Paseo Handoff
Pass an in-flight coding task to a fresh agent with a self-contained briefing so context, failed attempts, and acceptance criteria are not lost.
Overview
Paseo Handoff is an agent skill most often used in Build (also Ship review, Operate iterate) that packages full task context into a zero-assumption prompt for another Paseo-routed agent.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/getpaseo/paseo --skill paseo-handoffWhat is this skill?
- Mandatory handoff sections: Task, Context, Relevant files, Current state, What was tried, Decisions, Acceptance criteria
- Parses user arguments for explicit provider, worktree branch creation via Paseo, and task description
- Defaults receiving provider from orchestration preferences (impl vs ui for styling-only) unless user overrides
- Designed for receiving agents with zero context—no reliance on prior chat memory
- 8 structured handoff sections required in the prompt template
Adoption & trust: 1.2k installs on skills.sh; 8k GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You need to switch agents mid-task but the new session has no memory of what you tried, what broke, or what must not change.
Who is it for?
Paseo users splitting implementation across providers, recovering from context rot, or parking a task for a clean agent session.
Skip if: Single-session chats without Paseo orchestration, or handoffs where the user refuses to document failed attempts and acceptance criteria.
When should I use this skill?
User says handoff, hand off, hand this to, or wants to pass work to another agent.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You get a structured handoff prompt with files, state, and criteria so the receiving agent can continue in a worktree or branch without re-discovery.
- Self-contained handoff prompt ready for the receiving agent
- Optional Paseo worktree and short branch when requested
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Agent orchestration handoffs most often surface mid-implementation when the primary builder swaps models or providers, so Build / agent-tooling is the canonical shelf. Agent-tooling captures Paseo-specific provider resolution, optional worktree creation, and structured prompts for receiving agents with zero prior thread history.
Where it fits
Context window is exhausted mid-feature; hand off file list and partial implementation to Codex in a new Paseo worktree.
Route a styling-only follow-up to the ui-preference agent with constraints that backend contracts stay untouched.
Transfer review findings and failed fix attempts to a fresh agent for a second pass on regressions.
Hand off production bug triage notes and repro steps so overnight automation can continue without re-reading logs.
How it compares
Use instead of pasting a vague 'continue where we left off' message when changing agents or models.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is paseo-handoff for?
Solo and indie builders on Paseo who routinely swap Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor agents and need durable transfer of task state.
When should I use paseo-handoff?
Use it during Build when implementation stalls or context is full; during Ship when review fixes should move to a fresh agent; during Operate when iteration is handed off—with explicit provider or worktree flags as needed.
Is paseo-handoff safe to install?
It formats context you already have; review the Security Audits panel on this page and redact secrets from handoff prompts before sending them to another agent.
Workflow Chain
Requires first: paseo
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Paseo Handoff
# Handoff Skill Transfer the current task — context, decisions, failed attempts, constraints — to a fresh agent. The receiving agent starts with **zero context**, so the handoff prompt must be a self-contained briefing. **User's arguments:** $ARGUMENTS ## Prerequisites Read the **paseo** skill — provider for the receiving agent comes from orchestration preferences unless the user names one. ## Parsing arguments 1. **Provider** — explicit user request first; otherwise resolve from `impl` preference (or `ui` if the task is styling-only). 2. **Worktree** — "in a worktree" / "worktree" → create a worktree via Paseo with a short branch name derived from the task, based on the current branch. 3. **Task description** — anything else the user said. ## The handoff prompt The receiving agent has zero context. Include: ``` ## Task [Imperative description.] ## Context [Why this task exists, background needed.] ## Relevant files - `path/to/file.ts` — [what it is and why it matters] ## Current state [What's done, what works, what doesn't.] ## What was tried - [Approach] — [why it failed or was abandoned] ## Decisions - [Decision — rationale] ## Acceptance criteria - [ ] [Criterion] ## Constraints - [Must-not / must-preserve] ``` **Preserve task semantics.** Investigate-only → "DO NOT edit files." Fix → "implement the fix." Refactor → "refactor, not rewrite." Carry the user's exact intent. ## Launch Create the agent via Paseo with a `[Handoff] <task>` title, the briefing as initial prompt, and cwd set to the worktree path if `--worktree`. Don't wait by default — the user decides whether to follow along or move on. Tell them the agent ID and how to follow along (the paseo skill explains).