Git Helper Skill

A comprehensive git workflow assistant that helps with commits, branches, and pull requests following best practices.

Core Principles

1. •Follow conventional commits - Always use the conventional commit format
2. •Be atomic - Each commit should represent one logical change
3. •Be descriptive - Clear messages that explain the "why" not just the "what"
4. •Include co-author - Add AI co-author attribution when creating commits
5. •Check before acting - Always check status and diff before committing

Workflow: Creating a Commit

When user asks to create a commit:

1. Check Status

git status
git diff --staged
git diff

2. Analyze Changes

• •Review what files changed
• •Understand the nature of the changes
• •Determine appropriate commit type

3. Determine Commit Type

• •feat: - New functionality added
• •fix: - Bug fixes
• •docs: - Documentation only changes
• •style: - Formatting, whitespace, no code changes
• •refactor: - Code restructuring without changing behavior
• •test: - Test additions or updates
• •chore: - Build process, configs, maintenance

4. Draft Message

Format:

<type>: <short description>  (max 72 chars)

Optional body explaining why this change was made

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

5. Stage & Commit

git add <files>
git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
feat: add user authentication

Implement JWT-based authentication to secure API endpoints.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
EOF
)"
git status  # Verify commit succeeded

Workflow: Branch Management

When user asks to create or manage branches:

1. Check Current State

git status
git branch -vv

2. Suggest Branch Name

Format: <type>/<short-description>

• •Types: feature/, fix/, refactor/, docs/
• •Examples: feature/user-auth, fix/login-bug, docs/api-guide

3. Create Branch

git checkout -b feature/new-feature
git push -u origin feature/new-feature

Workflow: PR Creation

When user asks to create a pull request:

1. Review Branch Changes

git status
git log main..HEAD
git diff main...HEAD

2. Generate PR Content

Structure:

• •Title: Clear, concise description of the change
• •Summary: Bullet points of what changed and why
• •Test plan: Checklist of how to verify changes
• •Related issues: Link any relevant issues

3. Create PR

gh pr create --title "Add user authentication" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
## Summary
- Implement JWT-based authentication
- Add login/logout endpoints
- Secure protected routes with middleware

## Test plan
- [ ] Test login with valid credentials
- [ ] Test login with invalid credentials
- [ ] Verify protected routes require authentication
- [ ] Test logout functionality
- [ ] Verify token expiration handling

## Related issues
Closes #123

🤖 Generated with Claude Code
EOF
)"

Workflow: Status Check

When user asks for git status or history:

1. Show Comprehensive Status

git status
git log --oneline -10
git branch -vv

2. Provide Summary

Include:

• •Current branch name
• •Uncommitted changes (staged and unstaged)
• •Recent commits (last 5-10)
• •Upstream tracking status
• •Any merge conflicts or special states

Error Handling

• •No changes staged: Ask user what files to stage
• •Commit fails: Check for pre-commit hooks, show error, suggest fix
• •Branch already exists: Suggest alternative name or offer to switch
• •No GitHub remote: Warn that PR creation requires GitHub setup
• •Merge conflicts: Guide user through resolution process

Important Notes

• •NEVER skip git hooks unless explicitly requested by user
• •NEVER force push to main/master branches
• •ALWAYS include co-author attribution for AI-assisted commits
• •ALWAYS check diff before committing to avoid unintended changes
• •ASK user for clarification if commit message or scope is unclear

Examples

Example 1: Simple Feature Commit

# User: "Help me commit these changes"
git status
git diff --staged

# Analyze: Added new login form component
# Type: feat (new feature)
# Message: "feat: add login form component"

git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
feat: add login form component

Add reusable login form with email/password validation.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
EOF
)"

Example 2: Bug Fix with Branch

# User: "Create a branch to fix the navbar bug"
git checkout -b fix/navbar-alignment

# Make fixes...
git add src/components/Navbar.tsx
git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
fix: correct navbar alignment on mobile

Center logo and adjust padding for screens < 768px.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
EOF
)"

git push -u origin fix/navbar-alignment

Example 3: Documentation Update

# User: "Commit the README changes"
git diff README.md

# Type: docs (documentation only)
git add README.md
git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
docs: update installation instructions

Add troubleshooting section for common npm install errors.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
EOF
)"

Dependencies

• •git - Git version control system
• •gh - GitHub CLI (optional, for PR creation)

Best Practices Enforced

This skill follows these git best practices:

• •Atomic commits (one logical change per commit)
• •Descriptive commit messages following conventional commits
• •Clear PR descriptions with test plans
• •Proper branch naming conventions
• •Co-author attribution for AI assistance
• •Verification after operations (git status checks)