# Git Advanced Workflows

> Advanced Git workflows including rebasing, cherry-picking, bisect, worktrees, and reflog. Use when managing complex Git histories, collaborating on feature branches, or recovering from repository issues. Use when you say "rebase my branch", "cherry-pick a commit", "find the breaking commit", or "recover lost commits".

- Skill: `rjmurillo/git-advanced-workflows` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add rjmurillo/git-advanced-workflows`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/rjmurillo/git-advanced-workflows/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- License: MIT
- Author: rjmurillo (https://skillmd.com/u/rjmurillo)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/rjmurillo/git-advanced-workflows

---


# Git Advanced Workflows

Advanced Git techniques for clean history, effective collaboration, and confident recovery.

## Triggers

| Trigger Phrase | Operation |
|----------------|-----------|
| `rebase my branch` | Interactive or standard rebase guidance |
| `cherry-pick a commit` | Cherry-pick with conflict resolution |
| `find the breaking commit` | Git bisect workflow |
| `recover lost commits` | Reflog exploration and recovery |
| `use git worktrees` | Worktree setup and management |

## Process

### Phase 1: Assess the Situation

1. Identify which workflow applies (rebase, cherry-pick, bisect, worktree, recovery)
2. Check current branch state: `git status`, `git log --oneline -10`
3. Create a safety branch before any destructive operation: `git branch backup-<timestamp>`
   - macOS/Linux (bash/zsh): `git branch backup-$(date +%s)`
   - Windows PowerShell: `git branch backup-$(Get-Date -UFormat %s)`

### Phase 2: Execute the Workflow

#### Rebase: Clean Up Feature Branch Before PR

```bash
git checkout feature/user-auth
git rebase -i main
# Squash "fix typo" commits, reword messages, reorder logically
git push --force-with-lease origin feature/user-auth
```

**Rebase operations:** `pick` (keep), `reword` (change message), `edit` (amend content), `squash` (combine keeping message), `fixup` (combine discarding message), `drop` (remove).

**Autosquash pattern:**

```bash
git commit --fixup HEAD        # Mark as fixup for previous commit
git rebase -i --autosquash main  # Auto-marks fixup commits
```

**Split a commit:**

```bash
git rebase -i HEAD~3          # Mark commit with 'edit'
git reset HEAD^               # Reset commit, keep changes in working tree (unstaged)
git add file1.py && git commit -m "feat: add validation"
git add file2.py && git commit -m "feat: add error handling"
git rebase --continue
```

#### Cherry-Pick: Apply Hotfix to Multiple Releases

```bash
git checkout main
git commit -m "fix: critical security patch"

git checkout release/2.0
git cherry-pick abc123

git checkout release/1.9
git cherry-pick abc123
# On conflict: fix files, git add, git cherry-pick --continue
```

**Partial cherry-pick** (specific files only):

```bash
git show --name-only abc123
git restore --staged --worktree --source=abc123 -- path/to/file1.py path/to/file2.py  # --staged stages the changes so the following commit captures them
git commit -m "cherry-pick: apply specific changes from abc123"
```

#### Bisect: Find Bug Introduction

```bash
git bisect start
git bisect bad HEAD
git bisect good v2.1.0
# Git checks out middle commit. Run tests, mark good/bad, repeat.
git bisect reset  # When done
```

**Automated bisect:**

```bash
git bisect start HEAD v2.1.0
git bisect run ./test.sh
# test.sh: exit 0 = good, 125 = skip, any other non-zero = bad
```

#### Worktree: Multi-Branch Development

```bash
git worktree add ~/worktrees/myapp-hotfix hotfix/critical-bug
# Work in the new worktree using the -C flag to avoid changing the current directory.
# e.g., git -C ~/worktrees/myapp-hotfix commit -a -m "fix: critical bug"
git worktree remove ~/worktrees/myapp-hotfix  # Clean up when done
git worktree prune  # Remove stale entries
```

**Move-safe caveat:** moving a worktree after `uv` created `.venv` leaves the
absolute-path shebangs in `.venv/bin/*` (POSIX) or `.venv/Scripts/*` (Windows)
stale, so direct `.venv/bin/pytest` calls fail with "bad interpreter". Run
`scripts/maintenance/repair_worktree_venv.py` with `uv run python` (or run
`uv sync --frozen --extra dev --reinstall`) to rewrite them, and prefer
`uv run python -m pytest` for move-safe validation. Each flag earns its place:
`--reinstall` recreates the launchers (a plain `--frozen` sync no-ops when the
packages already appear installed and leaves the stale shebangs unrewritten),
`--extra dev` keeps pytest/ruff/mypy in the repaired venv, and `--frozen`
reproduces `uv.lock` without re-resolving so the result matches CI.

#### Recovery: Undo Mistakes with Reflog

```bash
git reflog                     # Find lost commit hash
git reset --hard def456        # Restore to that state
# Or create branch: git branch recovery def456
```

**Abort operations in progress:**

```bash
git rebase --abort
git merge --abort
git cherry-pick --abort
git bisect reset
```

**Other recovery commands:**

```bash
git restore --source=abc123 path/to/file  # Restore file from commit
git reset --soft HEAD^                     # Undo commit, keep changes staged
git reflog                                 # 1. Find the hash of the desired commit
git branch recovered abc123                # 2. Create a branch from that hash (within reflog retention; ~90 days by default, configurable)
```

### Phase 3: Verify and Clean Up

1. Confirm working tree is clean: `git status`
2. Validate history: `git log --oneline` matches expectations
3. Run tests after any history rewrite
4. Remove worktrees if created: `git worktree list`

## Decision Guide

### Rebase vs Merge

| Use Rebase | Use Merge |
|------------|-----------|
| Cleaning local commits before push | Integrating completed features into main |
| Keeping feature branch current with main | Preserving exact collaboration history |
| Creating linear history for review | Public branches used by others |

## Anti-Patterns

| Avoid | Why | Instead |
|-------|-----|---------|
| Rebasing shared branches | Rewrites history for all collaborators | Merge for shared branches |
| `--force` without `--force-with-lease` | Overwrites teammates' work | Always `--force-with-lease` |
| Bisecting on dirty working tree | Checkout fails with uncommitted changes | Commit or stash first |
| Orphaned worktrees | Consume disk space silently | Remove after use |
| No backup before complex rebase | No recovery path if rebase fails | Create safety branch first |

## Verification

- [ ] Working tree is clean (`git status`)
- [ ] Branch history matches expectations (`git log --oneline`)
- [ ] Tests pass after history rewrite
- [ ] Force push used `--force-with-lease`
- [ ] Worktrees cleaned up (`git worktree list`)