Scope Creep Detector

A one-line fix should not require a reviewer to reverse-engineer fourteen files across three subsystems. This skill compares a git diff with its stated intent, surfaces scope signals, and turns them into keep, split, or justify decisions.

Everything runs locally. The script makes no network calls and does not change the working tree, index, commits, or branches.

When to use

• Before opening a pull request whose diff may have grown beyond its intent
• When a bug fix touches unexpected files or subsystems
• When the user asks whether staged changes are too broad
• When a diff includes dependency, public API, config, CI, or build changes
• When the user wants a concrete split plan for a mixed change

When not to use

• Formatting code, running a linter, or writing a commit message
• Reviewing correctness, security, or test quality inside an agreed scope
• Measuring historical project growth across many commits
• Editing or reverting files without the user's approval

Establish the intent

Use the user's one-line intent when available. Keep it concrete, such as fix null dereference in parser or add retry limit to webhook delivery.

If no intent was given, the script falls back to the current branch name. If that name is generic, detached, or unrelated to the work, ask for one line of intent before treating relatedness as meaningful.

Run the classifier

Run from this skill directory and point --repo at the target repository.

Working tree diff:

python3 scripts/scope_creep.py --repo /path/to/repo \
  --intent "fix null dereference in parser" --json

Staged diff:

python3 scripts/scope_creep.py --repo /path/to/repo --staged \
  --intent "fix null dereference in parser" --json

Branch diff against a merge base:

python3 scripts/scope_creep.py --repo /path/to/repo --base main \
  --intent "fix null dereference in parser" --json

Saved diff or stdin: