| name | session-handoff |
| description | Write a checkpoint file at session end so the next session can pick up exactly where you left off. Captures what was done, what's next, key decisions, and reminders. |
Skill: Session Handoff
When to use
- At the end of a session, before the user starts a new one
- When the user says "wrap up", "hand off", "save context", "new session", or similar
- After all PRs are merged or parked and no more active work remains in this session
Steps
1. Determine the checkpoint number
Look for existing checkpoint files in the session folder:
C:\Users\lqdev\.copilot\session-state\<current-session-id>\checkpoints\
If the folder doesn't exist, create it. Name the file with the next sequential number:
- No existing files →
001-session-handoff.md
- Highest is
003-* → 004-session-handoff.md
2. Gather what was accomplished
Collect these facts (do NOT guess — verify from Git and GitHub):
# Recent commits on main since session started
git log --oneline -10
# Any open PRs from this session
gh pr list --state all --author @me --limit 5
For each PR merged or opened this session, note:
- PR number and title
- Issue it closed
- Merge commit SHA
- Key decisions or code review outcomes
3. Gather what's next
Do NOT skip this step. Do NOT use cached or remembered data from earlier in the session.
Run the next-issue skill Steps 1–4 right now, producing a fresh query result. Paste the resulting table directly into the checkpoint. If you skip the query and write from memory, the checkpoint will be wrong.
# You MUST run this query — do not recall from memory
# Sort the results by the "stack rank" field (ascending) — this is the canonical work order
gh project item-list 1 --owner lqdev --format json --limit 100
Follow next-issue Steps 2–4 to filter, check dependencies, and report. The "What's next" section of the checkpoint must reflect the live board state at time of writing, not earlier in the session. Items should be listed in Stack Rank order (ascending by the Stack Rank number field), not re-sorted by other fields.
If the board order was changed this session (e.g., reprioritization, updateProjectV2ItemPosition calls), note that in the checkpoint so the next session knows the physical order is intentional and current.
4. Collect key reminders
Review the session for anything the next session should know:
- Conventions learned or established (e.g., new skill rules, project patterns discovered)
- Decisions made (e.g., "chose approach X over Y because Z")
- Gotchas (e.g., "test_opml_local_file is a pre-existing failure — ignore it")
- In-flight work (e.g., "PR #120 is open, awaiting review — check for comments before continuing")
5. Write the checkpoint file
Use this exact template. Every section is required — write None if a section genuinely has nothing.
# Checkpoint NNN — Session Handoff
## Resume command
Paste this into your next session to pick up where you left off:
> Read checkpoint `<full-path-to-this-file>` and resume using the session-resume skill.
> Then use the next-issue skill to confirm the top of the stack, and work on it using the work-on-issue skill.
## What was accomplished this session
### [PR Title] — MERGED ✅ / OPEN 🔄 / DRAFT 📝
- One-line summary of what changed
- Merge commit: `SHA` on main (or: branch `name`, awaiting review)
- Code review: N comments — all ACCEPTED/REJECTED/DEFERRED (list highlights)
- Key files: `src/path/file.rs` (new), `src/path/other.rs` (modified)
(Repeat for each PR)
### Other changes (not PR-gated)
- Skill updates, doc fixes, etc.
## What's next (confirmed from project board)
| # | Issue | Priority | Phase | Effort |
|---|-------|----------|-------|--------|
| **N** | **Title** ← next | P1 | Phase 2 | M |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
## Key reminders for next session
1. Numbered list of things the next session must know
2. Include skill usage patterns, conventions, gotchas
3. Reference issue/PR numbers where relevant
## Recent main branch commits
SHA commit message
SHA commit message
SHA commit message
6. Save the file
Write the checkpoint to:
C:\Users\lqdev\.copilot\session-state\<current-session-id>\checkpoints\NNN-session-handoff.md
7. Confirm to the user
Tell the user:
- The checkpoint file path
- A 2-3 sentence summary of what it contains
- Output the exact resume command from the checkpoint's
## Resume command section so the user can copy-paste it directly into the new session. Format it as a fenced code block for easy copying.
Rules
- Verify, don't recall — use
git log, gh pr view, and gh api graphql to confirm facts. Don't reconstruct from memory.
- Every section required — even if it's
None. A missing section in a checkpoint is a lost handoff.
- Stack rank must be current — always re-query the project board; don't copy from earlier in the session (issues may have been closed).
- Include the checkpoint path in your response — the user needs it to resume.
- One checkpoint per handoff — don't overwrite previous checkpoints. They're a history.
Anti-patterns
- ❌ Writing the checkpoint from memory without verifying Git/GitHub state
- ❌ Omitting the "What's next" section because "they know"
- ❌ Skipping the stack rank query because "it hasn't changed" — this caused a real bug: checkpoint 002 had #101 listed as P2/next=#97, when the board had already been updated to P1 in a concurrent session. Always query.
- ❌ Writing vague reminders like "remember to check things" — be specific
