Use at the very start of a work session to orient and route before doing anything. Reads where things stand — recent history, open tasks, project status — names the session type, and picks the right next move. Trigger on "let's start," "begin," "what should we do today," or the first substantive message of a session on a new or existing project.
Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.
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---
name: lets-start
description: Use at the very start of a work session to orient and route before doing anything. Reads where things stand — recent history, open tasks, project status — names the session type, and picks the right next move. Trigger on "let's start," "begin," "what should we do today," or the first substantive message of a session on a new or existing project.
---
# Start a Session
Orient first, then route — don't dive into building.
## 0. Answer first
If the user's first message holds a question, answer it in the first lines. Then give the frame. A user who asked something and got a status report feels unheard.
## 1. Orient
Read in this order, and stop when you know enough to name the next move:
1. **The status file** (My setup names it; default `current-state.md`): the live north star and "what's next."
2. **The last entry of the decision log:** what was decided most recently, and anything left open.
3. **Open tasks** in the task tool that My setup names: what is queued as next.
4. **Recent history:** `git log --oneline -10`, the current branch, and uncommitted work.
A new or empty project has none of these: say so, and route to "New".
## 2. Name the session type
- **New** — no north star yet → shape it first (the `lets-shape` skill), or go straight to design if the goal is already clear.
- **Existing · pick work** → recommend one next move, with its reason, and name the runner-up and why it lost. Show only those two; the user can ask for the rest.
- **Existing · resume** → a slice is mid-flight → catch up: where we are, what's in progress, next step.
- **Rush** — the user says they are short of time and names a target → skip the frame. Reply in 5 lines or fewer: your assumptions (1–3 lines), the first move, and "Go?". No runner-up, no options, no teaching, and no other questions: a decision that can wait comes after the first move. A list of questions costs the time they do not have.
- **Fuzzy · explore** → offer `lets-find-gaps`, `lets-align`, or `lets-explore`.
## 3. State the frame and wait
Not for a rush (above). One tight paragraph: the project, the session type, the current slice/goal, what "done" looks like, and what's NOT in scope. Propose the first move and **wait for a nod** before executing.
**Next move:** the one the frame names: `lets-shape` for new work, `lets-catch-up` to resume, `lets-find-gaps`, `lets-align` or `lets-explore` when the ask is fuzzy.
