session-start

Summarizes project state from roadmaps, ADRs, and GitHub issues for session orientation.

Updated Jul 29, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/chris-prener/dev-kit --skill session-start-chris-prener
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: session-start
Source: https://github.com/chris-prener/dev-kit/tree/main/dev-kit/skills/session-start
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/chris-prener/dev-kit --skill session-start-chris-prener

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Agent-driven development loses context between sessions: settled decisions get re-litigated, in-flight work gets duplicated, and the user must verbally re-orient the agent every time. This skill performs a fast, durable read of project state so work can resume without a manual briefing. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Persistent-memory scan: Reads the ADR index, the active section of OBJECTIVES.md, and the Now horizon of ROADMAP.md to surface recent decisions, active objectives, and in-flight epics. - Live GitHub sweep: Runs batched gh queries for open PRs, blocker issues, needs-triage and needs-grooming counts, in-progress workstreams, and unlabeled issues, with a ~30 second performance budget. - Structured orientation summary: Prints a one-screen markdown report covering in-flight work, watchlist counts, recent ADRs, and 1-3 suggested next actions, without mutating any state. - Use Case: At the start of a work session, ask for orientation and receive a summary showing the in-flight epic, two open PRs awaiting review, five untriaged issues, and a suggested next action to confirm or override. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to orient you at the start of a session, for example by saying "session start" or "where are we?".

Frequently Asked Questions about session-start

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I orient an AI agent at the start of a work session?▼

Invoke the skill with a phrase like "session start" or "where are we?" and it reads your ADR index, OBJECTIVES.md, ROADMAP.md, and GitHub issues, then prints a one-screen summary of in-flight work, watchlist counts, and suggested next actions.

How to check open PRs and triage backlog with GitHub CLI?▼

The skill runs batched gh queries: gh pr list for your open PRs, gh issue list for blockers and in-progress items, and gh api search endpoints for accurate needs-triage and needs-grooming counts that avoid the 30-item default cap.

Does session orientation work without a ROADMAP or ADR files?▼

Yes, it is best-effort. Each durable source is read only if present, and the GitHub sweep runs independently. Missing files simply omit those sections from the summary rather than failing.

Why does gh issue list show wrong counts for large backlogs?▼

A bare gh issue list with --jq 'length' silently caps at 30 results. The skill uses gh api search/issues with --paginate for watchlist counts so totals reflect the full backlog.

When should I not use a session orientation skill?▼

Skip it for single-question sessions where the sweep overhead is not justified, and for mid-session refreshes since it is designed for session starts. It also does not run automatically; it requires explicit invocation.