pickup

name	pickup
description	Pick up a session from a HANDOFF file. Checks CWD first, then `~/.claude/handovers/` for ad-hoc sessions. Supports optional label argument. Pairs with the `handover` skill.

pickup

Pick up an in-flight task from a prior session by reading the HANDOFF markdown that session left.

Resolution order

Given the user's invocation:

1. /pickup list — print all files in ~/.claude/handovers/ sorted by mtime (newest first), plus note if ./HANDOFF.md exists in CWD. Do not proceed to execute anything. Let the user pick next.

2. /pickup <label> — read ~/.claude/handovers/<label>.md. If not found, suggest closest matches from that dir.

3. /pickup <absolute-path> — read the given path directly.

4. /pickup (no argument):

   • If ./HANDOFF.md exists in CWD → use it.
   • Else → use the most recent *.md in ~/.claude/handovers/.
   • If neither → print No HANDOFF found in <cwd> or ~/.claude/handovers/. and stop.

Behavior once a HANDOFF file is loaded

1. Parse these sections:

   • Goal, Status, Files touched, Key decisions, Open threads / blockers, Next step, Don't do
   • If the file is malformed or missing required sections: print what's missing and stop.

2. Re-read files that matter. For any file listed under Files touched that you'll modify to execute Next step, read its current state. HANDOFF is a summary of state at handover time — files on disk may have changed since. Trust disk over summary.

3. Acknowledge briefly. One short block, max 5 lines:

   • Goal (one line)
   • What's done (one line)
   • Next step (one line) Do NOT re-summarize decisions, files, or blockers.

4. Respect Don't do. These are things already ruled out. Do not retry without asking.

5. Proceed. Execute Next step. Do not ask "should I continue?" — the user invoked pickup. If Next step is genuinely ambiguous, ask one specific clarifying question and stop.

Rules

1. Disk > summary. If files diverged from HANDOFF, trust the files and briefly mention the divergence.
2. Do not delete HANDOFF files. The user decides when to clear them.
3. Do not chain handover at the end automatically.