GitHub Branches Skill

Create, switch, and manage git branches for feature work.

See also: Shared Conventions | Safety Guidelines

Purpose

Manage branches following team conventions and keeping work organized.

Commands

git branch
git branch -a
git checkout -b <branch>
git switch -c <branch>
git fetch origin
git pull --rebase
git push -u origin <branch>

Branch Naming Convention

claude/<issue-number>-<short-slug>

Examples:

• claude/123-fix-login-bug
• claude/456-add-user-auth
• claude/789-refactor-api

Workflow

1. Ensure clean state

   bashCopy

   git status
   git fetch origin
   

2. Update main branch

   bashCopy

   git checkout main
   git pull --rebase
   

3. Create feature branch

   bashCopy

   git checkout -b claude/123-fix-login-bug
   

4. Push branch to remote

   bashCopy

   git push -u origin claude/123-fix-login-bug
   

Policies

• Never work directly on main/master
• Always branch from an up-to-date main
• Use descriptive branch names with issue numbers
• Verify clean working directory before switching branches
• Delete merged branches to keep repo tidy