| name | clean-handoff |
| description | Use when cleaning, deleting, pruning, or removing files from the repository root `.handoff/` directory |
Clean Handoff
When to Use
Use this skill when the user asks to clean, delete, reset, prune, or remove subagent handoff files or files under the repository root .handoff/ directory.
Do not use it for general build artifacts, caches, logs, generated code, or files outside .handoff/.
Core Rule
Only delete handoff files from the repository root .handoff/ directory. Never broaden cleanup to other directories unless the user explicitly asks for a separate cleanup task.
If the requested cleanup scope is unclear, narrow it before deleting files.
Workflow
- Locate the repository root
.handoff/ directory.
- If
.handoff/ does not exist, report that there are no handoff files to clean.
- Determine the cleanup scope:
- All handoff files.
- Files for a named task, run, round, or subagent.
- Files older than a user-specified point in time.
- Files matching a clear
.handoff/ naming pattern from the handoff-producing task.
- If the scope is ambiguous, ask the smallest clarifying question needed before deletion.
- Delete only matching files inside
.handoff/.
- Leave
.handoff/ ignored by Git; do not remove the .gitignore entry.
- Verify what remains in
.handoff/.
- Report a concise cleanup summary: removed count or paths, remaining files, and any skipped ambiguous files.
Common Mistakes
- Deleting files outside
.handoff/ because they look temporary.
- Removing
.handoff/ from .gitignore.
- Deleting the entire
.handoff/ directory when only one run was requested.
- Guessing which files belong to a run when names are unclear.
- Reporting "cleaned" without verifying whether files remain.
- Treating missing
.handoff/ as an error instead of a no-op cleanup.
Verification
Before finishing work that used this skill, confirm:
- Cleanup was limited to the repository root
.handoff/ directory.
- The requested scope was clear, or a clarifying question was asked before deletion.
- Only matching handoff files were removed.
.gitignore still ignores .handoff/.
- Remaining handoff files were checked or the directory was confirmed absent or empty.
References
- See
pressure-scenario.md for behavior validation.