How do I install the Handoff skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add mithraeums/handoff in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Handoff safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Handoff?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Handoff free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Handoff?

mithraeums (@mithraeums) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Handoff by mithraeums — Agent Skill

Name: Handoff
Author: mithraeums

Handoff

Write a START-HERE state doc so the next session (you, later, or a teammate) resumes in seconds instead of re-deriving everything. Use at session end, before a long pause, when context is about to compact, or when the user says "wrap up / save state / where were we". Captures done / next / gotchas — not a transcript. Host-agnostic. Trigger: /handoff, "wrap up", "save state", "where were we", "hand off", "session notes".

mithraeums f438c81 2.0 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

handoff — resume in seconds

What this is

A single living state doc that answers, for the next session: what's done, what's next, and what will bite you. Optimized for fast re-entry, not completeness.

When to write

End of a work session.
Right before context compaction / a long break.
After a milestone (a decision made, a phase finished).
When the user asks to wrap up or save state.

Where

A durable file the next session loads first — e.g. STATE.md at repo root, or a project memory (see the memory skill). One file; keep it current by editing in place, not appending forever.

Structure

# STATE — <project> (updated <absolute date>)

## ★ Start here
<the one or two sentences that orient someone instantly>

## Done (verified)
- <what's complete + how it was confirmed>

## Open / next
1. <next action, most important first> — <why / blocker>

## Decisions (don't re-litigate)
- <choice made + the reason, so it isn't reopened>

## Gotchas
- <traps: a path that breaks, an assumption proven wrong, an env quirk>

Rules

Absolute dates, never "yesterday" / "last session".
Record decisions with their why so they don't get reopened.
Mark what's verified vs assumed.
Newest/most-important state at the top.
Edit the existing doc; don't let it grow into a log. Prune what's no longer true.
It's point-in-time: when resuming, verify any named file/flag still exists before trusting it.

Notes

Pure markdown; any agent. Pairs with memory (durable facts) and release (a push checklist is a kind of handoff).

---name: handoffdescription: Write a START-HERE state doc so the next session (you, later, or a teammate) resumes in seconds instead of re-deriving everything. Use at session end, before a long pause, when context is about to compact, or when the user says "wrap up / save state / where were we". Captures done / next / gotchas — not a transcript. Host-agnostic. Trigger: /handoff, "wrap up", "save state", "where were we", "hand off", "session notes".---# handoff — resume in seconds## What this isA single living state doc that answers, for the next session: *what's done, what'snext, and what will bite you.* Optimized for fast re-entry, not completeness.## When to write- End of a work session.- Right before context compaction / a long break.- After a milestone (a decision made, a phase finished).- When the user asks to wrap up or save state.## WhereA durable file the next session loads first — e.g. `STATE.md` at repo root, or a`project` memory (see the `memory` skill). One file; keep it current by editing inplace, not appending forever.## Structure```markdown# STATE — <project> (updated <absolute date>)## ★ Start here<the one or two sentences that orient someone instantly>## Done (verified)- <what's complete + how it was confirmed>## Open / next1. <next action, most important first> — <why / blocker>## Decisions (don't re-litigate)- <choice made + the reason, so it isn't reopened>## Gotchas- <traps: a path that breaks, an assumption proven wrong, an env quirk>```## Rules- **Absolute dates**, never "yesterday" / "last session".- Record **decisions with their why** so they don't get reopened.- Mark what's **verified** vs assumed.- Newest/most-important state at the **top**.- Edit the existing doc; don't let it grow into a log. Prune what's no longer true.- It's point-in-time: when resuming, verify any named file/flag still exists before trusting it.## NotesPure markdown; any agent. Pairs with `memory` (durable facts) and `release` (a pushchecklist is a kind of handoff).

Frequently asked questions