handoff

name	handoff
description	Creates explicit context-transfer packets in .agents/handoffs/ for another agent, branch, task, or future conversation. Use when the user asks "handoff this," "prepare the next session," "write transfer context," or when work is being parked for later. Not for routine journal continuity (use orchestration) or an end-of-conversation checkpoint (use wrap). Produces a disposable handoff artifact that housekeeping deletes after confirmed deprecation.
user-invocable	true
argument-hint	[next-session focus]
version	0.3.1

Handoff

Create a concise transfer packet for a fresh agent or future conversation.

Input: $ARGUMENTS

---

Contents

• Critical Rules
• Verification
• Quick Reference
• Process
• Lifecycle
• Related Skills

Critical Rules

• Log invocation as the first action when possible: loaf journal log "skill(handoff): <focus>"
• Save handoffs to .agents/handoffs/, never .agents/reports/ or an OS temp directory
• Treat $ARGUMENTS as the intended next-conversation focus
• Reference existing specs, tasks, ADRs, reports, commits, branches, and journal entries instead of duplicating them
• Include suggested skills for the next agent/session
• Redact secrets, PII, tokens, credentials, customer data, and private external identifiers
• Do not make handoffs canonical state; they are transfer packets
• Do not mark a handoff deprecated until the user or current workflow confirms it is obsolete

Verification

• Handoff file exists at .agents/handoffs/YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS-{slug}.md
• Frontmatter includes title, created, status, source, branch, and tags
• status is final unless the user explicitly requested a draft
• The body includes current state, suggested skills, existing artifacts, decisions, next actions, open questions, and deprecation criteria
• Sensitive data has been redacted
• The project journal contains handoff(slug) if journaling is available

Quick Reference

Field	Value
Location	.agents/handoffs/
Naming	YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS-{slug}.md
Template	templates/handoff.md
Active statuses	draft, final
Disposable status	deprecated
Cleanup owner	housekeeping

Process

Step 1: Determine Focus

Use $ARGUMENTS as the focus when present. If absent, infer the focus from the current session, branch, task, or most recent user request. Ask at most one clarifying question if the handoff target is ambiguous.

Step 2: Gather Existing Context

Prefer live project context over conversation memory:

1. Current branch and git status
2. Recent journal entries (loaf journal recent, loaf journal context)
3. Relevant specs, tasks, ADRs, reports, and issues
4. Recent commits or diffs when they explain current state

Do not paste large source excerpts. Link the existing artifact and summarize only what the next agent needs to act.

Step 3: Write the Handoff

Create the file from templates/handoff.md.

Use date -u +"%Y%m%d-%H%M%S" for the filename timestamp and date -u +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ" for frontmatter timestamps.

Required body sections:

• Purpose
• Current State
• Suggested Skills
• Existing Artifacts
• Decisions
• Next Actions
• Open Questions and Risks
• Deprecation Criteria

Step 4: Log and Announce

If loaf journal log works, log:

loaf journal log "handoff(slug): created .agents/handoffs/<filename>"

Then report the handoff path and the intended next action.

Lifecycle

Handoffs are first-class but disposable:

1. draft — incomplete or awaiting review
2. final — active transfer packet
3. deprecated — confirmed obsolete; housekeeping may delete after confirmation

Set deprecated_at and deprecated_by only when moving to deprecated.

Related Skills

• orchestration — Maintains journal continuity and cross-agent coordination
• wrap — Writes an optional end-of-conversation checkpoint to the journal
• housekeeping — Deletes deprecated handoffs after confirmation

Artifact Naming

Name every artifact you create for what it is, never for the work unit that produced it: the containing directory or Change already records that provenance. Put the source in a front-matter field, not the filename. Versions and timestamps are identity and stay. See the foundations skill for the full rule; loaf check --hook artifact-names enforces it at commit.