session-handoff

/session-handoff — Context Transfer

Orientation

Use when ending a session and wanting to preserve context for the next one. Also used automatically by orchestrators (Archon, Fleet) at session boundaries.

Don't use when: You want to extract reusable patterns from a completed campaign (use /learn), write a structured postmortem for a failed campaign (use /postmortem), or produce documentation rather than a context transfer.

Protocol

1. Collect session data (run in parallel):

   • git log --oneline -20 and git diff HEAD --stat
   • Read .planning/campaigns/ for files with status: active
   • Read .planning/fleet/ for files with status: active or needs-continue

2. Identify the primary thread: If an active campaign exists, use its current phase as the anchor. If multiple campaigns are active, list each. If no campaign, use the most recent git commits as the frame.

3. Map data to HANDOFF fields:

   • What changed: campaign phase output if campaign active; otherwise commit subjects from this session
   • Key decisions: commit messages with a tradeoff word ("instead", "because", "not"); or explicit statements from the conversation
   • Unresolved items: campaign items marked blocked or parked; TODOs added this session; anything explicitly deferred
   • Next steps: campaign's next phase if active; otherwise the top open item from above

4. Output the HANDOFF block.

Output Format

---HANDOFF---
- {what was built or changed — be specific}
- {key decisions and tradeoffs — include reasoning}
- {unresolved items — what's blocking}
- {next steps — what the next session should do first}
---

Keep it to 3-5 bullets, under 150 words. This is a context transfer, not a report.

Quality Gates

• Every bullet must be actionable or informative
• No vague statements ("made progress on X")
• Specific file references where relevant
• Decisions include reasoning, not just the choice

Fringe Cases

.planning/ does not exist: Skip campaign and fleet checks. Treat as "no active campaigns" and proceed with git-only context.