Branch

Create a new git branch with a conventional-commit-style name, derived from the current conversation context or git changes.

When This Skill Activates

• User types /branch
• User asks to "create a branch", "make a branch", "new branch"

Pre-conditions

Must be on the default branch

Before doing anything, verify the current branch is the default branch (typically main or master).

1. Run git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD 2>/dev/null | sed 's@^refs/remotes/origin/@@' to detect the default branch name. If this fails, fall back to checking if main or master exists.
2. Run git branch --show-current to get the current branch.
3. If the current branch is not the default branch, inform the user and stop. Do not proceed.

Workflow

Step 1: Analyze Work Context

Determine what the user is working on, using one of two strategies:

Strategy A: Conversation Context Available

If there has been prior conversation in this session (the user discussed a task, bug, feature, etc.):

1. Briefly summarize what was discussed or worked on (1-2 sentences max)
2. Use this as the basis for the branch name

Strategy B: No Conversation Context

If there is no meaningful prior conversation, analyze git changes:

1. Run git status --short to see uncommitted changes
2. Run git diff --stat to see the scope of changes
3. If there are staged changes, also run git diff --cached --stat
4. Briefly summarize what the changes appear to be about (1-2 sentences max)

If there are no changes and no conversation context, ask the user what they plan to work on.

Step 2: Determine Branch Name

Based on the analysis from Step 1, generate a branch name following this convention:

{type}/{short-description}

Type Selection

Type	When to use
feat	New feature or functionality
fix	Bug fix
chore	Maintenance, dependencies, CI, config
refactor	Code restructuring without behavior change
docs	Documentation only
test	Adding or updating tests
perf	Performance improvement
ci	CI/CD workflows and GitHub Actions

Naming Rules

• Use lowercase kebab-case for the description: feat/add-user-auth
• Keep it short but descriptive (2-4 words ideal)
• No special characters other than hyphens
• Examples:
  • feat/ai-event-handler
  • fix/null-guard-context-args
  • chore/update-lockfile
  • refactor/extract-layout-utils

Step 3: Create Branch

1. Run: git checkout -b {branch-name}
2. Confirm the branch was created successfully

Important Notes

• Never run on a non-default branch — this prevents accidental branching from feature branches
• Keep the analysis brief — this is a quick utility, not a deep investigation
• If the user provides a specific branch name, use it as-is (skip analysis)