Before the agent starts
Link the request to a durable spec, state the task objective, limit implementation target paths, and name the validation command. Escalate ambiguity instead of letting the agent silently widen scope.
Answer page
A practical coding-agent handoff checklist
A concise checklist for handing an implementation task to a coding agent and receiving work back with usable evidence.
Direct answer
Before handoff, give the agent one task with a clear objective, scoped paths, acceptance criteria, and executable validation. At return, require changed-paths, validation results, unresolved risks, and a reconciliation decision, not a prose claim that the work is done.
Practical guidance
Make the next review decision easier.
At handoff
Ask for an implementation summary that names the files changed, validation actually run, and unresolved items. This is the minimum input a human reviewer needs to decide what to inspect.
After implementation
Review the summary against the task definition, then reconcile completed tasks against the milestone criteria. A failed or missing check remains a visible follow-up rather than disappearing in a new chat.
Verified demo evidence
A public prompt and outcome, not a completion claim.
This prompt and outcome are from the website’s checked-in synthetic repository demo. Substitute your own repository paths and declared validation gates when you apply the workflow.
Repository-writing command
Prompt: "Create implementation-sized tasks from the selected milestone plan."
outcome: Created 2 declared tasks and implementation summariesAuthorship and sources
Trace this guidance to maintained product evidence.
- Maintainer
- Tianna McCoy ↗Day Shift maintainer; responsible for the repository-native workflow and release evidence referenced here.
- Last updated
- Tested Day Shift
- v0.2.26
Keep exploring
Follow the next question, not a generic funnel.
How to Make AI Coding-Agent Work Reviewable
Make coding-agent work reviewable with bounded repository artifacts, named validation, and written implementation evidence.
Read nextWhat a Human-Agent-Contract Looks Like in a Real Repository
A concrete view of the repository artifacts that make human-agent implementation work traceable and reviewable.
Read nextInteractive Demo
Replay a fresh Day Shift lifecycle, inspect generated artifacts, and play the implemented Tic-Tac-Toe result.
Read nextFind your answer
Have we answered your question?
Search practical answer pages and product context, then follow each result to the canonical workflow or reference owner.
Search by a problem, workflow step, or tool boundary, or choose a filter.