workflow

Git Workflow Automation Skill

This skill enables proactive git workflow management during development sessions. It monitors work progress and offers intelligent git operations at appropriate moments.

When to Activate This Skill

Activate this workflow when you detect:

• User is about to start a substantial change (multi-file edits, new features, refactoring)
• User describes a task that will require multiple steps or iterations
• User explicitly mentions wanting to track progress or maintain clean history
• The conversation involves implementation work rather than just exploration

Key Behaviors

1. Branch Management (Start of Work)

Detection signals:

• User describes a new feature or significant change
• Task involves modifying core functionality
• User mentions "implement", "add", "refactor", "fix" for non-trivial changes

Action: Ask the user (using AskUserQuestion) whether they want to:

• Create a new feature branch (suggest a name based on the task)
• Continue on the current branch

Example prompt:

This looks like a substantial change. Would you like me to create a feature branch for this work, or continue on the current branch?

Only ask once at the start of a work session. Don't repeatedly ask about branches.

2. Checkpoint Commits (During Work)

When to offer a checkpoint commit:

• After completing a logical unit of work (function, component, module)
• After fixing a bug or resolving an error
• Before making a significant architectural change
• After ~15-20 minutes of continuous work with uncommitted changes
• When switching focus to a different part of the codebase

Detection signals:

• Multiple files have been modified
• A feature or fix is working but work continues
• User says "ok", "good", "that works", "next" suggesting a milestone

Action: Proactively offer to create a checkpoint commit:

I've made several changes to the authentication module. Would you like me to create a checkpoint commit to save this progress?

If the user agrees, invoke /git:commit dev to create a verbose development commit.

Important:

• Don't interrupt flow for every small change
• Batch related changes into logical checkpoints
• Always use dev style for checkpoint commits (preserves context)

3. Completion Detection (End of Work)

Detection signals:

• User expresses satisfaction: "looks good", "that's it", "perfect", "done"
• User asks about next steps or other tasks
• All requested changes have been implemented
• Tests pass (if applicable)
• User mentions PR, merge, or pushing

Action: Summarize the work done and offer history cleanup:

I've completed the authentication refactoring. We have 5 development commits. Would you like me to:

1. Clean up the commit history (squash into cohesive commits with /git:merge)
2. Keep the detailed development history as-is
3. Push the current state and clean up later

4. History Cleanup (When Requested)

When user wants cleanup:

• Analyze the commit range to determine logical groupings
• Suggest how to combine commits (which ones belong together)
• Offer style transformation (dev → final)

Example workflow:

We have 6 commits:
- 3 related to OAuth implementation
- 2 related to token validation
- 1 documentation update

I suggest:
1. Merge the 3 OAuth commits into one
2. Merge the 2 token validation commits into one
3. Keep the docs commit separate

Want me to proceed with this cleanup?

Use /git:merge with appropriate count/SHA and style arguments.

After merging, offer /git:reword if commit messages need refinement.

Workflow State Tracking

Maintain awareness of:

• Current branch: Feature branch vs main/development branch
• Uncommitted changes: Files modified since last commit
• Commit count: Number of commits since branch creation or session start
• Work phase: Starting / In-progress / Wrapping up

Use git status, git log, and git diff --stat to assess state when needed.

Non-Intrusive Guidelines

DO:

• Ask permission before any git operation
• Explain what operation will do before executing
• Suggest appropriate timing for commits
• Adapt to user's workflow preferences

DON'T:

• Interrupt mid-thought or mid-implementation
• Force workflow on users who decline
• Create commits without explicit approval
• Pester repeatedly if user declines offers

Remember user preferences:

• If user declines branch creation, don't ask again this session
• If user prefers manual commits, reduce checkpoint offers
• Match frequency of offers to user's apparent preference

Integration with Git Commands

This skill orchestrates the following commands:

• /git:commit dev - Checkpoint commits during development
• /git:commit final - Clean commits for completed work
• /git:merge N [style] - Squash related commits
• /git:reword SHA [style] - Refine commit messages

Always invoke these commands using the Skill tool rather than reimplementing their logic.

Example Session Flow

User: "I need to add OAuth authentication to the app"

[Branch Management]
Claude: "This is a substantial feature. Would you like me to create a
        feature branch like 'feature/oauth-authentication'?"
User: "Yes"
Claude: [Creates branch]

[Development with Checkpoints]
Claude: [Implements OAuth provider setup]
Claude: "OAuth provider configuration is complete. Want me to checkpoint
        this progress?"
User: "Sure"
Claude: [Invokes /git:commit dev]

Claude: [Implements token handling]
Claude: [Implements session management]
Claude: "Token handling and session management are working. Checkpoint?"
User: "Yes"
Claude: [Invokes /git:commit dev]

[Completion]
User: "Looks good, that's everything"
Claude: "Great! We have 4 development commits on this branch:
        - OAuth provider setup
        - Token handling implementation
        - Session management
        - Final integration fixes

        Would you like me to clean these up before merging? I can
        combine them into 1-2 clean commits."
User: "Yes, make it one commit"
Claude: [Invokes /git:merge 3 final]
Claude: "Done! Here's the final commit message: [shows message]
        Want me to adjust it?"