AI Coding Agent Handoff Checklist

An AI coding agent handoff works best when it is written like a small contract, not a wish. The agent needs a goal, a scope boundary, a verification path, and a clear stop condition.

Start with the goal: what user-visible behavior should change? Then name the files, routes, commands, or product surfaces that are in scope. If the task touches production data, credentials, deployment, or privacy cleanup, it should move to an ops path instead of being treated as ordinary code work.

The handoff should also say what evidence will count as done. Examples: a unit test, a Playwright screenshot, a public API GET, a lint run, or a before/after diff. Avoid vague checks such as “make it better” unless the task is explicitly exploratory.

Finally, define what the agent should not do. Do not rewrite unrelated code, do not invent new architecture when the existing pattern is enough, and do not hide uncertain assumptions. A good handoff makes the agent faster because it reduces interpretation work. It also makes the review easier because the result can be compared against the original contract.

AI Coding Agent Handoff Checklist

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