# Jj Commit Cycle

> In any jj (Jujutsu) repository, complete the "commit" pattern — describe the current working copy with a message, then open a fresh change for the next unit of work. Use when a coherent edit is finished and should be preserved before moving on. Invoke manually; mutates state.

- Skill: `nwiizo/jj-commit-cycle` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add nwiizo/jj-commit-cycle`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/nwiizo/jj-commit-cycle/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity, Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: nwiizo (https://skillmd.com/u/nwiizo)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/nwiizo/jj-commit-cycle

---


# jj Commit Cycle

The jj equivalent of `git add -A && git commit -m "<msg>"`. Two commands, in order, with a verification step.

## When to use

You (or the user) just finished an atomic edit in a jj working copy and want to preserve it before starting the next change.

## Prerequisites

- `.jj/` exists in the repo root (jj-native or colocated).
- Working copy has changes (`jj st` shows non-empty output).

## Steps

1. Survey what will be preserved:
   ```fish
   jj st
   jj diff --stat
   ```

2. Describe the current change. Follow the repo's commit convention (typically `<type>(<scope>): <subject>`):
   ```fish
   jj describe -m "<type>(<scope>): <subject>"
   ```

3. Open a new child change so the just-described change is finalized and future edits land on a fresh `@`:
   ```fish
   jj new
   ```

4. Verify:
   ```fish
   jj log -r '::@' --limit 3
   ```

## Common mistakes

- **Skipping step 3**: any further edits get absorbed into the change you just "committed", silently polluting it.
- **Running `git commit`**: jj does not track the resulting commit as `@`; subsequent `jj describe` will appear to "revert" the commit message.
- **Using deprecated `jj commit -m`**: always `jj describe -m` + `jj new`.

## Related

- Multi-change cleanup: `jj squash --from <src> --into <dst>`, `jj split`.
- Recovery if the wrong change was described: `jj op undo`.
- Pushing after the cycle: `jj git push --change @` (creates a `push-<change-id>` bookmark). If the `nwiizo/jujutsu.fish` plugin is installed, `jj_push_pr` chains that with `gh pr create`.