Handover MCP

Move active work between Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, people, and

service agents without losing decisions, files, history, or authorship.

Handover

provides shared, versioned context for humans and AI agents through a hosted

Model Context Protocol server, a dependency-free CLI, and eight open Agent

Skills. This repository is the public source, discovery, installation, and

connection record for those interfaces.

Research and evidence

The [Handover research and evidence

index](https://handover.sh/research?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=research_evidence)

collects the open continuity benchmark, Reporter migration field report,

Handoff Continuity Record, and runnable continuation demo. Findings stay beside

their methods, source artifacts, first-party relationship, and material

limitations.

The versioned `research/v1/` package gives agents and

researchers a stable JSON index, JSON Schema, citation metadata, and a bounded

Markdown summary. The package is a first-party publication by Handover and

44pixels; it is designed for inspection and reuse, not presented as independent

validation.

• Human research index
• Agent-readable production index
• Versioned repository index
• Citation metadata
• Run and submit an independent benchmark result

See a complete handoff

The [public continuation

demo](https://handover.sh/demo?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=mcp_launch_demo)

shows the same workflow from both sides: an interactive human view and an

agent-readable record. It includes Markdown, SQL, JSON, a visual artifact,

three attributable revisions, a human review note, and the next agent's

resolution. No account is required.

• Interactive demo
• Continue the demo in your workspace
• Demo workflow and verification notes
• Agent-readable manifest
• Raw Markdown
• Raw SQL
• Evidence JSON

Build a private handoff prompt

The [AI handoff prompt

generator](https://handover.sh/tools/ai-handoff-prompt-generator?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ai_handoff_prompt)

turns unfinished work into separate capture and receiver prompts without

requiring an account. Draft fields stay inside the browser tab and are not sent

to analytics or stored as a server-side draft.

The receiver prompt requires the next actor to inspect the evidence, separate

verified and unverified state, identify blockers, and state one bounded next

action before continuing. Copy or download the Markdown record, or carry the

same private draft into a prefilled first handover.

• Open the private prompt generator
• Inspect the raw Markdown example
• Decide when `HANDOFF.md` is enough

Move from Claude Code to Codex

Codex's built-in import is the right first choice for a one-time move of

supported Claude Code setup, projects, memories, and recent chats. Use

Handover when Claude Code and Codex will alternate on unfinished work and need

shared artifacts, separate identities, review, and revision history.

The [Claude Code to Codex transfer

recipe](examples/claude-code-to-codex-context-transfer.md) contains the exact

sender checkpoint, two-host service-credential setup, receiver verification,

optimistic-concurrency continuation, revocation test, and pass criteria. The

[rendered

guide](https://handover.sh/guides/transfer-context-from-claude-code-to-codex?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=claude_code_to_codex)

explains when to use native import and when to use a durable handoff.

Run the reviewed MCP handoff

The demo shows the finished record. The

end-to-end MCP handoff procedure

tests the workflow itself across separate authenticated identities:

1. verify the publisher;

2. publish Markdown, SQL, and JSON;

3. read every artifact back;

4. review exact evidence from another identity;

5. publish a correction with optimistic concurrency;

6. resolve the finding against the correcting revision; and

7. prove a fresh successor can continue without the original chat.

It also exercises denied, read-only, stale-revision, and revoked-credential

paths. Use the [rendered

guide](https://handover.sh/guides/end-to-end-mcp-agent-handoff?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=mcp_handoff_e2e)

for the rationale, or connect an agent through the

install flow

before running the repository procedure.

Use the AI agent handoff checklist

For a smaller local handoff, start with the

Markdown checklist. It captures the objective,

current state, decisions, evidence, constraints, next action, and ownership,

then requires the receiving actor to read the current revision, open the

evidence, reproduce one meaningful result, and mark the handoff as passed or

blocked.

The [rendered checklist and

FAQ](https://handover.sh/templates/agent-handoff?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agent_handoff_checklist)

explains each verification step. The raw template works without Handover; use

the hosted service when multiple actors need authenticated access, immutable

revisions, search, annotations, or auditable ownership.

Test company AI context readiness

Before connecting company knowledge to several people and agents, use the

company AI context readiness checklist.

It separates approved source knowledge from changing continuation records,

inventories human and service identities, declares company and workspace

boundaries, and finishes with a two-person, two-agent pilot.

The pilot is intentionally stricter than an import count: it verifies

authorized retrieval, attributable revisions, human review, denied searches,

agent revocation, and fresh-session continuation. The

[source-linked architecture

guide](https://handover.sh/guides/shared-workspace-for-humans-and-ai-agents?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=company_ai_knowledge)

explains why a search index, private model memory, and canonical company

records have different responsibilities.

Use the open handoff format

The [Handoff Continuity

Record](https://handover.sh/protocol?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=handoff_continuity_record)

is a platform-neutral JSON format for the state another human or AI agent needs

to verify and continue work. It records the objective, verified and unverified

state, decisions, evidence, constraints, next action, ownership, and open

review without prescribing transport, routing, authentication, or storage.

The `protocol/v1/` directory contains:

• a JSON Schema Draft 2020-12 contract;
• a valid inventory-reporting example;
• a dependency-free Node.js conformance checker; and
• producer, receiver, scope, and security requirements.

node protocol/v1/validate.mjs protocol/v1/example.json

MCP can expose the tools used to read and write the record. A2A or an

orchestration framework can route it. Git or Handover can store it.

Connect

The canonical Streamable HTTP endpoint is:

https://handover.sh/api/mcp?profile=core

The recommended core profile exposes 17 tools for everyday identity, search,

retrieval, review, continuation, publishing, and portability workflows. Use

`https://handover.sh/api/mcp?profile=native` for all 27 first-party Handover

operations. The unparameterized `https://handover.sh/api/mcp` endpoint retains

all 55 tools and Reporter aliases for existing integrations.

The endpoint exposes its MCP handshake and tool schemas without an account so

clients and directories can verify compatibility before connecting. Tool calls

remain protected and return Handover's OAuth resource challenge when no valid

human or service credential is present.

Interactive MCP hosts use Handover's first-party OAuth flow: standard discovery,

dynamic client registration, PKCE, short-lived access tokens, and rotating

refresh tokens. The host opens Handover in a browser; sign in as yourself,

review the requested permissions, and approve the connection. Handover records

your human identity on every attributable action.

Unattended runners and hosts without OAuth support use a separately named,

scoped service credential created under Workspace or Company -> Agents.

Human and service identities remain independently attributable and revocable.

For the complete setup, identity check, two-agent continuity test, and

troubleshooting flow, see CONNECTING.md.

Codex

codex mcp add handover --url https://handover.sh/api/mcp?profile=core
codex mcp login handover

Claude Code

claude mcp add --transport http --scope user \
  handover https://handover.sh/api/mcp?profile=core

Gemini CLI

gemini mcp add --transport http --scope user \
  handover https://handover.sh/api/mcp?profile=core

Cursor

Add this to `.cursor/mcp.json`. Cursor discovers Handover's authorization

server and prompts for browser sign-in when the connection starts:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "handover": {
      "url": "https://handover.sh/api/mcp?profile=core"
    }
  }
}

Cline

Open Cline's MCP wizard:

cline mcp install handover --transport http https://handover.sh/api/mcp?profile=core

Choose Remote (HTTP) and Static headers, then enter the scoped service

agent credential in Cline's private header prompt. The agent-readable

`llms-install.md` includes the exact configuration, identity

check, safe first write, two-agent continuation test, and revocation procedure.

Use the [first-party Cline setup

page](https://handover.sh/install?utm_source=cline&utm_medium=marketplace&utm_campaign=cline_marketplace)

for the complete Handover flow. Do not paste a real credential into chat or

commit Cline's private MCP settings.

Command-line client

The dependency-free Handover CLI supports the same durable workflow from a

terminal:

npm install --global handover-sh
handover login
handover doctor
handover search "billing migration"
handover pull  --out ./continued-work
handover publish ./report --title "Weekly report"

The published package source and metadata live in `cli/`. The audited

direct installer remains available when npm is not appropriate:

curl -fsSL https://handover.sh/install.sh | sh

Package releases are built from this public repository. The bootstrap and

trusted-publishing process is documented in RELEASING.md.

`handover doctor` is a read-only connection check. It verifies the configured

endpoint, server-resolved identity, workspace, role, scopes, and one protected

context request without printing the credential or changing a handover. Use

the complete verification checklist

before an agent's first write.

Agent Skills

Install reusable Handover workflows into a compatible coding agent with the

open Agent Skills format:

npx skills add 44-pixels/handover-mcp --list
npx skills add 44-pixels/handover-mcp --skill handoff
npx skills add 44-pixels/handover-mcp --skill handover-record
npx skills add 44-pixels/handover-mcp --skill handover-publish
npx skills add 44-pixels/handover-mcp --skill handover-test-continuity

The public collection includes a local-first session handoff, skills for

creating and validating machine-readable records, verifying connections,

publishing context, resuming work,

reviewing revision-anchored feedback, testing complete multi-identity

continuity, and governing agent access. Browse the

catalog at skills.handover.sh or inspect the

source in `skills/`. The collection is also indexed in the

Skills.sh directory.

The catalog organizes skills by handoff phase, includes a plain-language

starting request for each workflow, and exposes the exact MCP tools and CLI

commands through its [machine-readable

index](https://skills.handover.sh/index.json).

The runtime is independently listed as

[`sh.handover/handover` in the official MCP

Registry](https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0.1/servers?search=sh.handover%2Fhandover).

The [Agent Skills and MCP

guide](https://handover.sh/guides/agent-skills-and-mcp?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agent_skills_mcp)

explains the boundary between portable workflow instructions and authenticated

runtime capabilities. Its [raw end-to-end

workflow](https://handover.sh/examples/agent-skill-mcp-workflow.md?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agent_skills_mcp)

is designed for direct agent retrieval.

For host-specific installation, use the tested [Claude Code, Codex, Cursor,

and Gemini CLI

guide](https://handover.sh/guides/install-agent-skills-claude-code-codex-cursor-gemini?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=cross_host_skills).

Its [raw verification

checklist](https://handover.sh/examples/cross-host-agent-skill-install.md?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=cross_host_skills)

separates file installation from host discovery, skill activation,

authenticated MCP identity, read-back, denied access, and cross-host

continuation.

To publish a workflow that uses Handover, start with the

[Agent Skill developer

kit](https://skills.handover.sh/publish?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agent_skill_mcp_builder),

the contributor contract, and the

starter skill. Copy the starter

into a new `skills//SKILL.md`; the template deliberately does not use the

reserved filename so registries cannot mistake it for an installable skill.

Community submissions keep

their publisher and source attribution; catalog inclusion does not widen

Handover access or replace source review.

Validate the local contract before testing the authenticated workflow:

node templates/handover-skill/validate.mjs skills//SKILL.md

Passing this validator proves the file contract, not host discovery, MCP

authentication, permissions, read-back, or denied behavior. The developer kit

keeps those runtime checks explicit.

Open continuity benchmark

The [AI Handoff Continuity

Benchmark](https://handover.sh/benchmark?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=continuity_benchmark_results)

tests whether a successor model can recover the objective, current state,

decisions, evidence, constraints, next action, owner, and open questions from

a transcript, compressed memory, or structured handoff.

The first two-system pilot scored structured handoffs at 79.45, conversation

transcripts at 76.67, and compressed memory at 45.00. It is a small authored

pilot rather than a model leaderboard. The public `benchmark/`

directory contains the dataset, answer key, dependency-free scorer, strict

submissions, deterministic results, limitations, and all 18 raw response

bodies. Reuse the published

`CITATION.cff`,

`citation.bib`, or flat

`summary.csv` instead of

transcribing values from the page.

cd benchmark/v1
node run.mjs --validate-scorer
node run.mjs --prompts ./prompts

What agents can do

Connected agents can:

• verify the active identity, organization, workspace, and scopes with

`handover.whoami`;

• search company or personal context;
• inspect an exact immutable revision;
• read attached Markdown, HTML, SQL, JSON, code, images, and other files;
• retrieve discussions and revision-anchored annotations;
• create a new handover or continue an existing one;
• add, edit, resolve, and respond to review comments;
• preserve the authenticated human or service identity in the audit history.

The server never asks an agent to provide an author identity in tool input.

Authorship comes from the authenticated credential.

Verify the connection

Ask the connected host to perform these calls before real work:

1. Call `handover.whoami` with no arguments and confirm the returned person or

named service agent, organization, workspace, role, and scopes.

2. Call `handover.search` with `{ "query": "" }` and confirm it returns only

context that identity should be able to access.

3. Read one known handover and artifact before creating or continuing work.

A working connection lists Handover's tools without a JSON or sign-in error,

preserves the intended identity as author, and immediately stops working after

the OAuth grant or service credential is revoked.

Service agents

Workspace owners create service agents in Handover and grant only the scopes

that actor needs. Store the credential in `HANDOVER_TOKEN`; do not put it in a

repository or MCP configuration committed to source control.

export HANDOVER_TOKEN='hnd_tok_...'
codex mcp add handover \
  --url https://handover.sh/api/mcp?profile=core \
  --bearer-token-env-var HANDOVER_TOKEN

Discovery and documentation

• No-login continuation demo
• AI agent handoff checklist
• Company AI context readiness checklist
• Shared knowledge base architecture guide
• End-to-end reviewed MCP handoff
• Rendered MCP handoff guide
• Install and host-specific setup
• MCP memory setup for Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex
• Raw cross-host setup and continuity test
• Claude Code to Codex context transfer
• Rendered Claude Code to Codex guide
• Connection and verification runbook
• MCP workflow guide
• MCP OAuth vs service accounts
• Preserve context across AI coding agents
• Migrate static report folders
• Glama hosted connector
• Machine-readable host recipes
• MCP server manifest
• Agent tool manifest
• OpenAPI document
• Agent-readable knowledge corpus
• Security model

Source and support

The hosted Handover application source is maintained in a private repository.

This public repository contains the MCP connection record, setup documentation,

and the source of the dependency-free CLI, not the hosted service

implementation.

Report connection or documentation problems through

GitHub Issues. Report

security concerns using the process in SECURITY.md.