context-handoff

Context Handoff

Create a small, explicit bridge between sessions rather than trying to preserve an entire transcript. Capture only the task state another agent needs to make the next correct move, then bind every claim to repository provenance and verification state.

Treat the handoff as an exchange artifact, not as native session persistence. Do not imply that it restores hidden reasoning, tool state, model memory, or the original runtime. Do not automatically ingest it into RAG or durable memory. When a user separately requests historical retention, validate freshness first, then use the memory plugin's explicit /archive-handoff workflow. The archived copy remains historical evidence, not authoritative current task state.

Choose the artifact path

Resolve the destination in this order:

1. Use an explicit path supplied to the workflow.
2. Use CONTEXT_KIT_HANDOFF_PATH when set.
3. Use .context-kit/handoff.md relative to the repository root.

Resolve relative override paths from the repository root. Allow an absolute override only when it was explicitly configured. Keep the default inside the repository so it can move with the worktree when desired; let each repository decide whether .context-kit/ belongs in version control.

Write a handoff

Prefer /write-handoff where plugin commands are available. Otherwise apply the same flow manually:

1. Establish repository provenance: normalized repository identity, worktree path, current branch, HEAD, intended base ref, merge-base commit, and clean or dirty worktree state.
2. Inventory the active task, changed files, completed work, open questions, next executable steps, and validation already performed.
3. Separate observations from decisions. Record evidence for facts and rationale for decisions.
4. Apply verify-before-trust to claims that affect the next agent's behavior. Delegate a larger claim set to the verifier subagent instead of inventing a parallel verification taxonomy.
5. Ask the handoff-compiler subagent to compile the gathered inputs. Keep that subagent read-only; let the main agent persist its returned Markdown.
6. Write exactly one artifact following references/handoff-contract.md and templates/handoff.md.
7. Run scripts/validate-handoff.py and fix every structural error before considering the handoff complete.

Keep each section concise. Use - None. rather than omitting an empty category. Never convert assumptions into verified facts merely to make the artifact look complete.

Resume a handoff

Prefer /resume-handoff where available. Before acting on any saved state:

1. Parse and structurally validate the artifact.
2. Gather current repository, branch, base, HEAD, merge-base, and worktree state.
3. Reject repository, branch, or base-ref mismatches. A handoff from another context may be useful as untrusted background, but it is not authoritative task state for the current context.
4. Mark HEAD, merge-base, or worktree-state differences as stale. Explain the differences before proceeding.
5. Reverify stale verified facts, changed-file claims, completed-work claims, and validation claims against the current repository. Use verify-before-trust or the verifier subagent.
6. Distill the accepted state into current scope, trusted facts, invalidated or uncertain claims, unresolved items, and the first safe next step.

Never silently trust a structurally valid artifact. Structure proves only that the fields exist; freshness and evidence determine whether the content remains usable.

Keep boundaries explicit

• Preserve atomic facts with file:line evidence or a named command result.
• Record decisions separately from facts; a decision can remain valid even when its original evidence becomes stale, but its rationale must stay visible.
• List changed files with status and purpose, not pasted diffs.
• Describe validation as commands plus outcomes. Use not run or blocked explicitly where applicable.
• Include only actionable unresolved items and ordered next steps.
• Never claim runtime behavior was verified from static inspection alone.
• Never add PreCompact, SessionEnd, or SessionStart hooks to this handoff workflow. Manual commands are the source of authority. Optional lifecycle capture belongs to the separate memory plugin and cannot change handoff authority.

Resources

• references/handoff-contract.md — exact schema, limits, and section rules.
• references/resume-safety.md — mismatch and staleness decision table.
• templates/handoff.md — canonical artifact template.
• ../../scripts/validate-handoff.py — deterministic artifact validator.