Session Notes
Generate a session summary by analyzing what actually happened, not what you remember.
Process
1. Gather Session Activity
Run in parallel:
- •
git log --oneline --since="8 hours ago"(or since last session-notes entry) - •
git diff --stat HEAD~Nwhere N = commits this session - •
git difffor any uncommitted work - •
git stash listfor stashed work - •Check for modified planning docs (NORTH_STAR.md, ROADMAP.md, PROMPT.md, TODO.md, PLAN.md)
2. Summarize Changes
Group commits by theme, not chronologically:
code
### What Changed - **<theme>**: <1-line summary> (<files touched>) - Uncommitted: <what's in progress>
3. Extract Findings & Decisions
From conversation context, identify:
- •Findings: things learned or discovered
- •Decisions made: choices, tradeoffs, approaches chosen/rejected with rationale
- •Assumptions: anything assumed but not yet verified
4. Identify Open Questions & Blockers
- •Questions raised but not answered
- •Things that need external input
- •Failing tests or known issues not yet fixed
5. Suggest Next Steps
2-3 concrete next actions. Be specific:
- •Not "continue working on X"
- •Yes "implement the retry logic in
order_manager.py, then run the integration test"
6. Ask for Additional Notes
Ask: "Anything else to note for next session?" Capture the response if provided. When triggered by signoff phrases ("signing off", "end of day"), this step is non-optional — the user's subjective notes are the primary purpose.
7. Write to File
Append to claude-progress.txt (create if missing):
code
## Session: [YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM] (auto-generated) ### What Changed - <grouped changes> ### Findings - <what was learned> ### Decisions - <choices made and why> ### Open Questions - <unresolved items> ### Next Steps 1. <specific action> 2. <specific action> ### User Notes - <anything the user added>
8. Confirm
Output the summary and note: "Session notes appended to claude-progress.txt."
Key Principles
- •Read, don't recall. Use git history and file diffs, not memory.
- •Group by theme. "3 commits fixing order state machine" not 3 separate bullets.
- •Be specific. File names, function names, test counts — not vague summaries.
- •Uncommitted work is important. Flag it prominently so it's not forgotten.