session-handoff-return

name: session-handoff-return description: Pop a tangent back into the main session. Summarizes what the forked /handoff tangent found, auto-syncs new findings into TODOS.md, refreshes triage, and prints a tight paste-back block for the still-alive main session. Triggers on /handoff-return. The counterpart to /handoff (push). For durable end-of-day wrap-up, use /checkpoint.

Session Handoff Return Skill (pop / merge)

Trigger: /handoff-return Purpose: Finish a tangent opened by /handoff and merge its findings upward. Auto-sync new findings to TODOS.md, then print a paste-back block to drop into the main session so it continues enriched.

Mental model — push/pop: /handoff pushed this tangent; /handoff-return pops it. The main session usually stayed alive — this skill produces the return value (findings) to paste back into it. Not durable memory; for end-of-work-session narrative use /checkpoint.

When to Use

A tangent forked via /handoff is finished
You have findings/results to carry back into the main session
You want those findings captured in TODOS.md so they don't evaporate

Claude Instructions (Read Before Executing)

1. Execute immediately. No clarifying questions. The tangent's findings are in the current conversation — extract them.

2. Auto-sync findings to TODOS.md (this is the point of the skill):

Completed in the tangent → remove the matching - [ ] item entirely. Do not leave [x] lines — completed items belong in git history, not TODOS.md.
New open items discovered → append with tags from ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md (- [ ] + tags; untagged = Medium).
Update the Last updated: date.
Do not write a SESSION-LOG narrative block. That is /checkpoint's job.

3. Refresh triage (only for logs under ~/dev/):

update-triage 2>/dev/null || echo "(update-triage failed — run manually)"

4. Print the Paste-Back Block to the terminal:

── Tangent findings (merge into main session) ──
Tangent was: {one line — what the fork chased}
Findings:
- {key result / decision / outcome}
- {…}
New TODOS added: {list, or "none"}
Resume main session at: {where it left off / next action there}
────────────────────────────────────────────────

Tight. Findings + what changed in TODOS + where the main session resumes.

5. Print closing message:

✓ Findings synced to TODOS.md + TRIAGE-BLOCK.md
→ Paste the block above into your main session to continue

6. Do not run /clear automatically.

/handoff — push: fork a tangent off the main session
/checkpoint — durable end-of-work-session wrap-up with full narrative