# Context Restore

> Restore working context saved earlier by /context-save. Loads the most recent saved state (across all branches by default) so you can pick up where you left off — even across Conductor workspace handoffs.

- Skill: `timurgaleev/context-restore` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add timurgaleev/context-restore`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/timurgaleev/context-restore/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: timurgaleev (https://skillmd.com/u/timurgaleev)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/timurgaleev/context-restore

---


## When to invoke

Use when asked to "resume", "restore context", "where was I", or "pick up where I left off". Pair with /context-save. Formerly /checkpoint resume — renamed because Claude Code treats /checkpoint as a native rewind alias in current environments.

## Preamble

```bash
eval "$(~/.vibestack/bin/vibe-slug 2>/dev/null)" 2>/dev/null || SLUG="unknown"
_LEARN_FILE="${VIBESTACK_HOME:-$HOME/.vibestack}/projects/${SLUG:-unknown}/learnings.jsonl"
if [ -f "$_LEARN_FILE" ]; then
  _LEARN_COUNT=$(wc -l < "$_LEARN_FILE" 2>/dev/null | tr -d ' ')
  echo "LEARNINGS: $_LEARN_COUNT entries loaded"
  if [ "$_LEARN_COUNT" -gt 5 ] 2>/dev/null; then
    ~/.vibestack/bin/vibe-learnings-search --limit 5 2>/dev/null || true
  fi
else
  echo "LEARNINGS: none yet"
fi
```

{{include lib/snippets/session-host.md}}

{{include lib/snippets/decision-brief.md}}

{{include lib/snippets/working-protocols.md}}

{{include lib/snippets/state-protocols.md}}

# /context-restore — Restore Saved Working Context

You are a **Staff Engineer reading a colleague's meticulous session notes** to
pick up exactly where they left off. Your job is to load the most recent saved
context and present it clearly so the user can resume work without losing a beat.

**HARD GATE:** Do NOT implement code changes. This skill only reads saved
context files and presents the summary.

**Default: load the most recent saved context across ALL branches.** This is
intentionally different from `/context-save list`, which defaults to the current
branch. `/context-restore` is for Conductor workspace handoff — a context saved
on one branch can be resumed from another.

**Do NOT filter the candidate set by current branch.** The `list` flow does
that; `/context-restore` does not.

---

## Detect command

Parse the user's input:

- `/context-restore` → load the most recent saved context (any branch)
- `/context-restore <title-fragment-or-number>` → load a specific saved context
- `/context-restore list` → tell the user "Use `/context-save list` — listing
  lives on the save side" and exit. No mode detection here.

---

## Restore flow

### Step 1: Find saved contexts

```bash
eval "$(~/.vibestack/bin/vibe-slug 2>/dev/null)" && mkdir -p ~/.vibestack/projects/$SLUG
CHECKPOINT_DIR="${VIBESTACK_HOME:-$HOME/.vibestack}/projects/$SLUG/checkpoints"
if [ ! -d "$CHECKPOINT_DIR" ]; then
  echo "NO_CHECKPOINTS"
else
  # Use find + sort instead of ls -1t. Two reasons:
  # 1. Canonical order is the filename YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS prefix (stable across
  #    copies/rsync). Filesystem mtime drifts and is not authoritative.
  # 2. On macOS, `find ... | xargs ls -1t` with zero results falls back to
  #    listing cwd. `sort -r` on empty input cleanly returns nothing.
  # Cap at 20 most recent: a user with 10k saved files shouldn't blow the
  # context window just listing them. /context-save list handles pagination.
  FILES=$(find "$CHECKPOINT_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -name "*.md" -type f 2>/dev/null | sort -r | head -20)
  if [ -z "$FILES" ]; then
    echo "NO_CHECKPOINTS"
  else
    echo "$FILES"
  fi
fi
```

**Candidates include every `.md` file in the directory, regardless of branch**
(the branch is recorded in frontmatter, not used for filtering here). This
enables Conductor workspace handoff.

### Step 2: Load the right file

- If the user specified a title fragment or number: find the matching file among
  the candidates.
- Otherwise: load the **first file returned by the `sort -r` above** — that is
  the newest `YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS` prefix, which is the canonical "most recent."

Read the chosen file and present a summary:

```
RESUMING CONTEXT
════════════════════════════════════════
Title:       {title}
Branch:      {branch from frontmatter}
Saved:       {timestamp, human-readable}
Duration:    Last session was {formatted duration} (if available)
Status:      {status}
════════════════════════════════════════

### Summary
{summary from saved file}

### Remaining Work
{remaining work items}

### Notes
{notes}
```

If the current branch differs from the saved context's branch, note this:
"This context was saved on branch `{branch}`. You are currently on
`{current branch}`. You may want to switch branches before continuing."

Then read the `branch:` frontmatter of the remaining candidates and, if any of
them was saved on the current branch, name the newest one and offer it:
"There is also a context saved on `{current branch}` — `{title}` from
`{timestamp}`. Load that one instead?" Every worktree of a repo shares one
checkpoints directory, so in a Conductor or `git worktree` setup the newest file
overall is often a sibling workspace's — the cross-branch default stays, but the
user gets told their own branch's context exists.

### Step 3: Offer next steps

After presenting, ask via AskUserQuestion:

- A) Continue working on the remaining items
- B) Show the full saved file
- C) Just needed the context, thanks

If A, summarize the first remaining work item and suggest starting there.

---

## If no saved contexts exist

If Step 1 printed `NO_CHECKPOINTS`, tell the user:

"No saved contexts yet. Run `/context-save` first to save your current working
state, then `/context-restore` will find it."

---

## Important Rules

- **Never modify code.** This skill only reads saved files and presents them.
- **Always search across all branches by default.** Cross-branch resume is the
  whole point. Only filter by branch if the user explicitly asks via a
  title-fragment match that happens to be branch-specific.
- **"Most recent" means the filename `YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS` prefix**, not
  `ls -1t` (filesystem mtime). Filenames are stable across file-system
  operations; mtime is not.
- **This is a vibestack skill, not a Claude Code built-in.** When the user types
  `/context-restore`, invoke this skill via the Skill tool.