issue-next

name	issue-next
description	Fresh session pickup using the most recent checkpoint comment and git log — reconstructs working context for active issue work
category	project-management

Issue Next Slash Command

Process Overview

1. Identify Context - Extract issue numbers from the current branch name
2. Fetch Checkpoint - Find the most recent checkpoint comment on the active issue(s)
3. Read Git Log - Capture recent commits for code context
4. Synthesize Brief - Present a structured context summary
5. Transition - Ask whether to continue or adjust the plan

Step 1: Identify Context

git branch --show-current

Extract issue numbers from the branch name. Branch format: feature/<numbers>-<description> where <numbers> is a hyphen-separated list of issue numbers (e.g., feature/98-101-autonomous-issue-execution → issues 98 and 101, feature/42-fix-auth-token-handling → issue 42).

For each issue number, fetch the title:

gh issue view <number> --json title,state

If the current branch does not match the feature/<numbers>-<description> format, tell the user: "This branch doesn't follow the issue branch naming convention. Please run /issue-start to create a correctly-named branch, or specify the issue number manually."

Step 2: Fetch Checkpoint

For each issue number extracted from the branch name, fetch all comments:

gh issue view <number> --comments --json comments

Find the most recent comment whose body begins with the exact string ## Progress Checkpoint. Use the issue with the most recent such comment as the context source for the brief.

If no checkpoint comment exists on any issue in the working set, note this: "No checkpoint comment found on this issue. Using git log only for context." Then proceed with Step 3.

Checkpoint comment format (the sentinel is ## Progress Checkpoint — match on this exact string, nothing else):

## Progress Checkpoint

**Branch**: `feature/<numbers>-<description>`
**Done**:
- [bullet per completed item since last checkpoint]

**Next step**: [one concrete next action]

**Open questions** (optional):
- [question if any]

Step 3: Read Git Log

git log --oneline -10

Use recent commits as supplemental context — they show what code landed after the checkpoint was posted.

Step 4: Synthesize Brief

Present a structured context summary in this format:

## Active Issue(s)

- #<number>: <title>
[repeat for each issue in working set]

## What Was Done

[Bullets from the checkpoint's Done section, or derived from git log if no checkpoint]

## Next Step

[The concrete next action from the checkpoint's "Next step" field, or the most recent commit context if no checkpoint]

## Open Questions

[Bullets from the checkpoint's Open questions section, or "None recorded" if absent]

## Recent Commits

[The git log --oneline -10 output]

If the checkpoint was posted from a different session, note this: "Last checkpoint was posted [relative time if available from comment timestamp]. Recent commits since then: [list any commits after the checkpoint was posted]."

Step 5: Create Tasks from Checklist

Read the active issue body:

gh issue view <number> --json body

Parse all unchecked checklist items (- [ ] ...). For each unchecked item, call TaskCreate with:

• subject: the checklist item text (strip the - [ ] prefix)
• description: "From issue #: [item text]"

Skip already-checked items (- [x] ...). If no checklist items exist, skip this step.

Step 6: Proceed

Begin working on the "Next Step" from the checkpoint — or, if there is no checkpoint, the first unchecked checklist item. Mark the corresponding task in_progress before starting, completed when done.

If the next step is ambiguous or contradicts the issue's acceptance criteria, surface the ambiguity before acting. Otherwise, proceed without pausing for permission.

Success Criteria

• ✅ Correctly identifies issue numbers from the current branch name
• ✅ Finds the most recent checkpoint comment using the exact sentinel ## Progress Checkpoint
• ✅ Falls back gracefully to git log when no checkpoint comment exists
• ✅ Presents a complete brief without requiring the user to re-explain context
• ✅ Creates TaskCreate entries for unchecked checklist items in the active issue
• ✅ Proceeds into work without asking permission

After Completing a Work Session

When the user completes a task or reaches a natural stopping point, prompt them:

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Session complete.

To save progress and prepare for the next session, run /issue-update-progress.

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