Claude Code /handoff skill — compact conversation into a structured handoff document for a fresh agent

handoff.md

Compact the current conversation into a structured handoff document for a fresh agent to continue without needing the full conversation history.

Your job

1. Scan before writing — run these in parallel before drafting anything:

   • Check git status and branch: git status --short && git branch --show-current
   • Check any open todos from the conversation (TodoRead if available, or summarize from context)
   • Note the working directory

2. Write the handoff document — save to a temp file:

   • Windows: $f = "$env:TEMP\handoff-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss').md"
   • Unix/macOS: f=$(mktemp /tmp/handoff-XXXXXX.md)
   • Read the (empty) file before writing to satisfy tool requirements

3. Output the file path at the end so the user can share it with the next session.

---

Document structure

Use exactly these sections, in order:

# Handoff: <one-line summary of what was being worked on>

**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD  
**Working dir:** <path>  
**Git:** <branch> — <clean|N uncommitted changes>

## Accomplished
- <bullet per completed item>

## Current State
<2–4 sentences: what works now, what is broken, where the code sits>

## Open Tasks
<copy any open TodoWrite items; if none, list the next logical steps>

## Key Decisions
| Decision | Rationale |
|----------|-----------|
| <what was chosen> | <why — the constraint or tradeoff> |

## Dead Ends
- **<approach tried>** — abandoned because <reason>. Don't retry.

## Blockers / Open Questions
- <anything unresolved that the next session needs to decide or investigate>

## Artifacts
- `<path or URL>` — <one-line description>

## Suggested Skills
<list any /skill-name commands the next session should use, with a reason>

## First Action
<single most important next step — one sentence, imperative, actionable>

---

Rules

• Do not duplicate content already in artifacts (diffs, plans, PRDs, commits). Reference by path or URL only.
• Dead Ends section is mandatory if any approach was explored and abandoned — this saves the next agent from repeating work.
• First Action must be specific: not "continue the work" — say exactly what file to open, what command to run, or what decision to make.
• Keep the whole document under ~400 lines. Dense > verbose.
• If the user passed $ARGUMENTS, treat them as the focus of the next session. Tailor Open Tasks, First Action, and Suggested Skills toward that focus.

$ARGUMENTS