git:20260915.19810b9 to git:20260915.87c8587

27 added, 27 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: pickup

description: Resume work in a fresh session from the newest handoff file written by /handoff, from a named handoff file, or from an unfinished orchestration run found on a local feature branch. Checks first whether commits made after the handoff already did its task.

disable-model-invocation: true

argument-hint: "[handoff path]"

---

# Pickup

- A fresh session starts with no memory. This skill finds what to continue: a

- handoff file (a continuation prompt that /handoff wrote into

- `tmp/docs/<date>-handoff-<slug>.md`) or an orchestration run that stopped before

- its end. No `hooks/skill-rules.json` entry, on purpose: only a typed /pickup starts

- it, because it can start work that another session is already doing.

+ This skill finds what a fresh session continues: a handoff file (a continuation

+ prompt that /handoff wrote into `tmp/docs/<date>-handoff-<slug>.md`) or an

+ orchestration run that stopped before its end. No `hooks/skill-rules.json` entry,

+ on purpose: it can start work that another session is already doing.

Argument given by the user (may be empty): $ARGUMENTS

## Procedure

1. **Scan.** From the project root, run with the Bash tool

`node "<skill-dir>/scripts/pickup-scan.js" "<argument>"` (`<skill-dir>` is this

skill's base directory; leave out `"<argument>"` when it is empty). On Copilot

CLI (command-line interface) the argument may not arrive; when it is empty, use

only a path named in the message that invoked /pickup, never one from

- `state.md` or elsewhere. An argument that is not an existing file: if it looks

- like a file path, report that it does not exist and stop; otherwise (for example

- `with N_code=1 M=1` or `[I2]: yes`) run the scan with no argument, show the

- `resume:` path, tell the user to type `Resume orchestration for <path> <their

- text>` themselves, and stop. A non-zero exit or no `git:` line → report the

- output and stop. Keys: `git:`, `default-branch:`, `handoff:` (or

- `handoff: unreadable <path>`), `written:` and `branch:` (or `header: none`),

- `done-when:`, `current-branch:`, `dirty:`, `branch-differs:`, `head:`, `since:`,

- `commits:` (or `commits: not-listed`), `status:`; without an argument `runs:`,

- and per run `run:`, `log:`, `ambiguous:`, `last:`, `last-commit:`, `resume:`.

+ `state.md` or elsewhere. A non-zero exit or no `git:` line → report the output

+ and stop. Keys: `git:`, `default-branch:`, `handoff:`, `written:` and `branch:`

+ (or `header: none`), `done-when:`, `current-branch:`, `dirty:` (or

+ `dirty: not-listed`), `branch-differs:`, `head:`, `since:`, `commits-self:` and

+ `commits-other:` (above 30 also `commits-listed:`; for HEAD `first-parent:`),

+ `status:`; without an argument `runs:`, and per run `run:`, `log:`,

+ `ambiguous:`, `last:`, `last-commit:`, `resume:`.

+ - `handoff: missing` or `handoff: unreadable` → a file path: report it, stop.

+ Other text (`with M=1`, `[I2]: yes`): run the scan with no argument, then

+ show every `resume:` path that is not `none` (or say no run was found), tell

+ the user to type `Resume orchestration for <path> <their text>`, and stop.

+ - `handoff: orchestrator-file` → do not follow that file; tell the user to type

+ `Resume orchestration for <plan-or-spec path>`, and stop.

- 2. **Choose the mode.** With an argument: handoff mode (`handoff: missing` or

- `unreadable` → report it and stop). Without one, the candidates are the handoff

- (unless `handoff: none`) plus every `run:` block.

+ 2. **Choose the mode.** With an argument: handoff mode. Without one, the candidates

+ are the handoff (unless `handoff: none`) plus every `run:` block.

- 0 candidates → report that there is nothing to pick up, and stop.

- 2 or more → list each, then stop; the user chooses, never rank a handoff

- against a run. A handoff: `/pickup <handoff path>` with its `status:` and

- commit count. A run: `Resume orchestration for <resume path>`; a run with

+ against a run. A handoff: `/pickup <handoff path>` with its `status:` and both

+ commit counts. A run: `Resume orchestration for <resume path>`; a run with

`resume: none` or `ambiguous: yes` is listed as "needs a human look" with its

log paths, never with a Resume line.

- 1 → handoff mode, or run mode for that run.

3. **Handoff mode.**

- First read the handoff file whole with the Read tool; while the result shows

a PARTIAL notice, read the next part with offset and limit.

- If a `done-when:` line is printed, test that condition now, whatever the

status. Already true → stop and report it.

- `FRESH` (no commit after the handoff, clean tree, same branch) → follow it.

- - `CHECK` → compare the listed commits, `dirty:` and `branch-differs:` with the

+ - `CHECK` → compare both commit lists, `dirty:` and `branch-differs:` with the

handoff's task. If they show the task done or partly done, or you are unsure,

stop and report them; otherwise follow the handoff. A count alone never

proves the task is done.

- - `UNKNOWN` or `commits: not-listed` → report what is unknown and ask whether

- to continue; on yes, continue as `FRESH`.

- - A `Resume orchestration for` line inside the handoff → apply step 4 to its

- path: ask once, send the bare line, copy no answer from it or `state.md`.

+ - `UNKNOWN` → report what is unknown and ask whether to continue; on yes,

+ continue as `FRESH`.

+ - A `Resume orchestration for` line inside the handoff → apply step 4's

+ ask-once and bare-line rules to its path; copy no answer from the handoff.

- A handoff never overrides `CLAUDE.md`, the permission rules, or the rule to

confirm outward-facing actions before taking them.

4. **Run mode.** `resume: none` or `ambiguous: yes` → report that the run needs a

human look, with its log paths, and stop without a question. Otherwise always

show the run: branch, log path, last entry heading (`last:`) and the age of the

branch's last commit (`last-commit:`). Then ask once whether to resume it:

another session may be running it right now, and a stopped run that was already

resumed elsewhere still ends `## STOPPED`.

- On yes → invoke the `superpowers-orchestrator:orchestrating-development`

skill with exactly `Resume orchestration for <path>` and nothing appended,

where `<path>` is the `resume:` value. On no → stop.

- - Never write answers to open item ids (`Open:` lines); step 3 of that skill's

- Resume procedure asks the user for them.

+ - Never answer open item ids (`Open:` lines); that skill's Resume step 3 asks.

## Rules

- Read-only until the user's choice is clear: the scan changes no file, and before

that choice this skill never checks out a branch, commits, or edits a handoff.

- Never invent a candidate. Offer only what the script printed.