How do I install the Jj skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add ryanmaclean/jj 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.

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 Jj?

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.

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

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

Jj by ryanmaclean — Agent Skill

Name: Jj
Author: ryanmaclean

File contents

jj (Jujutsu) VCS Cheatsheet

jj is a Git-compatible VCS with a different mental model. Every change is always a commit — there is no staging area. The working copy IS a commit (@).

Core Concepts

git concept	jj equivalent
staged changes	doesn't exist — edits are auto-tracked
`git commit`	`jj describe -m "msg"` + `jj new`
`git status`	`jj status`
`git log`	`jj log`
`git diff`	`jj diff`
`git checkout <branch>`	`jj edit <rev>`
`git branch`	`jj branch list`
worktree	`jj workspace`

Daily Workflow

# See what changed
jj status
jj diff

# Commit the current working copy change
jj describe -m "feat: add shell completions"
jj new          # creates a new empty change on top

# One-liner equivalent
jj commit -m "feat: add shell completions"

# View history
jj log
jj log -r '::@'   # ancestors of current change

Workspaces (multi-agent isolation)

jj workspaces are like git worktrees but tracked in .jj/:

# List workspaces
jj workspace list

# Add a workspace (creates a directory with its own working copy)
jj workspace add ../my-feature-workspace

# Forget (remove) a workspace when done
jj workspace forget my-feature-workspace

Revsets (query language)

jj log -r 'main..@'          # commits between main and current
jj log -r '@-'               # parent of current
jj log -r 'description("fix")'  # commits containing "fix"

Key Differences from Git

No staging area. All file changes in the working directory are automatically part of the current change (@).
Commits are mutable. jj describe edits the current commit's message without creating a new one.
jj new moves forward. After describing a change, jj new creates a new empty commit on top. This is the equivalent of "I'm done with this commit, start a new one."
@ is always a commit. The working copy is always represented as a commit, even when empty.
Branches are optional. jj uses anonymous commits; branches are just named pointers.

In the bop context

When running as a dispatched agent in a jj workspace:

# Check you're in the right workspace
jj workspace list

# Make your changes (edit files normally)
# Then commit:
jj describe -m "feat: what I implemented"
jj new

# Verify your commit is recorded
jj log -r 'main..@-'

The merge-gate will squash and push your changes to main via jj squash. Do NOT try to push to origin yourself.

Common Mistakes

❌ git add && git commit — doesn't work, changes won't be recorded as jj commits
❌ git push — use jj git push if needed, but the merge-gate handles this
❌ jj squash before done — squash flattens into parent, reserve for cleanup
✅ jj status to see current state
✅ jj describe -m "..." + jj new to commit and move on

---name: jjdescription: Use when working in a jj (Jujutsu) repository. Covers the core workflow, workspace management, and common operations. jj is a newer VCS — do not assume git commands work here.---# jj (Jujutsu) VCS Cheatsheetjj is a Git-compatible VCS with a different mental model. Every change is alwaysa commit — there is no staging area. The working copy IS a commit (`@`).## Core Concepts| git concept | jj equivalent ||-------------|--------------|| staged changes | doesn't exist — edits are auto-tracked || `git commit` | `jj describe -m "msg"` + `jj new` || `git status` | `jj status` || `git log` | `jj log` || `git diff` | `jj diff` || `git checkout <branch>` | `jj edit <rev>` || `git branch` | `jj branch list` || worktree | `jj workspace` |## Daily Workflow```bash# See what changedjj statusjj diff# Commit the current working copy changejj describe -m "feat: add shell completions"jj new # creates a new empty change on top# One-liner equivalentjj commit -m "feat: add shell completions"# View historyjj logjj log -r '::@' # ancestors of current change```## Workspaces (multi-agent isolation)jj workspaces are like git worktrees but tracked in `.jj/`:```bash# List workspacesjj workspace list# Add a workspace (creates a directory with its own working copy)jj workspace add ../my-feature-workspace# Forget (remove) a workspace when donejj workspace forget my-feature-workspace```## Revsets (query language)```bashjj log -r 'main..@' # commits between main and currentjj log -r '@-' # parent of currentjj log -r 'description("fix")' # commits containing "fix"```## Key Differences from Git1. **No staging area.** All file changes in the working directory are automatically part of the current change (`@`).2. **Commits are mutable.** `jj describe` edits the current commit's message without creating a new one.3. **`jj new` moves forward.** After describing a change, `jj new` creates a new empty commit on top. This is the equivalent of "I'm done with this commit, start a new one."4. **`@` is always a commit.** The working copy is always represented as a commit, even when empty.5. **Branches are optional.** jj uses anonymous commits; branches are just named pointers.## In the bop contextWhen running as a dispatched agent in a jj workspace:```bash# Check you're in the right workspacejj workspace list# Make your changes (edit files normally)# Then commit:jj describe -m "feat: what I implemented"jj new# Verify your commit is recordedjj log -r 'main..@-'```The merge-gate will squash and push your changes to main via `jj squash`.Do NOT try to push to origin yourself.## Common Mistakes- ❌ `git add && git commit` — doesn't work, changes won't be recorded as jj commits- ❌ `git push` — use `jj git push` if needed, but the merge-gate handles this- ❌ `jj squash` before done — squash flattens into parent, reserve for cleanup- ✅ `jj status` to see current state- ✅ `jj describe -m "..."` + `jj new` to commit and move on

Frequently asked questions

Jj