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name: create-branch description: Create git branches following naming conventions. Use when creating new feature branches, bug fix branches, or any branch for development work. Defines the branch naming standards used across commit and PR skills.

Create Branch

Create git branches following consistent naming conventions.

Branch Naming Convention

Branch names should follow the pattern: <type>/<short-description>

The type should match the primary type of work being done (same as commit types).

Branch Types

Description Guidelines

The description should be:

• Short: 2-4 words maximum
• Descriptive: Clearly indicates what the branch is for
• Lowercase: Use lowercase with hyphens (kebab-case)
• No special characters: Only letters, numbers, and hyphens

Good Branch Names

Copyfeat/add-user-auth              # Clear, concise, descriptive
fix/null-pointer-dashboard      # Specific about what's being fixed
ref/extract-validation-logic    # Clear refactoring goal
test/add-api-tests              # Clear testing scope

Bad Branch Names

Copyfeature/add-authentication-system-for-users    # Too long
fix-bug                                         # Too vague
feat/AddUserAuth                                # Wrong case (use lowercase)
john/my-work                                    # Personal prefix (not descriptive)
feat_add_auth                                   # Wrong separator (use hyphens)

Creating a Branch

Check Current Branch First

Before creating a new branch, verify where you are:

Copy# Check current branch
git branch --show-current

# See if you have uncommitted changes
git status

If you have uncommitted changes:

• Commit them first, OR
• Stash them: git stash

Create and Switch to New Branch

Copy# Create and switch to new branch from current location
git checkout -b <type>/<short-description>

Create from Specific Base Branch

If you need to branch from a specific base (like main or develop):

Copy# Make sure base branch is up to date
git checkout main
git pull

# Create new branch from main
git checkout -b feat/add-user-auth

Examples

Creating a Feature Branch

Copy# Starting from main
git checkout main
git pull
git checkout -b feat/add-oauth

# Verify you're on the new branch
git branch --show-current  # Should output: feat/add-oauth

Creating a Fix Branch

Copy# Starting from develop
git checkout develop
git pull
git checkout -b fix/session-timeout

# Verify
git branch --show-current  # Should output: fix/session-timeout

Creating a Refactor Branch

Copy# From current branch (already has related work)
git checkout -b ref/extract-utils

# Verify
git branch --show-current  # Should output: ref/extract-utils

Branch Workflow

1. Check Base Branch

Copy# If you need to branch from main/master
git checkout main
git pull

2. Create Branch

Copy# Create with appropriate type and description
git checkout -b feat/add-feature-name

3. Verify Branch

Copy# Confirm you're on the new branch
git branch --show-current

# Should show: feat/add-feature-name

4. Push Branch (When Ready)

Copy# Push and set upstream tracking
git push -u origin feat/add-feature-name

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Referencing Branch Names

Other skills reference these conventions:

• commit skill: Uses branch naming to ensure commits are on feature branches, not main/master
• create-pr skill: Uses branch naming for PR titles and validation

Checklist Before Creating Branch

• Verified current branch and location
• Base branch is up to date (if branching from main/develop)
• No uncommitted changes (or stashed)
• Branch name follows <type>/<short-description> format
• Type matches the work being done
• Description is 2-4 words, lowercase, hyphen-separated
• Branch name is descriptive and clear

Tool Usage

• Use git checkout -b <branch-name> to create and switch to new branch
• Use git branch --show-current to verify current branch
• Use git status to check for uncommitted changes
• Use git push -u origin <branch-name> to push new branch and set tracking
• DO NOT use git checkout -b with -i or interactive flags (not supported)