Doc Summary
Category: Working With CRAFT
Type: How-to Guide
Reading Time: 7 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner
The handoff system is how CRAFT maintains continuity between chat sessions. Since AI assistants don’t remember previous conversations, handoffs capture your progress, decisions, and context — allowing each new session to pick up where the last one ended.
Think of it like a chef’s prep notes at the end of a shift: what’s done, what’s in progress, and what the next cook needs to know.
What is a Handoff? #
A handoff is a structured snapshot of your work session that includes:
| Component | What It Captures |
|---|---|
| Session Summary | What you accomplished and why it matters |
| Current State | Where things stand right now |
| Key Decisions | Choices made and the reasoning behind them |
| Next Steps | What to do when you continue |
| Open Questions | Unresolved items needing attention |
Handoffs are stored in your Chat History file and numbered sequentially: H001, H002, H003, and so on.
When to Create a Handoff #
Always create a handoff when:
- You’re ending a work session
- You’ve made significant progress you don’t want to lose
- You’ve made decisions that affect future work
- You’re switching to a different task or project
You might skip a handoff when:
- You completed a quick, self-contained task
- Nothing from this session needs to carry forward
- You’re using Express for varied, unrelated tasks
Rule of thumb: If you’d be frustrated re-explaining context in your next session, create a handoff.
How to Create a Handoff #
The Simple Way #
Just ask:
Create a handoff for this session.
or
Save where we left off.
or
I'm done for now. Can you capture our progress?
The AI will generate a structured handoff covering all the essential components.
The Detailed Way #
If you want to guide what gets captured:
Create a handoff that emphasizes:
- The decision we made about [topic]
- The three options we haven't explored yet
- The blocker we identified with [issue]
The Quick Way (Express) #
In Express, handoffs are streamlined:
Quick handoff.
Alice will capture the essentials without lengthy summaries.
How to Continue from a Handoff #
Starting Your Next Session #
- Open a new chat with your AI assistant
- Upload your CRAFT files (including the Chat History with your handoff)
- Tell the AI to continue:
Continue from handoff H003.
or
Load the latest handoff and let's continue.
or simply
Pick up where we left off.
The AI reads your handoff and resumes with full context.
What the AI Does #
When you continue from a handoff, the AI:
- Reads your session summary to understand what happened
- Notes the current state so it knows where things stand
- Reviews key decisions to avoid contradicting past choices
- Checks next steps to suggest what to work on
- Flags open questions that need resolution
You don’t need to re-explain your project. The handoff does that for you.
Handoff Best Practices #
Write Handoffs for Your Future Self #
The person reading your handoff is you — but you in the future, possibly after days or weeks away from the project. Include context that seems obvious now but won’t be later.
Instead of: “Decided on option B”
Write: “Decided on option B (the modular approach) because it allows incremental testing”
Be Specific About Next Steps #
Vague next steps lead to confused future sessions.
Instead of: “Continue working on the document”
Write: “Next: Add the methodology section, then review the introduction for tone”
Capture Decisions with Rationale #
You’ll forget why you made choices. Record the reasoning.
Instead of: “Using blue for headers”
Write: “Using blue (#3182CE) for headers — matches brand guidelines and tested well for accessibility”
Note What Didn’t Work #
Failed approaches are valuable context. Your next session shouldn’t retry them.
Attempted approaches that didn't work:
- CSV export crashed on files >10MB
- The formal tone felt too stiff for this audience
Handoff Depth by Version #
Different CRAFT versions handle handoffs differently:
| Version | Handoff Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | Guided, with learning progress tracked | New users building CRAFT skills |
| Express | Streamlined, essentials only | Quick tasks, minimal overhead |
| Studio | Comprehensive, with full project context | Multi-session projects |
Managing Multiple Handoffs #
Handoff Numbering #
Handoffs are numbered sequentially within each project:
- H001, H002, H003… and so on
The most recent handoff is always at the top of your Chat History file — reverse chronological order means the latest context is immediately visible.
Referencing Past Handoffs #
Sometimes you need to reference an older handoff:
What did we decide in H005 about the navigation structure?
The AI can look back through your handoff history.
When Handoffs Get Long #
If your Chat History file grows large with many handoffs, you can:
- Archive older handoffs to a separate file
- Summarize multiple handoffs into a “checkpoint” handoff
- Keep only the most recent 5-10 handoffs active
Troubleshooting #
“The AI doesn’t remember our previous session.”
Make sure you uploaded the Chat History file containing your handoff. Each new chat starts fresh — continuity only comes from the files you attach.
“The handoff is missing important context.”
When creating handoffs, be explicit about what matters:
Create a handoff. Make sure to capture the decision about [specific topic].
“I have multiple handoffs and I’m confused.”
Always continue from the most recent handoff (highest number). If you need to go back to an earlier state, specify:
Let's restart from H003, ignoring H004 and H005.
“My handoff is too long/short.”
Request the length you need:
Create a detailed handoff with full context.
or
Create a brief handoff — just the essentials.
What’s Next #
Now that you understand handoffs:
- How to Create Your First Project — Set up a Studio project with proper handoff structure
- Understanding Projects — How projects and handoffs work together
- CRAFT Naming Conventions — How handoff files are named and versioned
Last Updated: December 2025