# Scm > Source code management workflow - nothing is ever lost Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/scm` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/scm` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/scm/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Productivity - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/scm --- # Source Code Management jj workflow for preserving all work. Nothing is ever lost. ## Core Principle **Every change is automatically tracked.** In jj, working copy (`@`) is always a commit. No staging area. Every save is part of the current commit. ## Rules 1. **Commit after every testable change** - After each TDD cycle, run `jj commit -m "msg"`. Don't batch. Worktree gets squash-merged anyway. 2. **Finalize before destructive ops** - Before `jj restore`, `jj abandon`, or ending session: commit first. 3. **Experiments: commit, try, backout** - Commit the experiment, evaluate, then `jj backout -r @-` if discarding. History preserved. 4. **Unknown changes: preserve first** - Never `jj restore` unknown changes. Commit checkpoint, then investigate with `jj diff -r @-`. 5. **Deleting code: commit, then delete** - Checkpoint before removing so you can recover from history. ## Why This Matters - **Recovery**: Any past state is one `jj edit` away - **Confidence**: Experiment freely knowing nothing is lost - **Squash merge**: All commits collapse to one clean commit at release ## Anti-patterns | Don't | Do Instead | |-------|------------| | `jj restore` without thinking | Commit first | | `jj abandon` without checking | Verify commit is unwanted | | Batch changes in one commit | Commit after each testable change | | Leave session without finalizing | Commit before stopping | --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/mgreenly) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.