Session Management Guide
Phase Tracking
Sessions track EDIRD phases:
- NOTES.md: "Current Phase" section with phase, last verb, gate status
- PROGRESS.md: "Phase Plan" section with 5 phases and status
MUST-NOT-FORGET
- Session folder location:
[DEFAULT_SESSIONS_FOLDER]/_YYYY-MM-DD_[SessionTopicCamelCase]/
- Default:
[DEFAULT_SESSIONS_FOLDER] = [WORKSPACE_FOLDER] (override in !NOTES.md)
- Required files: NOTES.md, PROBLEMS.md, PROGRESS.md
- Lifecycle: Init → Work → Save → Resume → Finalize → Archive
- Sync session PROBLEMS.md to project on /session-finalize
- Phase tracking: NOTES.md has current phase, PROGRESS.md has full phase plan
- STOP after session init: After creating session files, STOP and wait for user review. Do NOT implement session goal until explicitly requested. User must review and refine goals before work begins.
Session Lifecycle
- Init (
/session-new): Create session folder with tracking files
- Work: Create specs, plans, implement, track progress
- Save (
/session-save): Document findings, commit changes
- Resume (
/session-load): Re-read session documents, continue work
- Finalize (
/session-finalize): Sync findings to project files, prepare for archive
Session Folder Location
Base: [DEFAULT_SESSIONS_FOLDER] (default: [WORKSPACE_FOLDER], can be overridden in !NOTES.md)
Format: [DEFAULT_SESSIONS_FOLDER]/_YYYY-MM-DD_[SessionTopicCamelCase]/
Example: _PrivateSessions/_2026-01-12_FixAuthenticationBug/
Required Session Files
Use templates from this skill folder:
- NOTES.md (
NOTES_TEMPLATE.md): Key information, agent instructions, working patterns, large initial prompts (>120 tokens)
- PROBLEMS.md (
PROBLEMS_TEMPLATE.md): All problems to be addressed - initial prompts, questions, feature requests, bugs, strange behavior, investigation topics. Each problem gets a unique ID and tracks status (Open/Resolved/Deferred)
- PROGRESS.md (
PROGRESS_TEMPLATE.md): Task execution tracking - to-do list, done items, tried-but-not-used approaches
Key distinction:
- NOTES.md = Context and reference information (static knowledge)
- PROBLEMS.md = All topics requiring attention (dynamic problem list with IDs)
- PROGRESS.md = Task execution status (what's being worked on)
Assumed Workflow
1. INIT: User initializes session (`/session-new`)
└── Session folder, NOTES.md, PROBLEMS.md, PROGRESS.md created
2. PREPARE (one of):
A) User prepares work manually
└── Creates INFO / SPEC / IMPL documents, tracks progress
B) User explains problem, agent assists
└── Updates Problems, Progress, Notes → researches → creates documents
3. WORK: User or agent implements
└── Makes decisions, creates tests, implements, verifies
└── Progress and findings tracked continuously
4. SAVE: User saves session for later (`/session-save`)
└── Everything updated and committed
5. RESUME: User resumes session (`/session-load`)
└── Agent primes from session files, executes workflows in Notes
└── Continue with steps 2-3
6. FINALIZE: User finalizes session (`/session-finalize`)
└── Everything updated, committed, synced to project/workspace
7. ARCHIVE: User archives session
└── Session folder moved to _Archive/
ID System
See [AGENT_FOLDER]/rules/devsystem-ids.md rule (always-on) for complete ID system.
Quick Reference:
- Document:
[TOPIC]-[DOC][NN] (IN, SP, IP, TP)
- Example:
CRWL-SP01, AUTH-IP01
- Tracking:
[TOPIC]-[TYPE]-[NNN] (BG = Bug, FT = Feature, PR = Problem, FX = Fix, TK = Task)
- Example:
SAP-BG-001, UI-PR-003, GLOB-TK-015
- Topic Registry: Maintained in project NOTES.md
Session Init Template
NOTES.md
# Session Notes
## Session Info
- **Started**: [DATE]
- **Goal**: [Brief description]
## Key Decisions
## Important Findings
## Workflows to Run on Resume
PROBLEMS.md
# Session Problems
## Open
## Resolved
## Deferred
PROGRESS.md
# Session Progress
## To Do
## In Progress
## Done
## Tried But Not Used
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1---2name: session-management-43description: Apply when initializing, saving, resuming, or closing a work session Use when this capability is needed.4---56# Session Management Guide78## Phase Tracking910Sessions track EDIRD phases:11- NOTES.md: "Current Phase" section with phase, last verb, gate status12- PROGRESS.md: "Phase Plan" section with 5 phases and status1314## MUST-NOT-FORGET1516- Session folder location: `[DEFAULT_SESSIONS_FOLDER]/_YYYY-MM-DD_[SessionTopicCamelCase]/`17- Default: `[DEFAULT_SESSIONS_FOLDER]` = `[WORKSPACE_FOLDER]` (override in `!NOTES.md`)18- Required files: NOTES.md, PROBLEMS.md, PROGRESS.md19- Lifecycle: Init → Work → Save → Resume → Finalize → Archive20- Sync session PROBLEMS.md to project on /session-finalize21- Phase tracking: NOTES.md has current phase, PROGRESS.md has full phase plan22- **STOP after session init**: After creating session files, STOP and wait for user review. Do NOT implement session goal until explicitly requested. User must review and refine goals before work begins.2324## Session Lifecycle25261. **Init** (`/session-new`): Create session folder with tracking files272. **Work**: Create specs, plans, implement, track progress283. **Save** (`/session-save`): Document findings, commit changes294. **Resume** (`/session-load`): Re-read session documents, continue work305. **Finalize** (`/session-finalize`): Sync findings to project files, prepare for archive3132## Session Folder Location3334**Base:** `[DEFAULT_SESSIONS_FOLDER]` (default: `[WORKSPACE_FOLDER]`, can be overridden in `!NOTES.md`)3536**Format:** `[DEFAULT_SESSIONS_FOLDER]/_YYYY-MM-DD_[SessionTopicCamelCase]/`3738**Example:** `_PrivateSessions/_2026-01-12_FixAuthenticationBug/`3940## Required Session Files4142Use templates from this skill folder:4344- **NOTES.md** (`NOTES_TEMPLATE.md`): Key information, agent instructions, working patterns, large initial prompts (>120 tokens)45- **PROBLEMS.md** (`PROBLEMS_TEMPLATE.md`): All problems to be addressed - initial prompts, questions, feature requests, bugs, strange behavior, investigation topics. Each problem gets a unique ID and tracks status (Open/Resolved/Deferred)46- **PROGRESS.md** (`PROGRESS_TEMPLATE.md`): Task execution tracking - to-do list, done items, tried-but-not-used approaches4748**Key distinction:**49- **NOTES.md** = Context and reference information (static knowledge)50- **PROBLEMS.md** = All topics requiring attention (dynamic problem list with IDs)51- **PROGRESS.md** = Task execution status (what's being worked on)5253## Assumed Workflow5455```561. INIT: User initializes session (`/session-new`)57 └── Session folder, NOTES.md, PROBLEMS.md, PROGRESS.md created58592. PREPARE (one of):60 A) User prepares work manually61 └── Creates INFO / SPEC / IMPL documents, tracks progress62 B) User explains problem, agent assists63 └── Updates Problems, Progress, Notes → researches → creates documents64653. WORK: User or agent implements66 └── Makes decisions, creates tests, implements, verifies67 └── Progress and findings tracked continuously68694. SAVE: User saves session for later (`/session-save`)70 └── Everything updated and committed71725. RESUME: User resumes session (`/session-load`)73 └── Agent primes from session files, executes workflows in Notes74 └── Continue with steps 2-375766. FINALIZE: User finalizes session (`/session-finalize`)77 └── Everything updated, committed, synced to project/workspace78797. ARCHIVE: User archives session80 └── Session folder moved to _Archive/81```8283## ID System8485See `[AGENT_FOLDER]/rules/devsystem-ids.md` rule (always-on) for complete ID system.8687**Quick Reference:**88- Document: `[TOPIC]-[DOC][NN]` (IN, SP, IP, TP)89 - Example: `CRWL-SP01`, `AUTH-IP01`90- Tracking: `[TOPIC]-[TYPE]-[NNN]` (BG = Bug, FT = Feature, PR = Problem, FX = Fix, TK = Task)91 - Example: `SAP-BG-001`, `UI-PR-003`, `GLOB-TK-015`92- Topic Registry: Maintained in project NOTES.md9394## Session Init Template9596### NOTES.md97```markdown98# Session Notes99100## Session Info101- **Started**: [DATE]102- **Goal**: [Brief description]103104## Key Decisions105106## Important Findings107108## Workflows to Run on Resume109```110111### PROBLEMS.md112```markdown113# Session Problems114115## Open116117## Resolved118119## Deferred120```121122### PROGRESS.md123```markdown124# Session Progress125126## To Do127128## In Progress129130## Done131132## Tried But Not Used133```134135---136> Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/karstenheld3) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.137<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-04-13 -->