What this Skill actually produces
Matt Pocock's pinned handoff instructions produce a continuation document in the operating system's temporary directory. They ask for artifact references, suggested Skills, removal of sensitive information, and a focus tailored to the next session. Installing it does not automatically transfer files or start another agent.
The examples below are SkillSignal editorial illustrations, not logs from an independent runtime test. The installation and compatibility details live on the Skill profile; this guide concentrates on whether the resulting document is useful.
Compact vs handoff: does the work need to travel?
The upstream usage guide recommends compacting for ordinary continuation in the same environment, and a handoff file when moving to another agent environment, directory, colleague, or side task. This is workflow guidance for this Skill, not a promise that every agent offers identical commands.
For example, a designer can send a specific layout defect to a second workspace while keeping the main design discussion intact. Name who owns each file: if both sessions edit the same component, the summary alone will not prevent conflicting changes.
- Same task and accessible context: continue, or use the agent's supported compaction feature.
- Different workspace or recipient: prepare a handoff and make the required files accessible.
- Parallel work: define ownership and the result to return before either session edits shared files.
Worked example: a mobile form fix that is not finished
Imagine a fictional checkout form whose email field clips at 390 CSS pixels. The first session changes a width rule and checks that viewport. It has not checked 768 pixels, keyboard focus, or form submission. A handoff that says 'mobile fixed; finish up' would hide the remaining work.
A useful brief would say: 'Goal: remove clipping without changing checkout behavior. Changed: the email-field width rule in the checkout component; inspect the current diff. Evidence: clipping is absent at 390 CSS pixels in the saved screenshot. Unverified: 768 pixels, keyboard navigation, and submit behavior. Next: reproduce at 768 pixels, then check focus and submit using test data. Do not publish until those checks pass.' These are fictional results to illustrate the format, not claims about a tested application.
The receiving agent should inspect the actual file and diff before relying on the brief. If the width rule has changed since the screenshot, that screenshot no longer proves the current version works. Record the mismatch and recheck the affected state.
Six fields to review before sending
Use the following as a review checklist, not a mandatory output format claimed by the Skill. Replace generic status words with evidence someone else can inspect. 'Tests passed' is incomplete unless the recipient knows which checks, which revision, and what those checks cover.
- Outcome: the user-visible result and the boundaries of this task.
- State: the current branch or revision, changed files, and uncommitted work to preserve.
- Evidence: checks actually completed, results, and accessible references to their output.
- Unknowns: assumptions, untested cases, and the exact blocker if there is one.
- Next action: one concrete step, an acceptance condition, and any needed Skill with its purpose.
- Authority: actions already approved and actions that still require a decision; access is not implied by the summary.
Where is the file, and why can the next agent not read it?
Ask the producing agent to return the absolute path and reopen the saved document. A path in a different machine's temporary directory is not a shareable attachment. If the recipient cannot read it, transfer the reviewed document and its required artifacts through an appropriate shared location; confirm access before closing the original session.
A community issue reports difficulty locating the temporary directory on Windows. This is an individual report, not a failure-rate measurement. Check the path, readable content, and destination access in your own environment. Do not assume an empty or inaccessible file contains the finished brief.
For a later handoff, keep an appropriate durable copy. Before sharing, review credentials, private issue links, customer examples, and file references. The document may omit secrets while a linked log still contains them.
A successful resume begins with a small verification
Ask the receiving agent to identify the remaining outcome, open the referenced artifacts, and state the first unresolved check. If it starts a completed investigation again, the brief probably lacks a result or a usable reference. If it immediately claims completion, ask what current evidence supports that claim.
Evaluate the handoff by whether the next session reaches the intended next step with the right constraints. Do not infer time savings or correctness from a short document alone. Once the task is finished, move enduring project decisions into the project's normal documentation instead of treating a temporary brief as permanent truth.