handoff

Handoff

Create a paste-ready opening prompt for another agent/session/worktree. This skill is read-only in the parent workspace except for copying text to the local clipboard.

Use this when:

• Work is being split across parallel sessions or worktrees
• The user wants a scoped context packet for another coding agent
• The user says things like "handoff frontend", "handoff backend", "handoff QA", or "make a handoff for the migration"

Do not use this when:

• Resuming the same work in the same session — use continue-work if available
• Starting a fresh ticket from the tracker — use kickoff
• Saving long-term session memory — use memento if available

Do not create tickets, commits, branches, worktrees, or cross-worktree file changes. Do not include full diffs. Do not infer decisions that were not explicitly stated.

Process

1. Determine the slice

If the user's request includes a clear slice, proceed. Clear slices include:

• domain words: frontend, backend, mobile, QA, test, migration, infra, docs
• named files, directories, components, services, or APIs
• an explicit task statement

If the user only says "handoff" or gives vague scope like "some of this", ask one clarifying question:

What slice should I hand off — frontend, backend, QA, migration, or something else?

Do not gather context until the slice is clear.

2. Gather read-only workspace state

Run simple read-only commands. Avoid compound commands when the host prompts for bash permissions.

Required:

pwd
git branch --show-current
git status --short
git diff --stat

Optional, if relevant and cheap:

git log --oneline -5
find plans -maxdepth 2 -type f

Only read plan/spec/design files if they are directly relevant to the requested slice. Do not read or paste full diffs.

3. Extract explicit context

Build the handoff from:

• the user's stated goal
• the requested slice
• explicit decisions made in this conversation
• relevant written artifacts you read
• current git state from the required commands

Be conservative:

• If a decision was not explicitly stated, put it under Open questions
• Do not infer architecture from code patterns unless the user or artifact named it
• Do not include secrets, credentials, tokens, or private values
• Do not include full diff hunks

4. Write the payload

The payload must be agent-neutral. Do not assume the receiver has Beislið, Claude Code, Codex, pi, or slash commands.

Use this structure:

# Handoff: <slice>

You are taking over the <slice> slice of this work in a separate session/worktree.

## Goal
<One or two sentences describing the overall goal and this slice's assignment.>

## Parent workspace state
- Parent path: `<pwd>`
- Parent branch: `<branch>`
- Working tree summary:
  ```text
  <git status --short output or "clean">

• Diff stat:

  <git diff --stat output or "no local diff">
  

Assigned scope

Explicit decisions so far

• <Decision and rationale, only if explicitly known>

Constraints / do not touch

• Do not assume unstated product or architecture decisions.
• Do not modify work outside the assigned slice without asking.
• Do not rely on the parent session transcript being available.

Suggested first steps

1. Inspect the local repo/worktree state.
2. Read relevant plans/specs/docs named in this handoff.
3. Verify assumptions before editing.
4. Implement only the assigned slice.

Open questions

• <Questions the receiver should resolve before proceeding, or "None known.">

Scale the payload to the work. Small handoffs can be short, but keep the section headings so the receiver can scan quickly.

### 5. Preview and copy

Always show the payload in the chat before or alongside copying.

Then copy immediately if a clipboard command is available. Try these in order:

```bash
command -v wl-copy
command -v xclip
command -v pbcopy
command -v clip.exe
command -v clip

Copy using the first available command:

printf '%s' '<payload>' | wl-copy
printf '%s' '<payload>' | xclip -selection clipboard
printf '%s' '<payload>' | pbcopy
printf '%s' '<payload>' | clip.exe
printf '%s' '<payload>' | clip

If shell quoting would be fragile, write the payload to a temporary file, copy from that file, then remove it:

mktemp
# write payload to temp file using the host's file write/edit tool
wl-copy < /tmp/<file>
rm /tmp/<file>

If no clipboard command is available, say so and leave the payload printed for manual copy.

Output Requirements

After copying or falling back, end with:

• whether clipboard copy succeeded
• which clipboard command was used, if any
• a reminder that the parent workspace was not modified

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Bare handoff proceeds with guessed scope	Ask what slice to hand off
Payload tells receiver to run Beislið commands	Keep it agent-neutral
Includes full git diff	Use git diff --stat only
Infers decisions from code shape	Move uncertain items to Open questions
Creates a worktree or branch	Stop; handoff is copy-only
Skips preview because clipboard succeeded	Always show the payload