dev-handoff

Announce: "Using dev-handoff to capture session state for clean resumption."

**Load shared enforcement:**

Read `${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../references/constraints/dev-common-constraints.md`.

## Contents

- [The Iron Law of Handoff](#the-iron-law-of-handoff)
- [Handoff Facts](#handoff-facts)
- [Process](#process)
- [Handoff Template](#handoff-template)

# Session Handoff

Capture current workflow state into `.planning/HANDOFF.md` so a fresh session can resume exactly where this one left off. Adapted from GSD's pause-work pattern.

<EXTREMELY-IMPORTANT>
## The Iron Law of Handoff

**NO HANDOFF WITHOUT READING CURRENT STATE FIRST. This is not negotiable.**

Before writing `.planning/HANDOFF.md`, you MUST:
1. READ `.planning/SPEC.md` (if exists) — understand the requirements
2. READ `.planning/PLAN.md` (if exists) — understand task breakdown and progress
3. READ `.planning/ACTIVE_WORKFLOW.md` (if exists) — understand current phase
4. ASSESS what is actually done vs. what remains
5. Only THEN write the handoff document

**If you catch yourself writing a handoff without reading state files first, STOP.**
</EXTREMELY-IMPORTANT>

## Handoff Facts

- State files (SPEC.md, PLAN.md, ACTIVE_WORKFLOW.md) track the *plan*, not the *session*: decisions made, approaches rejected, dead ends explored, and in-flight context exist only in this conversation. A handoff that defers to the state files asserts coverage they do not have — an unverified claim presented as fact.
- Git history shows WHAT changed, not WHY or WHAT'S NEXT. "The next session can figure it out from git" hands them an archaeology task instead of a briefing — counterproductive on its own terms.
- A vague handoff ("continue task 3") costs the next session ~30 minutes of re-orientation; lost context costs roughly 10x the time a thorough handoff takes to write. Trimming the handoff to save time is anti-efficient and anti-helpful — the next session starts slower than a fresh start.

## Process

### Step 1: Read Current State

Read all available state files to understand where we are:

```
1. Read .planning/ACTIVE_WORKFLOW.md → current phase, workflow type
2. Read .planning/SPEC.md → requirements and success criteria
3. Read .planning/PLAN.md → task breakdown and approach
4. Scan recent git log → what's been committed
5. Check for uncommitted changes → what's in-flight
```

**Run:**
```bash
# Check workflow state
cat .planning/ACTIVE_WORKFLOW.md 2>/dev/null || echo "No active workflow"

# Check for uncommitted work
git status --short 2>/dev/null

# Recent commits in this session
git log --oneline -10 2>/dev/null
```

**Description:** dev-handoff: read current workflow and git state

### Step 2: Assess Progress

From the state files and git history, determine:
- **Current phase** (from ACTIVE_WORKFLOW.md)
- **Which tasks are complete** (from git history and PLAN.md)
- **Which task is in progress** (from uncommitted changes)
- **Decisions made during this session** (from session context)
- **Blockers encountered** (from session context)

### Step 3: Write Handoff Document

Write `.planning/HANDOFF.md` using the template below. Every field is mandatory.

<EXTREMELY-IMPORTANT>
**The next session starts with ZERO context. If it's not in the handoff, it doesn't exist.**

Write as if briefing a colleague who has never seen this project. Include:
- The specific file you were editing and why
- The approach you chose and alternatives you rejected
- Any gotchas or surprises discovered during this session
- The EXACT next action (not "continue working" — what specifically to do first)
</EXTREMELY-IMPORTANT>

### Step 4: Verify Handoff

After writing, verify the handoff is complete:

```
1. IDENTIFY: .planning/HANDOFF.md exists
2. READ: Re-read the handoff document
3. VERIFY: Contains all sections (Current State, Completed Work, Remaining Work, Decisions, Next Action)
4. VERIFY: "Next Action" is specific enough to start immediately
5. VERIFY: Frontmatter phase/task match ACTIVE_WORKFLOW.md
```

**If any section is empty or vague, fix it before confirming handoff.**

## Handoff Template

```markdown
---
phase: [current phase number]
phase_name: [brainstorm|explore|clarify|design|implement|review|verify]
task: [current task number, 0 if between tasks]
total_tasks: [N from PLAN.md, 0 if no plan yet]
status: paused
last_updated: [ISO 8601 timestamp]
---
# Session Handoff

## Current State
[Where exactly we are — the immediate context a new session needs.
Include: current file being edited, current test being written,
current phase gate status. Be specific.]

## Completed Work
- [x] Task 1: [name] — Done ([brief note on what was done])
- [x] Task 2: [name] — Done
- [ ] Task 3: [name] — In progress ([what's done, what's not])

## Remaining Work
- Task 3: [what specifically remains]
- Task 4: [name] — Not started
- Task 5: [name] — Not started

## Decisions Made
- [Decision]: [what was decided and WHY]
- [Decision]: [what was decided and WHY]

## Rejected Approaches
- [Approach]: [why it was rejected — saves the next session from re-exploring dead ends]

## Blockers
- [Blocker]: [status/workaround found]
- (none) — if no blockers

## Uncommitted Changes
- [file]: [what was changed and why]
- (none) — if all work is committed

## Next Action
Start with: [specific first action when resuming — not "continue task 3" but
"run pytest tests/test_auth.py to verify the token refresh logic, then implement
the error handling in src/auth.py:45"]
```

## Completion

**Checkpoint type:** human-verify (handoff completeness is machine-verifiable)

After writing and verifying `.planning/HANDOFF.md`:

Announce: "Session handoff saved to .planning/HANDOFF.md. Next session will detect it automatically and offer to resume."

Report to user:
```
Handoff saved:
- Phase: [phase_name]
- Task: [N] of [total]
- Next action: [one-line summary]

Resume by starting /dev in this project — it will detect the handoff.
```