreshToken()" — not "figure out auth"). Write this last.

Optional (include only if substantial and quick to produce): a fenced ASCII layout/architecture diagram, key types/state shape, or API surface touched.

Shape: tables for file lists, fenced ASCII for diagrams, short headers, no filler prose.

Constraints

• Markdown only. No HTML, images, or external assets.
• No invented paths, line numbers, commits, or counts. If unsure, omit — don't verify, you don't have the budget. The receiving agent will grep.
• No transcript dump. Distill the work, not the dialogue.
• No interview. Use the user's slash-command argument if given; otherwise derive the slug and crux yourself.
• No self-check pass. Get the file written.
• Don't run builds, tests, or migrations to populate the doc. Report state as observed.