ansible Branch Align
Rename a git branch to match its artifact ID after renumbering.
Why This Skill Exists
During PR review, artifact IDs sometimes get renumbered (e.g., REQ-005 → REQ-011 to avoid conflicts). The branch name then mismatches the artifact, causing confusion:
Branch: docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting
Artifact: REQ-011-aa-deprecated-reporting
This skill renames the branch locally and on the remote fork.
Arguments
[new-branch-name]— target branch name (e.g.,docs/req-011-aa-deprecated-reporting)--dry-run— show what would happen without executing
Workflow
1. Detect Current State
Current branch: docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting
Tracks remote: fork/docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting
Open PR: #102 (https://github.com/ansible/apme/pull/102)
PR head: ffirg:docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting
2. Confirm New Name
If argument provided, use it. Otherwise:
New branch name? (current: docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting)
> docs/req-011-aa-deprecated-reporting
Validate format:
- Matches artifact ID in branch (e.g.,
req-011matchesREQ-011) - Follows naming convention (
type/id-slug)
3. Execute Rename
# Rename local branch
git branch -m docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting docs/req-011-aa-deprecated-reporting
# Push new branch to remote
git push -u fork docs/req-011-aa-deprecated-reporting
# Delete old remote branch
git push fork --delete docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting
4. Update PR (if exists)
GitHub PRs automatically track renamed branches if the new branch is pushed before deleting the old one. Verify:
PR #102 now tracks: ffirg:docs/req-011-aa-deprecated-reporting
If PR doesn't update automatically, provide manual fix:
gh pr edit 102 --head ffirg:docs/req-011-aa-deprecated-reporting
5. Summary
Done!
- Renamed: docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting → docs/req-011-aa-deprecated-reporting
- Remote updated: fork
- PR #102: Now tracks new branch
Old branch deleted from remote.
Edge Cases
| Situation | Handling |
|---|---|
| Uncommitted changes | Stash before rename, restore after |
| Not on the branch to rename | Prompt to checkout or specify branch |
| No open PR | Skip PR update step |
| Multiple remotes | Prompt which remote to update |
| Protected branch | Warn and abort |
Safety Checks
- Never rename
mainormaster— abort with error - Check for uncommitted changes — stash or abort
- Verify remote exists — fail gracefully if fork not configured
- Confirm before deleting old remote branch — show what will be deleted
Example Session
/branch-align docs/req-011-aa-deprecated-reporting
Current branch: docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting
Target branch: docs/req-011-aa-deprecated-reporting
This will:
1. Rename local branch
2. Push new branch to 'fork'
3. Delete old branch from 'fork'
4. PR #102 will track new branch
Proceed? (Y/N) Y
Renaming local branch... done
Pushing to fork... done
Deleting old remote branch... done
Verifying PR #102... tracks new branch ✓
Done! Branch aligned with REQ-011.
Integration with pr-new
The pr-new skill should:
- Check if branch name matches artifact IDs being committed
- Warn if mismatch detected
- Offer to invoke
branch-alignbefore pushing
Add to pr-new pre-flight checks:
Checking branch/artifact alignment...
- Branch: docs/req-005-aa-deprecated-reporting
- Artifacts: REQ-011, DR-013
⚠️ Branch name contains 'req-005' but artifacts use REQ-011
Run /branch-align to fix? (Y/N)