---
name: read-session
description: View a saved Claude session without reloading it for continuation
---

# Read Session Skill

You are now in session read mode. Your task is to display a previously saved conversation for review without loading it as active context for continuation.

## Instructions

1. **Get Session ID**: Extract the session ID from user's request
   - Format: `YYYY-MM-DD_HHmm` (e.g., "2026-01-20_1430")
   - User might provide:
     - Exact ID: "2026-01-20_1430"
     - Partial ID: "0120" or "1430"
     - Title keywords: "read the authentication session"
     - Description: "show me the JWT session from yesterday"
   - If ambiguous, search `~/.claude/sessions/index.json` and ask for clarification

2. **Find Session File**:
   - First check index.json to find the exact filename
   - Load `~/.claude/sessions/<session-id>_<sanitized-title>.json`
   - If file not found, inform user and offer similar sessions

3. **Load and Parse**: Read the JSON file and extract:
   - Metadata (id, title, date, tags)
   - Summary (context, approach, changes, outcome, next steps)
   - Conversation history (all messages)
   - File modifications

4. **Display Session**: Show a comprehensive read-only view:
   ```
   📖 Session: [Title]

   📅 Date: YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm (X days ago)
   🏷️ Tags: tag1, tag2, tag3
   💬 Messages: X messages
   📝 Files Modified: file1, file2, file3

   ## Summary

   **Context**: [summary.context]

   **Approach**: [summary.approach]

   **Key Changes**: [summary.keyChanges]

   **Outcome**: [summary.outcome]

   **Next Steps**: [summary.nextSteps]

   ## Conversation History

   [Display the full conversation in a readable format]

   ---

   To reload and continue this session: /reload-session <id>
   To search for similar sessions: /search-sessions <keywords>
   ```

5. **Display Options**:
   - View full conversation (show all messages)
   - View summary only (already shown)
   - View specific messages (by index or search)
   - Export to different format
   - Reload to continue working

## Display Modes

**Summary Mode (default):**
- Show metadata and summary only
- Don't display full conversation unless requested

**Full Mode:**
- Show metadata, summary, AND full conversation history
- Use when user says "read full session" or "show everything"

**Conversation-only Mode:**
- Skip summary, just show the conversation
- Use when user says "show me the conversation" or "messages only"

## Usage Examples

**Read summary:**
```
/read-session 2026-01-20_1430
read session 2026-01-20_1430
show me the authentication session
```

**Read full conversation:**
```
/read-session 2026-01-20_1430 --full
read full session about authentication
show me everything from the JWT session
```

**Read specific messages:**
```
/read-session 2026-01-20_1430 --messages 5-10
show messages 5-10 from session 2026-01-20_1430
```

## Important Notes

- This is a READ-ONLY view - don't load context for continuation
- Default to showing summary unless user asks for full conversation
- Format conversation messages clearly with role labels (User/Assistant)
- Show timestamps for each message if in full mode
- Provide options at the end to reload or search
- If session file not found, search index.json for similar titles

## Example Output

**Summary view (default):**
```
📖 Session: Implement User Authentication with JWT

📅 Date: Jan 18, 2026 16:00 (2 days ago)
🏷️ Tags: authentication, jwt, security, api
💬 Messages: 45 messages
📝 Files Modified: src/auth/jwt.ts, src/middleware/auth.ts, tests/auth.test.ts

## Summary

**Context**: User needed to implement JWT-based authentication for their REST API

**Approach**: Created JWT service with access/refresh tokens, added middleware for route protection

**Key Changes**:
- Implemented JWT token generation and validation
- Added authentication middleware
- Created login/logout endpoints
- Added comprehensive tests

**Outcome**: Authentication system fully implemented and tested with 95% coverage

**Next Steps**: Consider adding password reset functionality and rate limiting

---

**Actions:**
- View full conversation: /read-session 2026-01-20_1430 --full
- Reload to continue: /reload-session 2026-01-20_1430
- Search similar: /search-sessions authentication jwt
```

**Full view (with --full flag):**
```
📖 Session: Implement User Authentication with JWT

📅 Date: Jan 18, 2026 16:00 (2 days ago)
🏷️ Tags: authentication, jwt, security, api
💬 Messages: 45 messages
📝 Files Modified: src/auth/jwt.ts, src/middleware/auth.ts, tests/auth.test.ts

## Summary

[Summary content as above]

## Conversation

**[User - 16:00:00]**
I need to implement JWT authentication for my REST API

**[Assistant - 16:00:15]**
I'll help you implement JWT authentication. Let me first explore your existing codebase...

**[User - 16:02:30]**
The API is in src/api/ and uses Express

**[Assistant - 16:02:45]**
Perfect! I can see your Express setup. Let me create the JWT service...

[... full conversation continues ...]

---

**Actions:**
- Reload to continue: /reload-session 2026-01-20_1430
- Search similar: /search-sessions authentication jwt
```

**Session not found:**
```
❌ Session "2026-01-99_9999" not found.

Did you mean one of these?

1. [2026-01-20_1430] Implement User Authentication with JWT
   📅 Jan 20, 14:30 | 🏷️ authentication, jwt, security

2. [2026-01-18_1600] Setup OAuth2 Integration
   📅 Jan 18, 16:00 | 🏷️ oauth, authentication, api

To read: /read-session <id>
To search: /search-sessions <keywords>
```

## Formatting Guidelines

When displaying conversation messages:
- Use clear role labels: **[User]** and **[Assistant]**
- Include timestamps in full mode
- Preserve code blocks and formatting
- Show system messages if present
- Use horizontal rules to separate messages
- Limit very long messages (offer to show full text)
- Number messages for easy reference