majiayu000 Resume from Handoff
Resume work from a handoff document through analysis and verification.
Step 1: Read Handoff Completely
If given a handoff path:
# Read the handoff file (handoffs live under the active project)
cat .wai/projects/<name>/handoffs/2026-01-12-session-end.md
If given an issue ID:
# Find handoffs for this issue
find .wai/projects -path "*/handoffs/*.md" | xargs grep -l "issue: issue-123" | sort -r | head -1
If no parameter provided:
# List recent handoffs across all projects
find .wai/projects -path "*/handoffs/*.md" | sort -r | head -10
# Or run wai prime — it shows the pending-resume handoff at session start
wai prime
Step 2: Extract Key Information
From the handoff, identify:
Task Status:
- What was completed?
- What's in progress?
- What's planned?
Critical Files:
- Which files are most important?
- What are the line ranges mentioned?
Key Learnings:
- What discoveries affect our work?
- What mistakes should we avoid?
Open Questions:
- What needs decisions?
- What was uncertain?
Next Steps:
- What's the prioritized todo list?
Step 3: Verify Current State
# Check if anything changed since handoff
git log --oneline [handoff_commit]..HEAD
# Check current branch
git branch --show-current
# Check working directory status
git status
# Compare current state to handoff state
git diff [handoff_commit]
Step 4: Read Referenced Files
Read the "Critical Files" section files:
# Read each critical file mentioned
cat src/auth/oauth.ts
cat src/auth/providers.ts
# ... etc
Focus on:
- Understanding current implementation
- Verifying learnings still apply
- Finding any conflicts with changes since handoff
Step 5: Present Analysis
I've analyzed the handoff from [date]. Here's the current situation:
## Original Context
[Summary of what was being worked on]
## Task Status Review
**Completed (from handoff):**
- [x] Task 1 - VERIFIED: Still complete
- [x] Task 2 - VERIFIED: Still complete
**In Progress (from handoff):**
- [ ] Task 3 - STATUS: [describe current state]
**Planned:**
- [ ] Next task 1 [Priority from handoff]
- [ ] Next task 2
## Changes Since Handoff
**Commits since handoff:**
[List any commits between handoff and now]
**Impact:**
[How these changes affect our work]
## Key Learnings Still Applicable
1. [Learning 1] - Still valid because [reason]
2. [Learning 2] - Still valid, see [file:line]
## Questions Needing Resolution
From handoff:
- [ ] [Question 1] - [Current thinking or need decision]
- [ ] [Question 2] - [Can we resolve this now?]
## Recommended Next Action
Based on the handoff priorities and current state:
**Priority 1:** [Action from handoff]
- Reason: [Why this is still the priority]
- Files: [What needs to change]
- Approach: [How to do it]
Shall I proceed with [action]?
Step 6: Get Confirmation and Begin
Wait for user confirmation, then:
- Create todo list from next steps
- Start with highest priority action
- Apply learnings from handoff
- Track progress as you go
Scenarios
Clean Continuation
All changes present, no conflicts, proceed normally.
Diverged Codebase
Changes detected since handoff:
Commit a1b2c3d: "refactor: restructure auth module"
- Affects our OAuth implementation
- Provider files moved to src/auth/providers/ directory
- Need to update our understanding
I'll read the new structure before proceeding. Let me check:
- src/auth/providers/ directory contents
- How existing patterns changed
- If our learnings still apply
[After reading]
Updated understanding:
- Providers now in separate directory (not one file)
- Pattern still the same, just reorganized
- Our work can continue with file path updates
Shall I proceed with the original plan, adapting to new structure?
Incomplete Work
The handoff shows Task 3 was "in progress". Let me verify current state:
[Reads relevant files]
Current state: Task 3 is partially done:
- OAuth flow implemented
- Provider selection NOT YET implemented
- Error states missing
Recommended approach:
1. Complete Task 3 first (finish what was started)
2. Then proceed to planned work
Shall I complete Task 3 before moving to new work?
Stale Handoff
The handoff is from [3 weeks ago]. Significant changes detected:
Changes:
- 47 commits since handoff
- Auth system refactored
- New OAuth library integrated
This handoff may be too stale to resume directly.
Options:
1. Review changes and adapt the plan
2. Start fresh with current codebase state
3. Cherry-pick specific unfinished work
What would you like to do?
Guidelines
- Always verify before acting - Don't assume handoff matches reality
- Apply learnings - Use documented patterns and avoid noted pitfalls
- Check open questions - Some may be resolved or need decisions now
- Respect priorities - Handoff author prioritized for a reason
- Adapt to changes - If codebase changed, acknowledge and adapt
- Create new handoff - When this session ends, update or create new one