Handoff Auto

---
name: handoff-auto
description: Write a handoff document for a fresh session, callable by the model. Use from skills or subagents that must end a session unattended.
argument-hint: "What will the next session be used for?"
---

Derived from Matt Pocock's `handoff` skill (MIT, see THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.md); the frontmatter, the save location, the tracking sentence, the git-state line and the final path line differ.

Write a handoff document summarising the current conversation so a fresh agent can continue the work. Save it in the repo under `skilleddocs/handoffs/<YYYY-MM-DD>-<slug>.md` (create the directory; local date, not UTC; slug = 2-4 kebab-case words for the focus (from the argument if given, else the topic)). If there is no repo or git working tree, fall back to the OS temporary directory. A repo's `AGENTS.md` / `CLAUDE.md` may prescribe a different folder or filename prefix; follow it. Commit it or not per [TRACKING.md](TRACKING.md).

In a repo, record in the document the branch (detached HEAD: "detached at <sha>", warning that its commits are on no branch until `git switch -c <name>`), the base SHA (`git merge-base <default> HEAD`; `<default>` per [TRACKING.md](TRACKING.md); on `<default>` itself that is HEAD, an empty range, so use `git merge-base @{u} HEAD` (no upstream: `origin/<default>`) when it differs from HEAD, else the parent of the session's first commit, and say which) and the head SHA, so a verifier knows the range to check, plus `git status --short` when the tree is dirty (that work isn't in the range).

Include a "suggested skills" section in the document, naming which skills the next agent should call the Skill tool for.

Do not duplicate content already captured in other artifacts (specs, plans, ADRs, issues, commits, diffs). Reference them by path or URL instead.

Redact any sensitive information, such as API keys, passwords, or personally identifiable information.

If the user passed arguments, treat them as a description of what the next session will focus on and tailor the doc accordingly.

Finish by printing the handoff file's absolute path on its own line as the very last line of output, as a native OS absolute path (backslashes on Windows, no `/c/...` form) — orchestrators parse it.