Git Workflow
Use this skill as the repo's routing-first local Git collaboration and recovery anchor.
The job is not to teach all of Git. The job is to:
- identify the current local Git state quickly,
- choose one safe workflow mode,
- recommend the smallest reversible fix that solves the problem,
- keep boundaries to review, debugging, planning, and hosted PR workflows explicit.
Read these references when the case gets sharp-edged or the user needs more than the brief:
- references/collaboration-boundaries.md
- references/mode-selection-and-command-packets.md
- references/recovery-patterns.md
If the main need is:
- reviewing a diff for correctness, architecture, or security → route to
code-review - reproducing or diagnosing a bug/regression → route to
debugging - planning tasks, acceptance criteria, or sprint slices → route to
task-planning - Aider 기반 AI pair-programming 편집 루프 운영 → route to
aider-cli-workflow - hosted PR lifecycle, branch protection, reviewers, labels, or repo settings → use a dedicated PR/repo-management workflow
When to use this skill
- Create, rename, or clean up a branch before coding or review
- Stage changes selectively and shape reviewable commits
- Decide whether to merge or rebase onto an updated base branch
- Resolve merge/rebase conflicts safely
- Push a branch, set upstream, or update rewritten history with
--force-with-lease - Recover from a bad reset, wrong-branch commit, detached HEAD, dropped commit, or messy rebase
- Prepare a clean diff before a later PR or review step
When not to use this skill
- The real question is whether the code or architecture is good
- The real question is how to split or sequence the work
- The real question is root cause, not Git mechanics
- The real question is hosted-service workflow instead of local repository state
- The user wants a giant Git tutorial instead of the next safe move
Instructions
Step 1: Normalize the local Git intake
Classify the request before suggesting commands.
git_intake:
current_goal: branch-setup | commit-shaping | sync-with-base | conflict-resolution | push-safety | undo-recovery | history-inspection | unknown
branch_state: clean | has-unstaged-changes | staged-only | ahead-of-origin | behind-origin | diverged | detached-head | unknown
collaboration_risk: solo-branch | shared-branch | unknown
remote_context: no-remote | origin-only | fork-plus-upstream | unknown
trigger_event:
- need-clean-commits
- rebased-branch
- merge-conflict
- wrong-branch-commit
- accidental-reset
- rejected-push
- lost-commit
- prepare-for-review
- sync-main
- unclear
preferred_history: keep-linear | preserve-merge-context | unknown
confidence: high | medium | lowIf the packet is incomplete, choose the safest reasonable next move and state the assumptions.
Step 2: Choose one primary workflow mode
Pick exactly one mode:
- branch-and-stage hygiene — branch creation/switching, staging, stash-or-clean decisions
- commit-shaping — amend, fixup, reword, interactive rebase, cleaner review units
- sync-with-base — fetch + merge/rebase choice when the branch must catch up
- conflict-resolution — merge/rebase already produced conflicts; the next safe loop matters most
- push-safety — upstream setup, rejected pushes, diverged branches, rewrite-safe pushes
- undo-and-recovery — reset/rebase/amend/checkout/branch deletion went sideways; rescue first
Step 3: Use the safety ladder
Always prefer these checks before irreversible actions:
git statusgit branch --show-currentgit log --oneline --decorate -5
Core rules:
- Prefer
git add -por explicit staging when commit boundaries matter. - Prefer amend or interactive rebase only on local or safely rewritable history.
- Prefer rebase when the branch is mostly yours and a cleaner review history helps.
- Prefer merge when the branch is shared or preserving integration context matters more than linear history.
- Prefer
git push --force-with-lease, never raw--force, after intentional history rewrites. - Prefer
git revertoverreset --hardwhen the bad commit is already shared. - Prefer
git reflogand a rescue branch before panic cleanup.
Step 4: Apply the decision ladder
Use these callouts explicitly:
Merge vs rebase
- Use rebase when rewrite risk is low and reviewable linear history matters.
- Use merge when the branch is shared, integration context matters, or rewrite risk is not worth it.
Revert vs reset
- Use revert for collaborative undo on already-pushed history.
- Use reset only when rewriting local history intentionally.
- Use restore / checkout of files when the worktree/index needs repair more than the branch history.
Normal push vs --force-with-lease
- Use normal push when history was not rewritten.
- Use
--force-with-leaseafter rebase, amend, squash, or another intentional rewrite. - If the branch may be shared and the remote state is unclear, stop and name the collaboration risk.
Step 5: Build the Git Workflow Brief
Return this exact structure:
# Git Workflow Brief
## Recommended mode
- Mode: branch-and-stage hygiene | commit-shaping | sync-with-base | conflict-resolution | push-safety | undo-and-recovery
- Why this mode fits: ...
## Current state
- Branch: ...
- Worktree / index state: ...
- Remote context: ...
- Collaboration risk: solo-branch | shared-branch | unknown
- Confidence: high | medium | low
## Safest next move
1. ...
2. ...
3. ...
## Commands...
## Why this is the safe path
- ...
- ...
## Watch-outs
- ...
- ...
## Recovery fallback
- If this goes wrong, use...
## Adjacent handoff
- Use `code-review` when...
- Use `debugging` when...
- Use `task-planning` when...
Step 6: Use concise mode packets
- branch-and-stage hygiene — branch name, dirty/clean state, selective staging, stash only when it lowers risk
- commit-shaping — reviewable commit units, amend/fixup/rebase only when rewrite is safe
- sync-with-base — fetch first, decide merge vs rebase explicitly, name rewrite risk before starting
- conflict-resolution — inspect → resolve →
git add→ continue/commit, withabortas the calm fallback - push-safety — distinguish upstream creation, normal push, rejected push, and rewritten-history push
- undo-and-recovery — identify what moved, inspect
reflog, create a rescue branch, prefer reversible steps first
Use the detailed command packets in references/mode-selection-and-command-packets.md when you need the expanded workflow.
Step 7: Keep boundaries sharp
Before finalizing:
- Do not turn this into a hosted PR tutorial.
- Do not pretend every branch should be rebased.
- Do not recommend
reset --hardcasually without naming the data-loss risk. - Do not hide the solo-vs-shared branch distinction.
- Do not drift into code-review judgment, root-cause analysis, or backlog design.
Output format
Always return a compact Git Workflow Brief, not a giant command dump.
Required qualities:
- choose one mode
- state the collaboration risk
- prefer the safest reversible path that solves the current problem
- make rewrite risk explicit
- include a recovery fallback when the commands have teeth
- keep routing boundaries to review, debugging, planning, and hosted PR workflows visible
Examples
Example 1: rebased branch needs safe push
Input
I rebased my feature branch onto main and now I need to push it without overwriting teammates.
Output sketch
- Mode:
push-safety - State whether the branch looks solo or shared
- Recommend
git push --force-with-lease origin <branch>only if rewrite is expected - Watch-out warns against raw
--force
Example 2: clean up local commits before review
Input
Help me turn these messy local commits into something clean before review.
Output sketch
- Mode:
commit-shaping - Suggest explicit staging plus
git rebase -iorgit commit --amend - Keep the goal focused on reviewable commit units, not review comments themselves
Example 3: wrong-branch reset panic
Input
I think I hard-reset the wrong branch. Can Git recover this?
Output sketch
- Mode:
undo-and-recovery - Start with
git reflog - Create a rescue branch from the pre-reset SHA before further cleanup
- Explain when to stop and avoid more destructive commands
Example 4: request is really PR review
Input
Review this PR and tell me if the architecture is okay.
Output sketch
- Route away from
git-workflow - Explain that local Git prep is not the main problem here
- Hand off to
code-review
Best practices
- Inspect before surgery. Status, branch, and recent log beat guesswork.
- Prefer reviewable commits over giant snapshots. Commit shape affects review quality.
- Treat history rewrites as collaboration decisions, not personal preferences. Shared branches change the answer.
- Use
--force-with-lease, not raw--force. Rewrite safely or do not rewrite. - Reach for
reflogearly in recovery. Lost commits are often only misplaced pointers. - Choose the smallest safe fix. Not every problem needs branch surgery.
- Route out when the problem changes. Review, debugging, planning, and hosted PR work stay separate.
References
- references/collaboration-boundaries.md
- references/mode-selection-and-command-packets.md
- references/recovery-patterns.md
- Git documentation — https://git-scm.com/docs
- GitHub Docs, *Resolving merge conflicts after a Git rebase* — https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/using-git/resolving-merge-conflicts-after-a-git-rebase
- GitLab Docs, *Resolve conflicts from the command line* — https://docs.gitlab.com/topics/git/git_rebase/#resolve-conflicts-from-the-command-line