Operating index
execute · operating skill
Agent Handoff
Compress the current work state into a source-grounded handoff that another agent can resume without redoing discovery or inventing missing context.
The copied instruction points your AI to a self-contained public Skill Bundle. You can stay on this human-readable page; opening raw source is optional.
When to reach for it
- A session is ending before the task is complete.
- Work moves between ChatGPT, Claude Code, Codex, Hermes, or another execution environment.
- The next agent needs exact current state rather than a general summary.
Do not use when
- The task is already complete and only a short retrospective is needed.
- Sensitive source material cannot be safely transferred to the destination context.
Inputs
- Current objective and scope
- Decisions already made
- Completed and incomplete work
- Evidence, identifiers, URLs, or artifacts needed to resume
- Known risks and boundaries
Outputs
- Compact handoff brief
- Verified current state
- Explicit unresolved items
- Next executable action
What it does
Agent Handoff preserves operational continuity, not conversational history. It captures the minimum state another agent needs to resume the same task correctly: objective, decisions, evidence, boundaries, unfinished work, and the next executable action.
When to reach for it
Use it before switching tools, computers, sessions, or agents, especially when the work already contains decisions that would be costly or risky to rediscover.
What one run does
- Restate the objective and current scope.
- Separate completed, in-progress, and unresolved work.
- Preserve decisions and exact identifiers that materially affect continuation.
- Attach or point to the evidence needed to trust the current state.
- State the next executable action and any stop conditions.
Common failure modes
- Writing a narrative recap instead of an operational state packet.
- Omitting failed attempts or unresolved constraints.
- Copying excessive private context that the next agent does not need.
- Leaving the receiving agent with several possible next actions instead of one clear continuation point.
It’s working if
The receiving agent can resume the same task with minimal rediscovery and can distinguish confirmed state from assumptions.
Where it fits
This is primarily an Execute-phase continuity skill. Once resumed work reaches a completion boundary, Evidence-first Review is a natural next step.
Verification
- A new agent can identify what is done and what is not done without asking for a full recap.
- The next action can be executed directly from the handoff.
- Important evidence and constraints are traceable to their source or artifact.
Guardrails
- Preserve exact identifiers when they are required for continuation.
- Separate verified state from assumptions or recommendations.
- Do not include secrets, credentials, or unnecessary private source content.
- Do not silently rewrite an unresolved decision as if it were settled.