Skills

New Feature

Isolate repository edits in a Git worktree before starting a feature, fix, or...

Install

npx skills add michaelshimeles/rstack --skill new-feature -g -a claude-code -y
Category
Git and review
Updated
9d ago
License
See repository
Context cost
Lightabout 697 tokens
Runs scripts
No, instructions only

What it does

Isolate repository edits in a Git worktree before starting a feature, fix, or documentation change. Preserve a worktree already assigned to the same task. Read-only reviews and investigations do not need a new worktree.

New Feature

Each editing task gets its own worktree and branch, created from the latest origin/main unless the user specifies a different base. Read-only work can use the existing checkout. Never build on main or reuse another task's work.

Check existing isolation first

Inspect git worktree list, git status --short, the current branch, and the session's task assignment. If the environment already created a worktree for this task, keep its path and branch and skip steps 3 and 4. In step 5, use the actual assigned path. Do not infer isolation from the editor name or a branch prefix alone. Otherwise follow all steps.

Steps

  1. Sync: git fetch origin.

  2. Scope check: run gh pr list and skim the open PRs' changed files (gh pr diff <n> --name-only). For shared files, read the overlapping diffs. Independent edits may proceed in your own worktree. Ask for direction only when the changes conflict in behavior, require another task's unfinished work, or ownership is unclear. Check shared checkouts for uncommitted work without changing it. On another hosting platform, use its equivalent PR/MR tools; if unavailable, report the scope-check limitation and still isolate.

  3. Name the task: lowercase-with-hyphens plus a short unique suffix, e.g. user-auth-0816a. If git worktree add fails because the name exists, pick a different name, never force or reuse.

  4. Create the worktree from the repo root:

    git worktree add <worktrees-dir>/<task-name> \
      -b <branch-prefix>/<task-name> origin/main
    

    Use a directory outside the checkout, or a gitignored directory inside it, so worktrees cannot be committed by accident. Use a consistent branch prefix (e.g. agent/). Follow the repo's conventions if it defines them.

  5. Enter and verify:

    cd <worktrees-dir>/<task-name>
    git branch --show-current   # must print your new branch, not main
    
Read the whole SKILL.md on GitHub

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