Retro

Session retrospective — honest reflection on process, not just outcomes.

Archive root: Resolve $SESSION_KIT_ROOT (default: ~/.stoobz). All ~/.stoobz/ paths below use this root.

Session Check-In (silent — before main process)

On first invocation of any session-kit skill in this session, register the active session in the manifest. See session-checkin.md for the full protocol. Summary:

1. Detect session ID from most recently modified .jsonl in ~/.claude/projects/$(pwd | tr '/' '-')/ (fallback: git root encoding). If detection fails, skip silently.
2. Read $SESSION_KIT_ROOT/manifest.json (create if missing).
3. If no entry with this session_id exists → create active registration (status: "active", session_id, return_to, started_at, last_activity, last_exchange, skills_used, nulls for label/summary/archive_path).
4. If entry exists → update last_activity, last_exchange, append this skill to skills_used.
5. Write manifest. Proceed to main process. No output about check-in.

Process

1. Check for existing file — Read ./.stoobz/RETRO.md if it exists. If found:

   • Preserve previous entries under a ## Previous Retros heading
   • Add new entry as the primary (top) section with updated timestamp

2. Analyze the session across these dimensions:

   • Time well spent — What activities moved the needle?
   • Time wasted — What rabbit holes, false starts, or unnecessary detours happened?
   • Approach effectiveness — Was the strategy right? Would a different order have been better?
   • Tool/skill usage — Which skills helped? Which were missing?
   • Communication — Were instructions clear? Did misunderstandings cause rework?

3. Identify patterns — If previous retros exist, look for recurring themes.

4. Write .stoobz/RETRO.md in the current working directory.

Output Format

# Retro

**Date:** {YYYY-MM-DD}
**Session:** {branch or topic}
**Duration:** {approximate — short/medium/long}

---

## What Went Well

- {Specific thing that was effective — with why}
- {Approach or decision that saved time}

## What Took Longer Than Expected

- {Activity}: {why it took longer} — {how to avoid next time}

## What I'd Do Differently

- {Concrete change for next time — not vague aspirations}

## Tool & Skill Notes

- {Skill that was useful}: {what it helped with}
- {Skill that was missing}: {what it would have helped with}
- {Process improvement}: {workflow change to try}

## Recurring Patterns

{Only if previous retros exist — themes that keep showing up}

---

_Generated by /retro — improving the process, not just the output._

Rules

• Honest over polite — If the session was unproductive, say so. If the user's prompt was vague, note it.
• Specific over generic — "Spent 20 minutes on X before realizing Y" beats "could have been more efficient"
• Actionable items only — Every "do differently" must be something concrete you can actually do
• Credit the wins — Don't just focus on problems. Note what worked so it can be repeated.
• Pattern recognition — When previous retros exist, flag recurring issues. That's where real improvement lives.
• Write to ./.stoobz/RETRO.md unless the user specifies a different path