How do I install the Git Branch Create skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add pivoshenko/git-branch-create in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Git Branch Create safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Git Branch Create?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Git Branch Create free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Git Branch Create?

pivoshenko (@pivoshenko) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Git Branch Create by pivoshenko — Agent Skill

Name: Git Branch Create
Author: pivoshenko

Git Branch Create

Create a new git branch using a conventional naming scheme. Use when the user asks to create a branch, start a new branch, /git-branch-create, or begin work on a feature/fix. Also trigger on "start work on X", "spin up a branch for Y", "new ticket", "let's start Z", or whenever the user signals they're beginning a discrete new piece of work. Creates and checks out the branch immediately without asking for confirmation.

pivoshenko c0ae505 2.8 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Create Branch

Make + checkout new branch. No confirm.

Flow

Parallel: git status + git branch --show-current.
Dirty tree -> stop. Tell user to stash or commit first. Why -> checkout -b carries staged + unstaged changes into the new branch silently, mixing them with future work.
Pick base:
- Detect, don't assume: git symbolic-ref --short refs/remotes/origin/HEAD -> strip the origin/. Ref missing (never fetched) -> git remote set-head origin -a, re-read. No remote -> main, fall back master. Why -> a repo based on develop or trunk gets branched off the wrong parent otherwise, and the mistake surfaces at PR time as a diff full of other people's commits.
- On feature branch + user wants to branch off it -> use current. Skip step 4's fetch; go to step 5 "off current" variant.
Exists? git show-ref --verify --quiet refs/heads/<name> -> 0 = stop, surface conflict, no overwrite. Why -> checkout -b errors anyway, but check early so message is clean + no half-state.
Create:
- Off <base> (default): git fetch origin <base> + git checkout -b <name> origin/<base>.
- Off current: git checkout -b <name> (no fetch, no remote ref — current HEAD is the base).
Print branch + base.

Naming

<type>/<short-kebab-desc> or <type>/<scope>-<short-kebab-desc>.

Whole name ≤ 60 chars.

Type

Desc

kebab-case. Not camel / snake.
Imperative present: add, fix, remove. Not added, fixes.
< ~50 chars, and keeps the whole name ≤ 60. Over -> drop the scope segment first, then cut modifiers, then pick a shorter verb. Never truncate mid-word: feat/add-oauth-log reads like a different feature.
No ticket IDs unless asked. Why -> history readable + tool-agnostic; trackers come+go, branches stay. Asked -> suffix: feat/add-auth-middleware-PROJ-123.

Examples

feat/add-oauth-login
fix/api-timeout-on-retry
refactor/extract-user-service
docs/update-readme
ci/cache-pnpm-store

Rules

Derive type + desc from intent + diff if avail.
User gives name -> verbatim. No rewrite.
Never delete/reset existing branches here.
Never push new branch unless asked.
Branch exists -> stop. Surface conflict. No overwrite.

---name: git-branch-createdescription: Create a new git branch using a conventional naming scheme. Use when the user asks to create a branch, start a new branch, /git-branch-create, or begin work on a feature/fix. Also trigger on "start work on X", "spin up a branch for Y", "new ticket", "let's start Z", or whenever the user signals they're beginning a discrete new piece of work. Creates and checks out the branch immediately without asking for confirmation.---# Create BranchMake + checkout new branch. No confirm.## Flow1. Parallel: `git status` + `git branch --show-current`.2. Dirty tree -> stop. Tell user to stash or commit first. Why -> `checkout -b` carries staged + unstaged changes into the new branch silently, mixing them with future work.3. Pick base: - Detect, don't assume: `git symbolic-ref --short refs/remotes/origin/HEAD` -> strip the `origin/`. Ref missing (never fetched) -> `git remote set-head origin -a`, re-read. No remote -> `main`, fall back `master`. Why -> a repo based on `develop` or `trunk` gets branched off the wrong parent otherwise, and the mistake surfaces at PR time as a diff full of other people's commits. - On feature branch + user wants to branch off it -> use current. Skip step 4's fetch; go to step 5 "off current" variant.4. Exists? `git show-ref --verify --quiet refs/heads/<name>` -> 0 = stop, surface conflict, no overwrite. Why -> `checkout -b` errors anyway, but check early so message is clean + no half-state.5. Create: - Off `<base>` (default): `git fetch origin <base>` + `git checkout -b <name> origin/<base>`. - Off current: `git checkout -b <name>` (no fetch, no remote ref — current HEAD is the base).6. Print branch + base.## Naming`<type>/<short-kebab-desc>` or `<type>/<scope>-<short-kebab-desc>`.Whole name ≤ 60 chars.### TypeSame set + picks as `git-commit`. See that skill's **Type pick** + **Tiebreakers** for disambiguation. Quick list: `feat|fix|perf|refactor|docs|test|build|ci|chore`.### Desc- kebab-case. Not camel / snake.- Imperative present: `add`, `fix`, `remove`. Not `added`, `fixes`.- < ~50 chars, and keeps the whole name ≤ 60. Over -> drop the scope segment first, then cut modifiers, then pick a shorter verb. Never truncate mid-word: `feat/add-oauth-log` reads like a different feature.- No ticket IDs unless asked. Why -> history readable + tool-agnostic; trackers come+go, branches stay. Asked -> suffix: `feat/add-auth-middleware-PROJ-123`.### Examples- `feat/add-oauth-login`- `fix/api-timeout-on-retry`- `refactor/extract-user-service`- `docs/update-readme`- `ci/cache-pnpm-store`## Rules- Derive `type` + desc from intent + diff if avail.- User gives name -> verbatim. No rewrite.- Never delete/reset existing branches here.- Never push new branch unless asked.- Branch exists -> stop. Surface conflict. No overwrite.

Frequently asked questions