Write Continue Here

Write structured continuation file → next sess starts w/ full ctx.

Use When

• Ending sess w/ work in progress
• Hand off complex task across sess
• Preserve intent, failed approaches, next steps git can't capture
• Pre-close Claude Code mid-task

In

• Required: Active sess w/ recent work to summarize
• Optional: Specific instructions on what to emphasize

Do

Step 1: Assess State

Gather facts:

git log --oneline -5
git status
git diff --stat

Review conv ctx: objective, done, partial, tried+failed, decisions.

Got: Clear task state — done, in-progress, next steps.

If err: Not in repo → skip git. File still captures conv ctx + task state.

Step 2: Write CONTINUE_HERE.md

Write to project root w/ structure below. Every section actionable, no placeholders.

# Continue Here

> Last updated: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ | Branch: current-branch-name

## Objective
One-paragraph description of what we are trying to accomplish and why.

## Completed
- [x] Finished item with key file paths (e.g., `src/feature.R`)
- [x] Decisions made and their rationale

## In Progress
- [ ] Partially complete work — describe current state (branch, file:line)
- [ ] Known issues with partial work

## Next Steps
1. Immediate next action (most important)
2. Subsequent actions in priority order
3. **[USER]** Items needing user input or decision

## Context
- Failed approaches and why they did not work
- Key constraints or trade-offs discovered
- Relevant issue/PR links

Guidelines:

• Objective: WHY → git log shows what changed, not why
• Completed: Mark clearly done → prevent re-work
• In Progress: Highest-value section → partial state hardest to reconstruct
• Next Steps: Number by priority. User-dep → prefix **[USER]**
• Context: Negative space → tried+rejected, why

Got: CONTINUE_HERE.md at project root, all 5 sections w/ real content. Timestamp + branch accurate.

If err: Write fails → check perms. Create in project root (same dir as .git/). Verify .gitignore has CONTINUE_HERE.md → if not, add.

Step 3: Verify

Read back CONTINUE_HERE.md, confirm:

• Timestamp current (last few min)
• Branch matches git branch --show-current
• All 5 sections real content (no placeholders)
• Next Steps numbered + actionable
• In Progress items specific enough to resume

Got: Reads as clear actionable handoff → fresh sess can resume.

If err: Edit placeholder/vague sections. Each must pass: "Could fresh sess act w/o clarifying?"

Check

• CONTINUE_HERE.md at project root
• All 5 sections real content (no placeholders)
• Timestamp + branch accurate
• .gitignore has CONTINUE_HERE.md
• Next Steps numbered + actionable
• In Progress items specific enough to resume

Traps

• Placeholders not content: "TODO: fill later" defeats purpose. Real info from current sess.
• Duplicate git state: Don't list every file → git tracks. Focus intent, partial, next.
• Forget Context: Failed approaches most valuable. W/o them, next sess retries dead ends.
• Overwrite w/o read: Existing CONTINUE_HERE.md → read first → may have unfinished from prior.
• Stale files: Ephemeral → after consume, delete. Stale → confusion.

→

• read-continue-here — complement: read+act on continuation file at sess start
• bootstrap-agent-identity — cold-start identity reconstruction → consumes file this produces
• manage-memory — durable cross-sess knowledge (complements ephemeral handoff)
• commit-changes — save to git before writing continuation
• write-claude-md — project instructions where optional continuity guidance lives