| name | backlog-resume |
| description | Check for in-progress work on session start. Use when beginning a new session in a project with backlog.org. Triggers automatically at session start or when user says "what was I working on?", "resume", "continue", or "where did I leave off?". Surfaces WIP tasks and handoff notes to enable seamless session continuity. |
Backlog Resume
This skill checks for in-progress work when starting a new session, implementing the "hook pattern" from gastown - if there's work on your hook, you should run it.
Prerequisites
Before triggering, check that backlog.org exists in the project root.
If backlog.org does not exist, do NOT trigger this skill. The project hasn't been
set up with the backlog system yet. Silently skip - don't suggest setup or explain
why the skill isn't running.
When to Offer This Workflow
Trigger conditions:
backlog.org exists in the project root, AND- Starting a new session in a project with
backlog.org
- User asks "what was I working on?", "resume", "continue"
- User says "where did I leave off?"
Initial check:
Read backlog.org and look for WIP tasks in the Active section.
Workflow
1. Check for WIP Tasks
Read * Current WIP > ** Active section in backlog.org.
Look for tasks with state WIP (work in progress).
2. Surface Handoff Notes and Claude Task State
For each WIP task found:
- Read the
:HANDOFF: property
- Read recent progress notes (entries starting with
[YYYY-MM-DD])
- Check for
:CLAUDE_TASK: property
If :CLAUDE_TASK: exists:
- Note the Task List ID for cross-session coordination
- Check if there are related Tasks or dependencies
- This task has agent coordination enabled
3. Present Resume Option
If WIP task(s) found, display:
## Work in Progress
Found active work from previous session:
### [TASK-ID] Task Title
**Handoff notes:**
> <content of :HANDOFF: property>
**Recent progress:**
> <last progress note>
**Claude Task:** <task-list-id>/<task-id> (if present)
Continue working on this task?
The Claude Task link (if present) enables cross-session coordination.
Follow the link to check for any updates from subagents or other sessions.
4. Quick Consistency Check
While reviewing backlog.org, perform a lightweight consistency check:
Stale entries:
- If any tasks show
*** DONE in backlog.org, they should have been removed
- Suggest: "Found completed task [ID] still in backlog. Remove it?"
Design doc drift:
- For WIP/TODO tasks with
:DESIGN: links, spot-check the source doc
- If the source doc shows the task as
** DONE but backlog shows TODO/WIP:
- Suggest removing the stale backlog entry
- If the design doc
#+STATUS: is Complete but tasks are still in backlog:
- Suggest running
/reconcile-backlog to clean up
This catches drift early without running a full reconciliation.
5. If No WIP Tasks
Check if there are TODO tasks in Active section:
## Ready to Start
No work in progress. Active queue:
1. [TASK-ID-1] Task title
2. [TASK-ID-2] Task title
Start one of these tasks?
6. Handle Response
- If user wants to continue: Run
/task-start <task-id>
- If user wants different task: Queue or start the requested task
- If user declines: Proceed with whatever they want to do
Example
User: <starts session>
Claude: "Checking backlog.org for in-progress work...
## Work in Progress
Found active work from previous session:
### [DAB-005-01] Implement handoff notes
**Handoff notes:**
> Stuck on property format. Check org-mode docs for multi-line properties.
**Recent progress:**
> [2026-01-03] Started implementation. Template updated.
Continue working on this task?"
Related Commands
| Command | When to use |
|---|
/task-start <id> | Resume the WIP task |
/task-queue <id> | Add a new task to Active |
/task-hold <id> <reason> | If task is blocked |
