---
title: Context Pack
type: template
area: projects
tags: [template, assistant, atlas, context-pack]
created: 2026-05-14
updated: 2026-05-14
status: active
related: [[Swarm Operating Manual]], [[Project Context Index]], [[Promote Session Output to Notes]]
---

# Context Pack - {{title}}

Use this template when handing work to a specialist agent. Keep it short, current, and path-oriented. Do not paste raw transcripts.

## Purpose / outcome

What should the specialist produce or decide?

- Desired outcome:
- Acceptance criteria:
- Definition of done:

## Background links

- Project note:
- Board / task source:
- Relevant specs:
- Related runbooks:
- Related decisions:

## Current state

Summarize only the facts needed to start work.

- Current status:
- Recent completed work:
- Known blockers:
- What has not been decided:

## Relevant files and repos

Use concrete paths. Mark unknowns as `TBD (owner: ...)`.

- Vault/project notes:
- Repository/workspace:
- Files likely to edit:
- Files to avoid touching:

## Commands / verification

- Discovery commands:
- Tests / smoke checks:
- Expected outputs:
- Before/after status checks:

## Constraints / safety rules

- Keep secrets, credentials, private keys, tokens, raw PII, and auth state out of notes, commits, task bodies, and final handoffs.
- Avoid runtime churn: caches, offsets, workspace UI state, generated WAL/SHM files, temporary logs, and unrelated dirty files.
- Make narrow, reviewable changes.
- If policy, product, or risk decisions are missing, block and ask rather than guessing.

## Prior decisions

- Decision:
  - Source:
  - Consequence for this task:

## Open questions

- Question:
  - Owner:
  - Blocks work? yes/no

## Handoff expectations

The specialist should return:

- Summary of what changed or was learned.
- Changed files/artifacts with absolute paths.
- Verification performed and results.
- Any remaining risks or follow-up tasks.
- Review-required note when human or reviewer approval is needed.
