msd-core/gsd-core/workflows/pause-work.md

Create structured `.planning/HANDOFF.json` and `.continue-here.md` handoff files to preserve complete work state across sessions. The JSON provides machine-readable state for `/gsd:resume-work`; the markdown provides human-readable context.

<required_reading> Read all files referenced by the invoking prompt's execution_context before starting. </required_reading>

## Context Detection

Determine what kind of work is being paused and set the handoff destination accordingly:

# Check for active phase
phase=$(( ls -lt .planning/phases/*/PLAN.md 2>/dev/null || true ) | head -1 | grep -oP 'phases/\K[^/]+' || true)

# Check for active spike
spike=$(( ls -lt .planning/spikes/*/SPIKE.md .planning/spikes/*/DESIGN.md .planning/spikes/*/README.md 2>/dev/null || true ) | head -1 | grep -oP 'spikes/\K[^/]+' || true)

# Check for active sketch
sketch=$(( ls -lt .planning/sketches/*/README.md .planning/sketches/*/index.html 2>/dev/null || true ) | head -1 | grep -oP 'sketches/\K[^/]+' || true)

# Check for active deliberation
deliberation=$(ls .planning/deliberations/*.md 2>/dev/null | head -1 || true)

• Phase work: active phase directory → handoff to .planning/phases/XX-name/.continue-here.md
• Spike work: active spike directory or spike-related files (no active phase) → handoff to .planning/spikes/SPIKE-NNN/.continue-here.md (create directory if needed)
• Sketch work: active sketch directory (no active phase/spike) → handoff to .planning/sketches/.continue-here.md
• Deliberation work: active deliberation file (no phase/spike/sketch) → handoff to .planning/deliberations/.continue-here.md
• Research work: research notes exist but no phase/spike/sketch/deliberation → handoff to .planning/.continue-here.md
• Default: no detectable context → handoff to .planning/.continue-here.md, note the ambiguity in <current_state>

If phase is detected, proceed with phase handoff path. Otherwise use the first matching non-phase path above.

**Collect complete state for handoff:**

1. Current position: Which phase, which plan, which task
2. Work completed: What got done this session
3. Work remaining: What's left in current plan/phase
4. Decisions made: Key decisions and rationale
5. Blockers/issues: Anything stuck
6. Human actions pending: Things that need manual intervention (MCP setup, API keys, approvals, manual testing)
7. Background processes: Any running servers/watchers that were part of the workflow
8. Files modified: What's changed but not committed
9. Blocking constraints: Anti-patterns or methodological failures encountered during this session that a resuming agent MUST be aware of before proceeding. Only include items discovered through actual failure — not warnings or predictions. Assign each constraint a severity:
   • blocking — The resuming agent MUST demonstrate understanding before proceeding. The discuss-phase and execute-phase workflows will enforce a mandatory understanding check.
   • advisory — Important context but does not gate resumption.

Ask user for clarifications if needed via conversational questions.

Also inspect SUMMARY.md files for false completions:

# Check for placeholder content in existing summaries
grep -l "To be filled\|placeholder\|TBD" .planning/phases/*/*.md 2>/dev/null || true

Report any summaries with placeholder content as incomplete items.

**Write structured handoff to `.planning/HANDOFF.json`:**

_GSD_SHIM_NAME="gsd-tools.cjs"; _GSD_RUNTIME_ROOT="${RUNTIME_DIR:-$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || pwd)}"; GSD_TOOLS="${_GSD_RUNTIME_ROOT}/gsd-core/bin/${_GSD_SHIM_NAME}"; if [ -f "$GSD_TOOLS" ]; then gsd_run() { node "$GSD_TOOLS" "$@"; }; elif [ -f "${_GSD_RUNTIME_ROOT}/.claude/gsd-core/bin/${_GSD_SHIM_NAME}" ]; then GSD_TOOLS="${_GSD_RUNTIME_ROOT}/.claude/gsd-core/bin/${_GSD_SHIM_NAME}"; gsd_run() { node "$GSD_TOOLS" "$@"; }; elif command -v gsd-tools >/dev/null 2>&1; then GSD_TOOLS="$(command -v gsd-tools)"; gsd_run() { "$GSD_TOOLS" "$@"; }; elif [ -f "$HOME/.claude/gsd-core/bin/${_GSD_SHIM_NAME}" ]; then GSD_TOOLS="$HOME/.claude/gsd-core/bin/${_GSD_SHIM_NAME}"; gsd_run() { node "$GSD_TOOLS" "$@"; }; else echo "ERROR: gsd-tools.cjs not found at $GSD_TOOLS and gsd-tools is not on PATH. Run: npx -y @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --claude --local" >&2; exit 1; fi
timestamp=$(gsd_run query current-timestamp full --raw)

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "timestamp": "{timestamp}",
  "phase": "{phase_number}",
  "phase_name": "{phase_name}",
  "phase_dir": "{phase_dir}",
  "plan": {current_plan_number},
  "task": {current_task_number},
  "total_tasks": {total_task_count},
  "status": "paused",
  "completed_tasks": [
    {"id": 1, "name": "{task_name}", "status": "done", "commit": "{short_hash}"},
    {"id": 2, "name": "{task_name}", "status": "done", "commit": "{short_hash}"},
    {"id": 3, "name": "{task_name}", "status": "in_progress", "progress": "{what_done}"}
  ],
  "remaining_tasks": [
    {"id": 4, "name": "{task_name}", "status": "not_started"},
    {"id": 5, "name": "{task_name}", "status": "not_started"}
  ],
  "blockers": [
    {"description": "{blocker}", "type": "technical|human_action|external", "workaround": "{if any}"}
  ],
  "human_actions_pending": [
    {"action": "{what needs to be done}", "context": "{why}", "blocking": true}
  ],
  "decisions": [
    {"decision": "{what}", "rationale": "{why}", "phase": "{phase_number}"}
  ],
  "uncommitted_files": [],
  "next_action": "{specific first action when resuming}",
  "context_notes": "{mental state, approach, what you were thinking}"
}

**Write handoff to the path determined in the detect step** (e.g. `.planning/phases/XX-name/.continue-here.md`, `.planning/spikes/SPIKE-NNN/.continue-here.md`, or `.planning/.continue-here.md`):

---
context: [phase|spike|sketch|deliberation|research|default]
phase: XX-name
task: 3
total_tasks: 7
status: in_progress
last_updated: [timestamp from current-timestamp]
---

# BLOCKING CONSTRAINTS — Read Before Anything Else

> These are not suggestions. Each constraint below was discovered through failure.
> Acknowledge each one explicitly before proceeding.

- [ ] CONSTRAINT: [name] — [what it is] — [structural mitigation required]

**Do not proceed until all boxes are checked.**

_If no constraints have been identified yet, remove this section._

## Critical Anti-Patterns

| Pattern | Description | Severity | Prevention Mechanism |
|---------|-------------|----------|---------------------|
| [pattern name] | [what it is and how it manifested] | blocking | [structural step that prevents recurrence — not acknowledgment] |
| [pattern name] | [what it is and how it manifested] | advisory | [guidance for avoiding it] |

**Severity values:** `blocking` — resuming agent must pass understanding check before proceeding. `advisory` — important context, does not gate resumption.

_Remove rows that do not apply. The discuss-phase and execute-phase workflows parse this table and enforce a mandatory understanding check for any `blocking` rows._

<current_state>
[Where exactly are we? Immediate context]
</current_state>

<completed_work>

Completed Tasks:
- Task 1: [name] - Done
- Task 2: [name] - Done
- Task 3: [name] - In progress, [what's done]
</completed_work>

<remaining_work>

- Task 3: [what's left]
- Task 4: Not started
- Task 5: Not started
</remaining_work>

<decisions_made>

- Decided to use [X] because [reason]
- Chose [approach] over [alternative] because [reason]
</decisions_made>

<blockers>
- [Blocker 1]: [status/workaround]
</blockers>

## Required Reading (in order)
<!-- List documents the resuming agent must read before acting -->
1. [document] — [why it matters]
1. `.planning/METHODOLOGY.md` (if it exists) — project analytical lenses; apply before any assumption analysis

## Critical Anti-Patterns (do NOT repeat these)
<!-- Mistakes discovered this session that must be structurally avoided -->
- [ANTI-PATTERN]: [what it is] → [structural mitigation]

## Infrastructure State
<!-- Running services, external state, environment specifics -->
- [service/env]: [current state]

## Pre-Execution Critique Required
<!-- Fill in ONLY if pausing between design and execution (e.g. spike design done, not yet run) -->
- Design artifact: [path]
- Critique focus: [key questions the critic should probe]
- Gate: Do NOT begin execution until critique is complete and design is revised

<context>
[Mental state, what were you thinking, the plan]
</context>

<next_action>
Start with: [specific first action when resuming]
</next_action>

Be specific enough for a fresh Claude to understand immediately.

Use current-timestamp for last_updated field. You can use init todos (which provides timestamps) or call directly:

timestamp=$(gsd_run query current-timestamp full --raw)

```bash gsd_run query commit "wip: [context-name] paused at [X]/[Y]" --files [handoff-path] .planning/HANDOFF.json ``` ``` ✓ Handoff created: - .planning/HANDOFF.json (structured, machine-readable) - [handoff-path] (human-readable)

Current state:

• Context: [phase|spike|deliberation|research]
• Location: [XX-name or SPIKE-NNN]
• Task: [X] of [Y]
• Status: [in_progress/blocked]
• Blockers: [count] ({human_actions_pending count} need human action)
• Committed as WIP

To resume: /gsd:resume-work

</step>

</process>

<success_criteria>
- [ ] Context detected (phase/spike/deliberation/research/default)
- [ ] .continue-here.md created at correct path for detected context
- [ ] Required Reading, Anti-Patterns, and Infrastructure State sections filled
- [ ] Pre-Execution Critique section filled if pausing between design and execution
- [ ] Committed as WIP
- [ ] User knows location and how to resume
</success_criteria>