Branch Context

Core Purpose

Establish shared branch context when recent commit history may affect the current task.

This skill is for understanding branch progress, not for making commits.

When to Use

• When the user asks for branch context or references this skill
• When another skill explicitly calls for branch history review
• Before substantial implementation work if recent commits may affect the approach
• When multiple humans/agents have contributed commits
• After context switches where prior branch work may affect decisions

Workflow

Phase A: Branch Snapshot

1. Detect current branch:
   • git branch --show-current
2. Read the relevant commit log:
   • If on main: read last 12 commits
     • git log --oneline -n 12
   • If on feature branch: read all commits on branch delta
     • git log --oneline main..HEAD
3. Emit a short snapshot summary:
   • branch name
   • commit window reviewed
   • 2-4 bullets on recent themes/risk areas

Phase B: Task Relevance Gate

1. State current task scope in one line (component/file area).
2. Re-check commit relevance from Phase A history.
3. Select relevance outcome:
   • 1-3 relevant SHAs with one sentence each on task impact, or
   • explicit "no relevant commits" note with one-sentence reason.
4. Decide whether code reads are needed now:
   • If commit summaries are insufficient to proceed safely, explicitly say code inspection is required and read the most relevant files.
5. Expand commit details only when needed:
   • git show <sha> for relevant commits only.
6. Provide one concrete decision-influence statement:
   • how branch context changes or confirms implementation approach.

Output Standard

Output should include the phases that are useful for the current task.

Minimum Phase A output:

• Branch line
• Commit window line (main -n12 or main..HEAD)
• 2-4 bullets on what has been done / in progress

Minimum Phase B output:

• Task scope line (what area is being changed now)
• Exactly one relevance outcome:
  • Relevant commits shortlist (1-3 SHAs), each with one sentence on task impact, or
  • Explicit "no relevant commits" note with one-sentence reason
• Code-read decision line:
  • "Code read required: yes/no" with a one-sentence reason
• One concrete "decision influence" statement describing how branch context affects next steps

Guardrails

• Keep review lightweight and task-focused.
• Always read the full feature-branch commit subject list (main..HEAD).
• Use git show selectively for relevant commits when required.
• Avoid generic summaries that do not influence implementation choices.