Manager Handoff

Manager Handoff Protocol

This skill defines how the Manager Agent communicates tasks to Developer Agents (or other specialized roles) using a "Source of Truth" Markdown file.

Input

• Completed step context and deliverables.
• Target role for next execution step.
• Task scope, constraints, and expected output.

Output

• A handoff brief in .agent/temp/task_<ID>_<SHORT_NAME>.md.
• A self-contained execution contract for the receiving agent.
• A completion-report expectation for closure hygiene.

Process

Phase 1: Define the Channel

• Directory: .agent/temp/
• Naming Convention: task_<ID>_<SHORT_NAME>.md
  • Example: .agent/temp/task_001_auth_setup.md

Phase 2: Create the Task Brief

Every handoff file MUST follow this structure to ensure the receiving agent has 100% of the context needed to execute without asking questions.

# Task: [Task Name]
**ID**: [Ticket-ID]
**Role**: [Target Role, e.g., Dev Agent]

## 1. Context
(Briefly explain *why* we are doing this. Link to Product Vision or Tech Strategy if needed.)

## 2. Requirements (The "What")
- [ ] Requirement 1
- [ ] Requirement 2

## 3. Technical Constraints (The "How")
- **File(s) to Modify**: `src/auth.py`
- **Style/Pattern**: Use the Repository Pattern.
- **Libraries**: Use `pydantic` for validation.

## 4. Deliverables
- Source Code: `[file_path]`
- Tests: `[test_path]`

## 5. Definition of Done (Verification)
- [ ] Code compiles.
- [ ] Unit tests pass.
- [ ] Linter is happy.

Phase 3: Execute Handoff Workflow

1. Manager creates the brief in .agent/temp/.
2. Manager signals the Developer to read the specific file.
3. Developer executes the task using the file as the absolute Source of Truth.
4. Developer writes a completion report (or updates the task file) when done.

Phase 4: Maintain Handoff Hygiene

• These files are ephemeral but serve as the logs of specific task assignments.
• Do not commit .agent/temp to Git (it is in .gitignore).
• If a task changes significantly, update the Brief file first, then tell the Agent.

Phase 5: Re-delegation (Salvage Mode)

When re-assigning a ticket from a failed, stale, or crashed agent:

1. Check if the previous agent left a branch on remote (e.g., codex/<ticket-id>-<slug>).
2. If a branch exists, instruct the new agent to fetch and assess it before writing new code.
3. Document in the brief what was salvageable and what needs to be redone.
4. Update the task brief with explicit salvage instructions: "Agent [X] stalled. Branch [branch-name] may contain partial work. Assess, salvage, or reset."

Rules

1. ALWAYS provide a self-contained brief with context, constraints, and DoD.
2. ALWAYS update the brief before asking the receiving agent to proceed.
3. NEVER delegate work without a concrete output path or artifact expectation.
4. NEVER treat conversational history as source of truth over the handoff brief.