| name | resume |
| description | Resume an interrupted mid-task session — reconstructs state from context files and picks up at the right step |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| level | 2 |
| triggers | ["resume","pick up where we left off","continue the task","where were we","/resume"] |
| context_files | ["context/learnings.md","context/project.md","context/decisions.md"] |
| steps | [{"name":"Load State","description":"Read context/learnings.md for the most recent state entry. Identify task, step, completed work, and next action."},{"name":"Load Decisions","description":"Read context/decisions.md for any PROPOSED decisions from the interrupted session"},{"name":"Reconstruct Context","description":"Read the files relevant to the interrupted task to rebuild working context"},{"name":"State Brief","description":"Present a reconstruction brief — what was done, what was next, any open blockers"},{"name":"Confirm Resumption","description":"Ask the user to confirm the reconstructed state before proceeding"},{"name":"Execute Next Step","description":"Once confirmed, execute the specific next action from the interrupted task"}] |
Resume Skill
Reconstructs a mid-task session from context files and picks up at the right step. Used when a session ends before a task is complete — due to context limits, interruption, or a natural break.
What Claude Gets Wrong Without This Skill
Without resume, a new session starts completely cold. Claude reads the conversation history (if available) or asks the user to re-explain where things are. The user re-explains. Time is wasted. Worse: if the session was compacted or the conversation history is unavailable, the state is gone. The work may be partially complete in ways that are invisible until something breaks.
Resume is the recovery mechanism for the pre-compact state capture written by token-budget and wrap-up.
State Entry Format (written by token-budget / wrap-up)
[YYYY-MM-DD] state — Task: [name] | Step: [N] of [N] ([step name]) | Done: [list] | Next: [specific action] | Blocker: [if any]
Reconstruction Protocol
Step 1 — Load State
Primary source: Check for context/session-memory.md. If it exists, read all 8 sections:
- Current State, Task, Files, Workflow, Errors, Learnings, Key Results, Worklog
The session memory file is written by /wrap-up and is the authoritative state record.
Fallback source (if session-memory.md is absent): Read context/learnings.md. Find the most recent entry with category state. Extract:
- Task name and description
- Which step was in progress
- What had been completed
- What the next specific action was
- Any blockers noted
If neither source exists: the session was not using the wrap-up protocol. Tell the user and ask them to describe where things are manually.
Step 2 — Load Open Decisions
Read context/decisions.md. Find any entries with Status: PROPOSED — these are decisions made during the interrupted session that have not been implemented yet.
Step 3 — Reconstruct File Context
Read the files most relevant to the next action. Do not read everything — read what is needed to execute the next step.
Use the task name and step description from the state entry to identify which files to read.
Step 4 — State Brief
Present the reconstruction:
Resume Brief — [task name]
Interrupted at: Step [N] of [N] — [step name]
Completed:
- [item]
- [item]
Next action: [specific action from state entry]
Open decisions: [list from decisions.md, or "none"]
Blocker: [from state entry, or "none"]
Files loaded: [list of files read for context]