Branch Name Updater

Rename git branches following naming conventions and automatically update remote tracking.

What It Does

• Analyzes current branch and changes
• Suggests descriptive branch names
• Renames local and remote branches
• Updates branch tracking
• Enforces naming conventions

How to Use

Run on the branch you want to rename:

/update-branch-name

The command will suggest names based on your changes.

Branch Naming Patterns

Feature Development

feature/user-profile-editor
feature/csv-export
feature/oauth-login

Bug Fixes

fix/validation-error
fix/memory-leak
fix/null-pointer

Refactoring

refactor/extract-utils
refactor/database-layer
refactor/api-structure

Documentation

docs/api-documentation
docs/setup-guide
docs/contributing

Naming Best Practices

• Use lowercase letters
• Separate words with hyphens
• Include type prefix (feature, fix, docs, etc.)
• Be descriptive but concise
• Avoid generic names like "updates" or "changes"
• Include issue number if applicable

Rename Workflow

1. Check Current Branch

git branch --show-current
# Output: temp-branch

2. Analyze Changes

git diff main...HEAD
# Review what you've changed

3. Rename Locally

git branch -m temp-branch feature/user-authentication

4. Update Remote

# Delete old remote branch
git push origin --delete temp-branch

# Push new branch and set upstream
git push -u origin feature/user-authentication

Example: Renaming Process

Scenario: Working on search feature, branch named "test"

Step 1: Analyze Changes

git log main..HEAD --oneline
# Shows commits related to search functionality

Step 2: Choose New Name

Based on changes: feature/fuzzy-search

Step 3: Rename

git branch -m test feature/fuzzy-search

Step 4: Update Remote

git push origin --delete test
git push -u origin feature/fuzzy-search

Use Cases

• Clean Up Naming: Rename temporary or unclear branch names
• Enforce Standards: Apply team naming conventions
• Clarify Purpose: Make branch purpose obvious from name
• Before PR: Rename before creating pull request
• Team Collaboration: Help others understand branch purpose

Naming Conventions

Type Prefixes

• feature/: New features or functionality
• fix/: Bug fixes
• hotfix/: Critical production fixes
• refactor/: Code restructuring
• docs/: Documentation changes
• test/: Test additions or updates
• chore/: Build/config changes

With Issue Numbers

feature/123-user-dashboard
fix/456-login-error
docs/789-api-guide

Team Member Prefix

alice/feature/search
bob/fix/validation

Safety Checks

Before renaming:

• Commit or stash all changes
• Verify branch is not protected (main/master)
• Check if others are working on this branch
• Ensure you have push permissions

Common Scenarios

Temporary Name to Descriptive

# From: temp, test, branch1
# To: feature/shopping-cart
git branch -m temp feature/shopping-cart

Fix Type After Work Changes

# Started as feature, became refactor
# From: feature/update-api
# To: refactor/api-structure
git branch -m feature/update-api refactor/api-structure

Add Issue Number

# From: feature/notifications
# To: feature/234-notifications
git branch -m feature/notifications feature/234-notifications

Verification

After renaming, verify:

# Check local branch
git branch --show-current

# Check remote tracking
git branch -vv

# Verify remote branch exists
git ls-remote --heads origin

Troubleshooting

Branch Already Exists: Choose a different name

Push Denied: Check permissions, might need force push

Lost Tracking: Reset with git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/new-name

Protected Branch: Cannot rename main/master/develop

Multiple Branches

Rename multiple branches:

# List all branches
git branch

# Rename each one
git branch -m old-name-1 new-name-1
git branch -m old-name-2 new-name-2

Working with PRs

Before PR Creation: Rename to descriptive name

After PR Created: Avoid renaming (causes confusion)

PR Already Open: Update PR title/description instead

Team Communication

When renaming shared branches:

1. Notify team members
2. Ensure no one else is working on it
3. Update any documentation referencing old name
4. Update CI/CD configs if needed

Best Practices

• Rename Early: Do it before creating PR
• Be Descriptive: Make purpose clear from name
• Follow Conventions: Use team's naming standards
• Update Remote: Don't forget to update remote branch
• Communicate: Tell team about shared branch renames
• Document: Note rename in commit or PR if relevant

Quality Checklist

A good branch name:

• Uses type prefix (feature/fix/docs/etc)
• Is descriptive of the work
• Uses lowercase and hyphens
• Is concise but clear
• Follows team conventions
• Includes issue number if applicable