# Recover

> Scan for orphaned worktrees and stale branches after crashes or abandoned agent sessions. Read-only scan; offers safe, approval-gated cleanup.

- Skill: `conorbronsdon/recover-3` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add conorbronsdon/recover-3`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/conorbronsdon/recover-3/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: conorbronsdon (https://skillmd.com/u/conorbronsdon)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/conorbronsdon/recover-3

---


# /recover — Worktree & Branch Cleanup

Scan for orphaned worktrees, stale branches, and partial work left behind by crashed or
abandoned agent sessions. Read-only by default — reports findings and waits for approval
before any cleanup.

**Invocation:** deliberately model-invocable — scanning is read-only. Every cleanup action
is gated on explicit user approval.

## Configuration

This skill operates on git worktrees and branches only; it reads no state files, so
`workspace.yaml`'s state paths do not apply. The one setting it depends on is the **default
branch**, which it detects (step 0) rather than hardcoding. Full reference:
`docs/state-model.md`.

## When to Use

- After a system crash or forced session termination
- When parallel-session hooks warn about stale processes
- When you find commits on unknown branches
- Periodic hygiene (monthly, or after heavy parallel work)

## Instructions

### 0. Detect the default branch

Don't assume `main`. Resolve it once and use it everywhere below:

```bash
git rev-parse --git-dir >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "not a git repository — nothing to recover"; exit 0; }
DEFAULT=$(git symbolic-ref --short refs/remotes/origin/HEAD 2>/dev/null | sed 's|^origin/||')
DEFAULT=${DEFAULT:-$(git remote show origin 2>/dev/null | sed -n 's/.*HEAD branch: //p')}
DEFAULT=${DEFAULT:-main}   # no remote at all — fall back and note it in the report
```

### 1. List all worktrees

```bash
git worktree list --porcelain
```

Identify:
- **Recently touched worktrees:** files or `.git` metadata modified in the last hours —
  treat as *possibly live*. `git worktree list` cannot tell whether a session is actually
  running; without a lock/heartbeat file or process evidence, classify as **unknown
  activity** and never as orphaned.
- **Candidate-orphaned worktrees:** no recent modification and no activity signal — proceed
  to inspection, still gated on user approval before any cleanup.
- **Stale entries:** git tracks a worktree but the directory is gone.

### 2. Inspect orphaned worktrees

For each candidate-orphaned worktree:

```bash
git -C <worktree-path> status --short
git -C <worktree-path> branch --show-current
git -C <worktree-path> log --oneline -3
git log "$DEFAULT"..<branch-name> --oneline
```

Classify each as:
- **CLEAN:** no unmerged commits, no uncommitted changes — safe to remove
- **HAS COMMITS:** unmerged commits exist — needs a merge decision
- **HAS CHANGES:** uncommitted work — needs a save decision
- **BOTH:** unmerged commits AND uncommitted changes — needs careful handling

### 3. List stale branches

```bash
git branch --no-merged "$DEFAULT"
git remote prune origin --dry-run
git for-each-ref --sort=-committerdate --format='%(refname:short) %(committerdate:relative) %(subject)' refs/heads/
```

Classify:
- **MERGED:** already in the default branch — safe to delete
- **STALE:** last commit >7 days ago, not merged — flag for review
- **ACTIVE:** recent commits — leave alone

### 4. Check for prunable git state

```bash
git worktree prune --dry-run
```

### 5. Report

```
RECOVER — [DATE]

WORKTREES:
- Active: [N]
- Orphaned: [N]
  - [path] — [status] — [branch] — [last commit]
- Stale entries: [N]

BRANCHES:
- Merged (safe to delete): [list]
- Stale (>7 days, not merged): [list]
- Active: [list]

PROPOSED ACTIONS:
1. [action] — [target] — [reason]

OVERALL: [CLEAN / N items need attention]
```

### 6. Cleanup (with approval only)

**Only proceed when explicitly approved.** Options:
- Remove orphaned worktree (CLEAN): `git worktree remove <path>`
- Merge unmerged commits: `git merge <branch> --no-ff`
- Cherry-pick specific commits: `git cherry-pick <hash>`
- Delete merged branches: `git branch -d <branch>`
- Delete stale branches (confirmed discard): `git branch -D <branch>`
- Prune stale entries: `git worktree prune`
- Prune remote refs: `git remote prune origin`

## Design Principles

- **Read-only by default.** Report, wait for approval.
- **Preserve work.** Default to merge/cherry-pick over discard.
- **Honest about liveness.** A worktree with recent activity is **unknown**, not orphaned —
  never remove one without a positive orphan signal and user approval.
- **Specific.** Show exact commit hashes, file lists, branch names.
- **Fast.** Git commands only. Under 15 seconds for the scan.