handoff

1# Handoff
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3Generate a structured `HANDOFF.md` file that gives a fresh Claude session everything it needs to continue this work without dragging the current degraded context forward.
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5claude-mem already injects recent observations into every new session, so the fresh agent starts with a timeline of what happened. The handoff adds what that timeline cannot: the goal, the failed attempts and why they failed, the current theory, and exact next steps, plus pointers into memory for deeper recall.
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7## When to Use
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9- The session is long and Claude feels confused or repetitive
10- Claude keeps trying the same failing solution over and over
11- The user wants to step away and resume later
12- `/compact` ran but Claude still lacks clear direction
13- The user says "handoff", "generate a handoff", "I want to start fresh", or "write a handoff doc"
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15## What to Capture
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17Think hard about the full arc of this conversation before writing. The handoff must be useful to a Claude instance that has never seen this conversation.
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19### Required Sections
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211. **Goal** — One paragraph. What is the user actually trying to accomplish? State the end state, not the current sub-task. Be specific enough that a fresh agent can orient immediately.
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232. **Current State** — What is working right now? What is broken? What is the exact symptom of the problem? Include error messages verbatim if relevant.
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