Session Workflow Management

Structured workflows for starting, checkpointing, and completing coding sessions. Ensures context survives compaction and work is never stranded.

Session Start

1. Orient

bash

bd prime              # Load workflow context
bd ready --json       # Find unblocked work

2. Understand Current State

If continuing existing work:

bash

bd list --status in_progress   # What was I working on?
bd show <id>                   # Get full context

If starting fresh:

bash

bd ready                       # Pick highest priority unblocked issue
openspec list                  # Check for active OpenSpec changes

3. Announce Intent

bash

bd update <id> --status in_progress

Session Checkpoint

Run periodically, especially before:

•Asking user for input
•Context getting large (>70% tokens)
•Switching to a different task
•Taking a break

Quick Checkpoint

bash

# Capture current state
bd update <id> --add-note "CHECKPOINT: <what was done>, <what's next>"

# Sync to git
bd sync

Full Checkpoint

bash

# Update issue notes with full context
bd update <id> --add-note "CHECKPOINT $(date):
COMPLETED: <list of completed items>
IN PROGRESS: <current item and state>
DECISIONS: <any key decisions made>
BLOCKERS: <any blockers discovered>
NEXT: <what to do next>"

# If code changed, verify build
.\build.ps1

# Sync tracking
bd sync

# Commit work-in-progress (optional but recommended)
git add -A
git commit -m "wip: checkpoint - <brief description>"
git push

Landing the Plane (Session End)

MANDATORY workflow. Work is NOT complete until git push succeeds.

Step 1: File Issues for Discovered Work

bash

# Bugs found
bd create "Bug: <description>" -t bug -p 1 -d "<full context>"

# TODO items
bd create "TODO: <description>" -t task -p 2 -d "<full context>"

# Technical debt
bd create "Tech debt: <description>" -t tech-debt -p 3 -d "<full context>"

Step 2: Run Quality Gates

powershell

# Build
.\build.ps1

# Test (if applicable)
.\test.ps1

# Whitespace check
.\Build\Agent\check-and-fix-whitespace.ps1

# Commit message validation
.\Build\Agent\commit-messages.ps1

File P0 issues if builds/tests are broken.

Step 3: Update All Tracking

Beads:

bash

# Completed work
bd close <id> --reason "Completed: <summary>"

# Partial progress
bd update <id> --status in_progress --add-note "SESSION END: <what remains>"

# Add context for future sessions
bd update <id> --add-note "HANDOFF: <key context for next session>"

OpenSpec tasks.md (if applicable):

•Mark completed tasks: - [x] Task description
•Add notes for partial progress

Agent Mail (if multi-agent):

code

send_message(
  thread_id="bd-<id>",
  subject="[bd-<id>] Session end",
  body_md="## Session Summary\n<what was done>\n\n## Remaining\n<what's left>"
)
release_file_reservations()

Step 4: Sync and Push (MANDATORY)

bash

# Sync Beads to git
bd sync

# Stage, commit, push
git add -A
git commit -m "chore: session end - <summary>"
git pull --rebase
git push

# VERIFY - must be clean and pushed
git status

Step 5: Verify Final State

bash

bd list --status open    # Review open issues
bd ready                 # Show what's ready for next session
git status               # MUST be clean and pushed

Step 6: Handoff

Provide context for next session:

markdown

## Session Handoff

### Completed This Session
- <list of completed items>

### Current State
- **Active Epic**: <id and title>
- **In Progress**: <id and title> (or "none")
- **Ready Work**: `bd ready` shows N issues

### Key Decisions
- <decision 1 and rationale>
- <decision 2 and rationale>

### Blockers
- <blocker 1> (waiting on: <what>)

### Next Session Priorities
1. <first priority>
2. <second priority>

### Important Context
- <anything the next session needs to know>

Critical Rules

Rule	Why
Work is NOT complete until `git push` succeeds	Local-only work is stranded work
NEVER stop before pushing	Leaves work invisible to others
NEVER say "ready to push when you are"	YOU must push, not the user
ALWAYS run `bd sync` before committing	Captures issue changes in git
If push fails, resolve and retry	Don't give up on pushes

Emergency Procedures

Context About to Compact

bash

# Immediate dump of current state
bd update <id> --add-note "EMERGENCY CHECKPOINT:
$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm')
Working on: <current task>
Progress: <what's done>
Next steps: <what was about to happen>
Key files: <list of modified files>
Test status: <pass/fail/not run>"

bd sync
git add -A
git commit -m "wip: emergency checkpoint before compaction"
git push

Lost Context After Compaction

bash

# Recover from beads
bd list --status in_progress
bd show <id>                    # Read the notes!

# Check git for recent changes
git log --oneline -10
git diff HEAD~3

# Check Agent Mail inbox
fetch_inbox(urgent_only=true)

session-workflow

Session Workflow Management

Session Start

1. Orient

2. Understand Current State

3. Announce Intent

Session Checkpoint

Quick Checkpoint

Full Checkpoint

Landing the Plane (Session End)

Step 1: File Issues for Discovered Work

Step 2: Run Quality Gates

Step 3: Update All Tracking

Step 4: Sync and Push (MANDATORY)

Step 5: Verify Final State

Step 6: Handoff

Critical Rules

Emergency Procedures

Context About to Compact

Lost Context After Compaction

Integration Points

With OpenSpec

With TodoWrite