Refocusing

---
name: refocusing
description: >-
  Use when a long-running agent may have lost the product outcome, when context was compacted,
  when work has crossed a major boundary, or when a fresh path-based trace is needed before the
  next consequential action. Not for fresh-session orientation, waking an idle seat, or checkpoints.
metadata:
  openrig:
    stage: product
---

# Refocusing

Invoke the skill as `refocusing`, its frontmatter name. OpenRig seeds it in the
Claude and Codex global skill roots and includes selected plugin skills in managed
loadouts. Existing externally managed copies remain authoritative. If the harness
has not discovered it yet, read this installed skill file and run its script directly;
hook registration alone does not prove native skill discovery.

Refocus preserves a long session's earned expertise while re-grounding it in current intent and
lived context. It is not a restart, wake, or phase checkpoint.

Run the bundled trace from this skill directory instead of reconstructing the hierarchy from memory:

```bash
python3 scripts/trace-to-root.py --trees both --depth light
```

For managed compaction, do this during the restore request or its read-depth
audit. The earlier acknowledgement-only boundary is not permission to restore.

Use `--trees topology|work|both` to select context domains and `--depth light|full` to control how
much each node contributes. Light work traces compose `intent:` and name notes; full traces include
the complete node and notes bodies. The script resolves `topology.root` and `workspace.root` with
`rig config get`. When a current node cannot be derived, set `OPENRIG_REFOCUS_TOPOLOGY_NODE` or
`OPENRIG_REFOCUS_WORK_NODE`, or pass the matching `--*-start` option.

The trace walks the topology and work trees. For the project's own declared context (intent, context files,
skills), `rig context work-install` lists it; read what the next action needs.

Read [references/refocus.md](references/refocus.md) when changing the automatic hook or its content
ladder. A missing chain file is evidence: report the gap and continue; never follow pointers to invent
a second parent.