handoff

What it does

Phase 3 of the prd-taskmaster pipeline: smart mode selection and user handoff. Detects installed capabilities, recommends ONE execution mode with reasoned justification, appends the task-execution workflow to CLAUDE.md, surfaces a structured AskUserQuestion multi-option picker for user agency, and dispatches the chosen mode. Mode D (Atlas Fleet) is selectable only when detect_capabilities returns tier=premium; otherwise it is a locked Atlas Pro teaser. Plan Mode is NOT used and AskUserQuestion is the sole user-agency mechanism. Declares HANDOFF complete so EXECUTE can follow.

How it works

• Entry gate: runs diagnostics via mcp__plugin_prd_go__check_gate(phase="HANDOFF", evidence={}) and then reads outputs from GENERATE artifacts. It ensures required evidence (e.g., user_mode_choice, plan_file_exists) is produced by HANDOFF for advancement.
• Step 1: Detect capabilities using MCP preferred function mcp__plugin_prd_go__detect_capabilities() (or CLI fallback) to obtain a tier value ("free" or "premium") and per-capability flags.
• Step 2: Recommend ONE mode using first-match rules: if superpowers and ralph-loop present → Mode C; if superpowers only → Mode A; if task-master-ai only → Mode B; otherwise Mode A. Mode D unlocks only when tier == "premium" and graph parallelizes. Alternatives E–J are offered via alternative_modes but not as default.
• Step 3: Append the task workflow to CLAUDE.md using a deterministic, idempotent subcommand path that writes a fixed workflow snippet, with safeguards and HTML-comment sentinels.
• Step 4: Display a summary panel with validation and capabilities, then show a handoff surface including mode options via AskUserQuestion.
• Step 5: Mandatory AskUserQuestion for mode selection with options: Plan & Drive (Mode A), Auto-Execute (Mode B), Verified Loop (Mode C), Atlas Fleet (Mode D), Use another tool… (E–J), Show me more detail before I decide. The recommended mode is set as default when applicable (Atlas Fleet on premium with graph parallelization).
• Dispatch: depending on the chosen mode, perform corresponding actions:
  • Mode A: call superpowers:writing-plans with spec path .taskmaster/docs/prd.md.
  • Mode B: show commands for next task (CLI or MCP backend) and proceed with native TaskMaster execution loop.
  • Mode C: write .claude/atlas-loop-prompt.md and invoke /goal with the specified SHIP_CHECK_OK/conditions until completion.
  • Mode D: invoke /prd:execute-fleet (premium) or present upgrade message on free tier.

When to use it

Use when the orchestrator is in HANDOFF phase and needs to determine a single, justified execution mode, present user agency, and dispatch the selected mode. Mode D is only selectable on premium installations.

What it can touch

• Tools: Read, Skill, AskUserQuestion, ToolSearch, mcp__atlas-engine, mcp__plugin_prd_go, mcp__plugin_prd-taskmaster_go, mcp__plugin_atlas-go_go
• Files: CLAUDE.md (workflow appended), .taskmaster/docs/prd.md, .taskmaster/tasks/tasks.json, .taskmaster/reports/task-complexity-report.json, .claude/atlas-loop-prompt.md

Caveats

• Mode D is locked on free tier; attempting to select it prompts an upgrade message and re-prompts with free modes.
• Plan Mode is explicitly NOT used.
• Requires generation outputs to exist; otherwise it reports and stops per gate behavior.
• The skill is user-invocable false; it is invoked by the prd-taskmaster orchestrator when phase HANDOFF is active.