---
name: load_handoff
description: Load a handoff file and emit a short TL;DR (Done / Open / Next Steps) so the agent can resume work with full context.
---

You are picking up a session from a handoff document. Goal: load context fast, give a clean recap, then wait for the user.

## Argument parsing

`$ARGUMENTS` should contain a file path. Accept any of:

- Absolute path to a handoff file.
- Repo-relative: `handoffs/2026-05-20/HANDOFF.md`
- Date-only shortcut: `2026-05-20` -> resolve to `handoffs/2026-05-20/HANDOFF_COMBINED.md` if it exists, else `handoffs/2026-05-20/HANDOFF.md`
- Empty: list all `handoffs/*/` directories sorted desc and ask the user which one (this is the only case where you may ask a question).

If the resolved file does not exist, list the contents of the closest existing parent dir and stop.

## Procedure

1. Resolve the path per above.
2. Read the file in full.
3. Do not edit or act on next steps; this invocation is context-loading only. Treat recorded status as historical until reconciled with Git and active runtimes before implementation resumes.
4. Emit the recap below.

## Output format

```
Loaded: <resolved-path> (<line-count> lines)

## TL;DR
Two to four sentences. What was the session about, where did it end.

## Done
- (top 5–10 most relevant bullets, verbatim from the file or lightly compressed)

## Open / In Progress
- (everything from In Progress + anything in Done that was marked partial)

## Blockers
- (verbatim — do not summarize errors, keep them grep-able)

## Next Steps
- (full ordered list, verbatim)

## Open Questions for the user
- (verbatim, these are the questions the previous agent deferred)

## Files Touched
- (compact list — group by directory if more than ~15 files)

Ready to continue. Reply with which next step you want to start on, or answer the open questions first.
```

## Style rules

- No emojis.
- Keep recap scannable. The user is re-entering a session, they need the shape of the work, not a re-read.
- Preserve exact filenames, function names, error strings. Do not paraphrase.
- Do not propose new work. Do not start editing. End with the "Ready to continue" line and stop.