pickup

name	pickup
description	Resume a session by loading prior context from artifacts. Use when the user says "/pickup", "pick up where I left off", "resume", "load context", or starts a new session in a directory that has CONTEXT_FOR_NEXT_SESSION.md or TLDR.md files. Reads existing session artifacts and primes Claude with full context so the user doesn't have to re-explain anything.

Pickup

Load prior session artifacts and get up to speed instantly. The complement to /park.

Archive root: Resolve $SESSION_KIT_ROOT (default: ~/.stoobz). All ~/.stoobz/ paths below use this root.

Check-In (precondition)

Before the Process section runs, invoke sk checkin --silent --invoking pickup as a precondition. Pass --inherit-chain-from so chain metadata on the relay baton flows into the new session's manifest entry at first-checkin. See checkin/SKILL.md for the protocol details (three-tier session-ID resolution, active-dir + ledger creation, scaffolding-idempotent re-entry with liveness refresh, and the chain-inheritance flag semantics).

If sk checkin aborts (mkdir or ledger creation failure — the only durability conditions that fail loudly), this skill aborts too. Do not proceed to the Process section. Do not write any artifact.

Reference Invocation

BATON="./.stoobz/CONTEXT_FOR_NEXT_SESSION.md"
if [ ! -f "$BATON" ] && [ -f "./.stoobz/CHECKPOINT_CONTEXT.md" ]; then
  BATON="./.stoobz/CHECKPOINT_CONTEXT.md"
fi
sk checkin --silent --invoking pickup --inherit-chain-from "$BATON"

--inherit-chain-from is silent-fallthrough on a missing path or missing chain block — pass it unconditionally. Legacy / first-session pickups (no baton, no chain block) leave chain fields null exactly like before.

Chain Inheritance Semantics

Chain inheritance is enforced by the binary, not by skill prose:

• chain_id from the baton → manifest chain_id
• baton session_id → manifest previous_session_id (the PARKED session you're picking up)
• baton chain_position + 1 → manifest chain_position (this new session is the next link)
• baton parent_chain_id, checkpoint_nodes → pass through to manifest if present (checkpoint-originated chains)

Chain fields are write-once at first-checkin; re-entry preserves them. See checkin/SKILL.md § Chain Inheritance for the full flag reference.

Process

1. Scan for artifacts in ./.stoobz/:

   • .stoobz/CONTEXT_FOR_NEXT_SESSION.md (primary — contains full resume context)
   • .stoobz/CHECKPOINT_CONTEXT.md (if present — checkpoint synthesis from prior chain)
   • .stoobz/TLDR.md (secondary — provides session summary)
   • .stoobz/HONE.md (tertiary — shows original goals and optimized prompt)
   • .stoobz/RETRO.md (if present — shows lessons from last session)

2. Load in priority order:

   • Read .stoobz/CONTEXT_FOR_NEXT_SESSION.md first — this has everything needed
   • If missing, fall back to .stoobz/TLDR.md for at least a summary
   • If neither exists, tell the user: "No session artifacts found in ./.stoobz/. Starting fresh."

3. Load recommended skills — If the relay doc lists skills under "Skills To Load", invoke them.

4. Present a briefing:

Picked up from {date}. Here's where we are:

  What:  {1-line summary of the work}
  Where: {specific stopping point}
  Next:  {top priority action}
  Chain: {chain_id} (session {N})        ← only if chain metadata was inherited

Ready to continue. What would you like to tackle first?

• If chain metadata was inherited from the relay baton, include the Chain line showing the chain_id and the new chain_position.
• If checkpoint metadata (parent_chain_id, checkpoint_nodes) is present, use this form instead:

  Picked up from checkpoint. Starting chain: {chain_id} (branched from {parent_chain_id}, nodes {checkpoint_nodes}).
  

• If no chain metadata (legacy context or first session), omit the Chain line.

5. If the user pastes a CONTEXT_FOR_NEXT_SESSION.md directly (instead of running /pickup), recognize it and treat it the same — no need to re-read files. Still extract chain metadata from the pasted content if present.

Rules

• Don't parrot the full document — Summarize into the briefing format. The user can read the files.
• Load skills silently — Don't announce each skill load, just do it.
• Ask before acting — Present the briefing and wait for direction. Don't start executing next steps autonomously.
• Handle stale context — If the artifact is more than 7 days old, note this: "Context is from {date} — things may have changed."
• Chain metadata flows through — If the relay baton has chain metadata, preserve it. The chain_id and position carry forward to this session's manifest entry and eventual /park archive. Checkpoint metadata (parent_chain_id, checkpoint_nodes) also flows through so /park can archive it.
• CHECKPOINT_CONTEXT.md is supplementary — If both CONTEXT_FOR_NEXT_SESSION.md and CHECKPOINT_CONTEXT.md exist, the relay baton is primary. The checkpoint context provides additional background (the full synthesis). Read it for context but don't duplicate its content in the briefing.