How to Write a Handoff Prompt Like a Boss

The AI Handoff Prompt

Stop letting your AI forget everything. Create a structured handoff document every time you clear your context.

Free prompt template — Version 1.0 — February 2026

If you're coding with AI — building apps, automations, or any serious project — you've hit this problem: your AI agent's context window fills up. The outputs get weird. Hallucinations creep in. You have two bad options: keep pushing and watch quality collapse, or start over and lose everything.

There's a third option: clear your AI's context window on purpose — before things break — and use a structured handoff prompt so the next AI instance picks up exactly where you left off.

This handoff prompt generates a complete AI continuation document that captures your project state, your recent decisions and why you made them, what could go wrong, what not to touch, and a resume prompt you paste into your fresh context window. The next AI reads the handoff document and keeps building like nothing happened.

Why you need an AI handoff prompt

Most people try to create handoff documents. Almost everyone does it wrong. Telling your AI to "capture everything" produces a bloated summary that buries the important stuff. Writing a detailed prompt that tracks "all the micro tasks" treats all information as equally important — and in a real project, it's not.

What you did in the last thirty minutes matters ten times more than what you did three hours ago. The reasoning behind your decisions matters more than a list of what you built. Without structure and priority, you don't get continuity — you get noise.

What makes this handoff prompt different

1.Recency weighting. What you did in the last 30 minutes matters more than what you did 3 hours ago. This prompt knows that.

2.Reasoning preservation. It captures why you made decisions — not just what you built. This prevents the next AI from undoing your carefully considered tradeoffs.

3.Regression protection. An explicit "Do Not Touch" list stops the new AI from refactoring your working code or renaming your conventions.

4.Confidence flags. Every section is tagged — high confidence, medium, or low. The next AI knows what to trust and what to double-check.

5.User Directive. Tell the next AI exactly what to do — or leave it blank and let it propose the best next action.

Get the free handoff prompt

Two ways to use this AI handoff prompt. Pick whichever fits your workflow.

Copy & Paste

Copy this prompt and paste it into any AI — Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Codex, Cursor, Clawdbot, whatever you use. When your context window gets heavy, paste this prompt, let it generate the handoff document, then clear your context and paste the resume prompt into your fresh conversation.

At the bottom of the generated resume prompt, you'll see a USER DIRECTIVE section. If you know what you want the AI to work on next, write it there before pasting the resume prompt into your fresh conversation. If you leave it blank, the AI will analyze the project state, propose the most strategic next action on its own, and wait for your confirmation before proceeding. You get control when you want it, autonomy when you don't.

Generate an AI Project Continuation Document and a Resume Prompt.

PURPOSE:
You are creating a handoff package so a fresh AI instance with zero prior context
can resume this project exactly where we are leaving off — with no guessing,
no hallucinating, and no re-discovery.

Write this as if briefing a senior technical colleague who is sharp but has
never seen this project before. Be precise. Be concise. Preserve reasoning.
Skip filler.

---

STEP 1: Generate the Continuation Document using this structure.

Save or present it as: AI_Continuation_Document.md

---

# PROJECT CONTINUATION DOCUMENT
## Session [number] — [today's date]

### 1. PROJECT IDENTITY

- **Project Name:**
- **What This Project Is:** (1–2 sentences. What it does, who it's for.)
- **Primary Objective:** (The measurable goal.)
- **Strategic Intent:** (Why this project exists. What long-term outcome it serves.)
- **Hard Constraints:** (Non-negotiable rules, platform limitations, design decisions that must not change.)

### 2. WHAT EXISTS RIGHT NOW

Describe the current state of the system honestly.

- **What is built and working:**
- **What is partially built:**
- **What is broken or blocked:**
- **What has NOT been started yet:**

### 3. ARCHITECTURE & TECHNICAL MAP

- **Tech stack / tools / platforms:**
- **Key data structures, tables, files, or repos:**
- **How the system works end-to-end:** (Describe the core logic flow in numbered steps.)
- **Naming conventions or standards in use:**
- **External dependencies:** (APIs, services, integrations)

### 4. RECENT WORK — WHAT JUST HAPPENED (HIGH PRIORITY)

This section matters more than anything above it for continuation purposes.
Be detailed. Be specific.

- **What was worked on in this session:**
- **What decisions were made and WHY:**
  (Include the reasoning and tradeoffs. This prevents the next AI from undoing your work.)
- **What changed in the system:**
- **What was discussed but NOT yet implemented:**
- **Open threads or unresolved questions:**

### 5. WHAT COULD GO WRONG

- **Known bugs or issues:**
- **Edge cases to watch for:**
- **Technical debt or shortcuts taken:**
- **Assumptions being made that could be wrong:**
  (Flag anything the next AI might incorrectly assume about the system.)

### 6. HOW TO THINK ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Answer these three questions:
1. What is the core architectural pattern or design philosophy, and why was it chosen?
2. What is the most common mistake a new person working on this would make?
3. What looks like it should be refactored or redesigned but intentionally should NOT be? Why?

### 7. DO NOT TOUCH LIST

Explicit rules for the next AI:
- Do NOT refactor stable, working systems without being asked.
- Do NOT redesign architecture unless explicitly instructed.
- Preserve existing naming conventions.
- Maintain previously chosen tradeoffs — they were chosen for reasons documented above.
- Ask before introducing new frameworks, libraries, or dependencies.
- [Add any project-specific constraints here.]

### 8. CONFIDENCE & FRESHNESS

For each major section above, flag:
- ✅ HIGH CONFIDENCE — verified or built this session
- ⚠️ MEDIUM — carried forward from earlier, not re-verified
- ❓ LOW — assumed or inferred, should be validated

---

STEP 2: Generate the Resume Prompt.

After the Continuation Document, generate a single copy-pasteable Resume Prompt
inside a code block.

The Resume Prompt must work as a standalone message in a brand new conversation.
It should instruct the next AI to:

1. Read the attached AI_Continuation_Document.md in full before doing anything.
2. Check for a USER DIRECTIVE below.
3. Summarize its understanding of the current project state in 3–5 sentences.
4. Confirm the next action it will take.
5. Ask clarification questions ONLY if something blocks execution.
6. Then begin working.

The Resume Prompt must include this section at the end:

---
USER DIRECTIVE (fill in or leave blank):

[Write your specific instruction here if you want the AI to do something specific next.
If left blank, the AI should analyze the project state, propose the most strategic
next action with brief reasoning, and wait for confirmation before proceeding.]
---

The Resume Prompt must be fully self-contained. Do not add any commentary
outside of the Continuation Document and the Resume Prompt.

Slash Command

Even better — turn it into a slash command so you never have to copy and paste again. Just type /handoff-prompt any time you need a handoff. This works in Claude Code, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot CLI, Cursor, and Clawdbot.

Step 1 — Give your AI agent this instruction:

Turn this into a slash command called /handoff-prompt. Everything I type after the command should be injected as the USER DIRECTIVE. If I don't type anything after the command, the USER DIRECTIVE should be empty.

Step 2 — Then paste this prompt right after it:

Generate an AI Project Continuation Document and a Resume Prompt.

PURPOSE:
You are creating a handoff package so a fresh AI instance with zero prior context
can resume this project exactly where we are leaving off — with no guessing,
no hallucinating, and no re-discovery.

Write this as if briefing a senior technical colleague who is sharp but has
never seen this project before. Be precise. Be concise. Preserve reasoning.
Skip filler.

---

STEP 1: Generate the Continuation Document using this structure.

Save or present it as: AI_Continuation_Document.md

---

# PROJECT CONTINUATION DOCUMENT
## Session [number] — [today's date]

### 1. PROJECT IDENTITY

- **Project Name:**
- **What This Project Is:** (1–2 sentences. What it does, who it's for.)
- **Primary Objective:** (The measurable goal.)
- **Strategic Intent:** (Why this project exists. What long-term outcome it serves.)
- **Hard Constraints:** (Non-negotiable rules, platform limitations, design decisions that must not change.)

### 2. WHAT EXISTS RIGHT NOW

Describe the current state of the system honestly.

- **What is built and working:**
- **What is partially built:**
- **What is broken or blocked:**
- **What has NOT been started yet:**

### 3. ARCHITECTURE & TECHNICAL MAP

- **Tech stack / tools / platforms:**
- **Key data structures, tables, files, or repos:**
- **How the system works end-to-end:** (Describe the core logic flow in numbered steps.)
- **Naming conventions or standards in use:**
- **External dependencies:** (APIs, services, integrations)

### 4. RECENT WORK — WHAT JUST HAPPENED (HIGH PRIORITY)

This section matters more than anything above it for continuation purposes.
Be detailed. Be specific.

- **What was worked on in this session:**
- **What decisions were made and WHY:**
  (Include the reasoning and tradeoffs. This prevents the next AI from undoing your work.)
- **What changed in the system:**
- **What was discussed but NOT yet implemented:**
- **Open threads or unresolved questions:**

### 5. WHAT COULD GO WRONG

- **Known bugs or issues:**
- **Edge cases to watch for:**
- **Technical debt or shortcuts taken:**
- **Assumptions being made that could be wrong:**
  (Flag anything the next AI might incorrectly assume about the system.)

### 6. HOW TO THINK ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Answer these three questions:
1. What is the core architectural pattern or design philosophy, and why was it chosen?
2. What is the most common mistake a new person working on this would make?
3. What looks like it should be refactored or redesigned but intentionally should NOT be? Why?

### 7. DO NOT TOUCH LIST

Explicit rules for the next AI:
- Do NOT refactor stable, working systems without being asked.
- Do NOT redesign architecture unless explicitly instructed.
- Preserve existing naming conventions.
- Maintain previously chosen tradeoffs — they were chosen for reasons documented above.
- Ask before introducing new frameworks, libraries, or dependencies.
- [Add any project-specific constraints here.]

### 8. CONFIDENCE & FRESHNESS

For each major section above, flag:
- ✅ HIGH CONFIDENCE — verified or built this session
- ⚠️ MEDIUM — carried forward from earlier, not re-verified
- ❓ LOW — assumed or inferred, should be validated

---

STEP 2: Generate the Resume Prompt.

After the Continuation Document, generate a single copy-pasteable Resume Prompt
inside a code block.

The Resume Prompt must work as a standalone message in a brand new conversation.
It should instruct the next AI to:

1. Read the attached AI_Continuation_Document.md in full before doing anything.
2. Check for a USER DIRECTIVE below.
3. Summarize its understanding of the current project state in 3–5 sentences.
4. Confirm the next action it will take.
5. Ask clarification questions ONLY if something blocks execution.
6. Then begin working.

The Resume Prompt must include the following USER DIRECTIVE section at the end.

---
USER DIRECTIVE:
$ARGUMENTS

If the USER DIRECTIVE above contains instructions, the next AI must treat that
as its immediate first action after confirming understanding of the project state.

If the USER DIRECTIVE above is empty or contains only "$ARGUMENTS", the next AI
should analyze the project state, propose the most strategically appropriate
next action with brief reasoning, and wait for user confirmation before proceeding.
---

The Resume Prompt must be fully self-contained. Do not add any commentary
outside of the Continuation Document and the Resume Prompt.

Now you can use it like this:

/handoff-prompt→ generates handoff with autonomous next-step mode

/handoff-prompt start browser testing the billing system→ generates handoff with that as the directive

Works with every AI coding tool

Claude CodeChatGPTGemini CLIGitHub Copilot CLICursorWindsurfCodexClawdbot

Any AI that accepts text prompts. The slash command setup works with any tool that supports custom commands.

How to use the handoff prompt in your AI workflow

Don't wait for your AI to start hallucinating. Clear your context before it gets there — proactively, strategically. Think of it like restarting your computer before the RAM fills up and it freezes.

When your context is getting heavy, run /handoff-prompt (or paste the prompt)
Your AI generates the continuation document and resume prompt
Clear your context (in Claude Code, type /clear)
Paste the resume prompt into your fresh conversation
Your new AI instance reads the document, confirms understanding, and picks up where you left off

Fresh context means sharper reasoning, better output, fewer hallucinations. Do this regularly throughout your coding sessions — not just when things break.

What's inside the AI continuation document

When you run the handoff prompt, your AI generates a structured document with eight sections — each designed to solve a specific continuation failure:

Project Identity. What this project is, the objective, strategic intent, and hard constraints that must not change.

Current System State. What's built, what's partial, what's broken, what hasn't been started. An honest snapshot.

Architecture & Technical Map. Tech stack, data structures, end-to-end logic flow, naming conventions, external dependencies.

Recent Work (Highest Priority). What was worked on, what decisions were made and WHY, what changed, what was discussed but not implemented.

What Could Go Wrong. Known bugs, edge cases, technical debt, and assumptions that could be wrong.

How to Think About This Project. Core design philosophy, common mistakes a new person would make, and what should NOT be refactored.

Do Not Touch List. Explicit guardrails — don't refactor working systems, preserve naming conventions, ask before adding dependencies.

Confidence & Freshness Flags. Every section tagged: ✅ high confidence, ⚠️ medium, or ❓ low. The next AI knows what to trust.

Frequently asked questions

What is an AI handoff prompt?

An AI handoff prompt is a structured instruction you give your AI before clearing its context window. It generates a continuation document that captures your project state, recent decisions, architecture, and a resume prompt — so a fresh AI instance can pick up exactly where you left off with no loss of context.

When should I use a handoff prompt?

Use a handoff prompt proactively — before your AI's context window fills up and quality degrades. Don't wait for hallucinations. Clear your context regularly throughout coding sessions, especially after completing major features or making important architectural decisions.

What AI tools does the handoff prompt work with?

The handoff prompt works with any AI that accepts text input: Claude Code, ChatGPT, Gemini, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, Codex, Clawdbot, and more. The slash command version works with any tool that supports custom slash commands.

What is a continuation document?

A continuation document (also called a handoff document) is a structured file that captures everything a fresh AI needs to resume your project: project identity, current system state, architecture, recent work with reasoning, known risks, a "do not touch" list, and confidence flags for each section.

How is this different from just asking my AI to summarize the conversation?

A generic summary treats all information equally and produces bloated output. This handoff prompt uses recency weighting (recent work matters most), preserves decision reasoning (prevents the next AI from undoing your tradeoffs), includes regression protection (explicit rules about what not to touch), and adds confidence flags so the next AI knows what to trust vs. verify.

What is the USER DIRECTIVE in the resume prompt?

The USER DIRECTIVE is an optional section at the bottom of the generated resume prompt. If you write an instruction there, the next AI treats it as its immediate first task. If you leave it blank, the AI analyzes the project state, proposes the best next action, and waits for your confirmation before proceeding.

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