git:20260905.b0748d8 to git:20260906.a9317e0

16 added, 5 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: handoff

- description: "Save or recover the current Codex task at a checkpoint, compaction boundary, or requested handoff."

+ description: "For checkpoint, save-state, wrap-up, or handoff requests, meaningful milestones, impending compaction, or recovery, save or recover the current Codex task with authorization and ownership intact. Continue in the same task unless a transfer is requested."

---

# Handoff

Read the [Codex desktop binding](../../../CODEX.md) when this workflow needs harness mechanics, model routing, or recovery.

Save a compact, task-owned checkpoint that lets Codex recover the current work

with its authorization and worker ownership intact. Checkpointing and replacing

the task are separate actions. Continue in the same task through automatic

compaction unless the user requests a transfer.

## Resolve the checkpoint

Read [checkpoint recovery](../../../runtime/CONTINUITY.md). Resolve the bundled

helper from this installed skill's directory. Pass the current project directory

and actual task ID, available as `CODEX_THREAD_ID` when the harness exposes it:

```sh

python3 "<installed-plugin>/runtime/checkpoint.py" --project "$PWD" --task "$CODEX_THREAD_ID"

```

Replace `<installed-plugin>` with the real plugin root, three levels above this

SKILL.md. The helper prints JSON with the canonical project root, task ID, and

checkpoint path. It creates no files. Use the returned path; only its owning task

writes it. A worker returns its own evidence to its parent. If the task ID is not

exposed, obtain it from the current task's app metadata or ask for a dedicated

location. Never guess another task's ID or overwrite a coordinator's checkpoint.

Existing project handoffs, including `.claude/handoff.md`, may provide background

on startup. Leave them unchanged. Loading one never authorizes stale NEXT work.

## When and what to save

Save at meaningful milestones, before an explicit transfer, when the user asks,

and when the harness reports impending compaction. Use active

context usage rather than cumulative usage. Finish the current atomic step, save

and verify, then continue. Do not wait for a manual restart after compaction.

Use [the template](references/template.md). Keep a pointer to the recorded

agreement and current state rather than a transcript. Preserve:

- The current objective, accepted decisions, authorization, and hard stop points.

- Branch/worktree and any uncommitted work; respect no-commit instructions.

- Worker/task IDs and owned process IDs, with status and the check that proves it.

- Completed work and verification evidence for its current revision.

- Pending questions, blockers, and the immediate next step on the current task.

- The tracker query for discovering new work, only when new work is authorized.

- Expensive lessons and pointers to durable decisions.

- Overwrite this task's checkpoint. Never append a conversation recap or capture

- secret values. Keep the ownership and authorization fields even when trimming.

+ Before saving, inspect the composed checkpoint for credentials, tokens, cookies,

+ private keys, passwords, and sensitive values copied from logs or configuration.

+ Replace any such value with a safe location pointer describing where an authorized

+ user can retrieve it, without embedding the value in the pointer. Keep legitimate

+ task and ownership IDs. Do not echo suspected secrets in the report. A pattern

+ scanner may supplement inspection, but does not prove every secret is absent.

+ Overwrite only this task's checkpoint with the sanitized text. Keep the ownership

+ and authorization fields even when trimming; omit conversation transcripts.

## Recover and verify

- Re-read the saved file and confirm paths and evidence resolve. Check live git,

+ Re-read the saved file, inspect it again for secret values, and verify the safe

+ pointers and preserved ownership fields. If a value remains, replace it and re-read

+ the corrected file before reporting completion. Confirm paths and evidence resolve. Check live git,

worker, tracker, and process state before continuing; a saved status is not a

current liveness check. A fork's inherited checkpoint is background until the

new task's authority and ownership are established.

Report the saved path and what was verified. Do not promise lossless recovery:

an unresolved worker, stale evidence, or missing record remains explicitly

unverified. No checkpoint alone permits creating a successor task or archiving

the current one.

## Done when (checkable)

- The resolved task-owned file exists and was re-read after writing.

- Objective, authorization, stop points, ownership, state, next step, verification,

and pending questions are preserved, with explicit none values where applicable.

- Evidence and paths were checked; stale or unavailable state is labeled.

- - Secret values and transcripts are absent; Claude handoffs were not overwritten.

+ - Pre-save secret inspection, safe-pointer replacement where needed, and post-save

+ verification are complete; secret values and transcripts are absent. Claude

+ handoffs were not overwritten.

- The user received the path and verification result; current authorized work

continues unless they requested a stop or transfer.