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Keep a Codex Handoff Smaller Than the Session

2026-09-04codex, worktrees

A handoff should let someone resume the work without replaying every exploratory turn. Give them the state they need to make the next decision.

Ask for the working directory, branch, source revision, changed files, checks run and remaining blockers. Include the command that reproduces an unresolved failure. Keep that record with the reviewable change before moving work between checkouts.

Verify the handoff after transfer. Ignored files and local services may not follow the tracked code, so a test that passed in one worktree can fail in another. State those dependencies explicitly. A concise handoff earns its brevity by preserving the evidence and next action, not by replacing uncertainty with a declaration that everything is done.

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