How do I install the Clean Branch skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add wkentaro/clean-branch 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 Clean Branch 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 Clean Branch?

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 Clean Branch free to use?

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

Who published Clean Branch?

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

Clean Branch by wkentaro — Agent Skill

Name: Clean Branch
Author: wkentaro

Clean Branch

Extract the essential feature changes from mixed committed and working-tree work into a new branch. Use when the user asks for a clean branch or a minimal feature branch; use recommit instead when only the commit history should change.

wkentaro 9e73497 3 files · 6.4 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Clean branch

Build the smallest complete feature diff on a fresh branch, preserving the source branch, index, and working files. This changes the selected content; it is not a history-only cleanup.

Identify the feature and base

Infer the intended behavior and scope from the request, conversation, and relevant issue or PR. Inspect the actual committed diff, staged and unstaged changes, and untracked files. Record the source HEAD and status before extraction. If multiple features are equally plausible, ask which one to extract before creating a branch.

Use the user's chosen base, otherwise the current PR's base, otherwise the repository's default branch. Resolve it to a commit; refresh a remote-tracking ref when possible and disclose any freshness limitation. If no base can be established, ask rather than guessing. Inspect source changes since the merge base, but create the destination at the selected base tip so newer base changes survive.

Extract in a separate worktree

Create a new branch with the provided name or a descriptive unused name. Use git-wt when available, otherwise git worktree add. Keep the source untouched; apply edits only in the destination. Inspect worktree copy settings so ignored or unrelated working files are not carried over automatically.

Select changes by feature dependency, not by whole commit or file. Mixed hunks may need to be reimplemented against the destination. Include the integration, dependencies, generated files, documentation, and tests the feature actually needs. Leave unrelated refactors, formatting, experiments, and speculative work behind. Resolve extraction conflicts against the intended behavior and current base; copying a source file wholesale must not erase newer base changes.

Use clear names, simple control flow, and existing patterns. Keep comments that explain non-obvious intent or constraints. Limit cleanup to the extracted change.

Verify and hand off

Review the complete destination diff against the recorded base, including new files. Run relevant feature tests and repository-required checks in the destination. Verify the original requirements end to end; when performance or quality matters, compare the relevant behavior with the source and state what was actually measured. Fix failures introduced by extraction and report any unverified requirements.

Confirm that the source HEAD, index, and working files remain unchanged. Report the destination branch, base commit, worktree path, what was kept or omitted, and check results. Leave the extracted changes uncommitted unless committing is requested or already authorized; the same authorization rule applies to pushing or opening a PR.

---name: clean-branchdescription: Extract the essential feature changes from mixed committed and working-tree work into a new branch. Use when the user asks for a clean branch or a minimal feature branch; use recommit instead when only the commit history should change.---# Clean branchBuild the smallest complete feature diff on a fresh branch, preserving the sourcebranch, index, and working files. This changes the selected content; it is not ahistory-only cleanup.## Identify the feature and baseInfer the intended behavior and scope from the request, conversation, and relevantissue or PR. Inspect the actual committed diff, staged and unstaged changes, anduntracked files. Record the source HEAD and status before extraction. If multiplefeatures are equally plausible, ask which one to extract before creating a branch.Use the user's chosen base, otherwise the current PR's base, otherwise therepository's default branch. Resolve it to a commit; refresh a remote-tracking refwhen possible and disclose any freshness limitation. If no base can be established,ask rather than guessing. Inspect source changes since the merge base, but createthe destination at the selected base tip so newer base changes survive.## Extract in a separate worktreeCreate a new branch with the provided name or a descriptive unused name. Use`git-wt` when available, otherwise `git worktree add`. Keep the source untouched;apply edits only in the destination. Inspect worktree copy settings so ignored orunrelated working files are not carried over automatically.Select changes by feature dependency, not by whole commit or file. Mixed hunks mayneed to be reimplemented against the destination. Include the integration,dependencies, generated files, documentation, and tests the feature actually needs.Leave unrelated refactors, formatting, experiments, and speculative work behind.Resolve extraction conflicts against the intended behavior and current base;copying a source file wholesale must not erase newer base changes.Use clear names, simple control flow, and existing patterns. Keep comments thatexplain non-obvious intent or constraints. Limit cleanup to the extracted change.## Verify and hand offReview the complete destination diff against the recorded base, including new files.Run relevant feature tests and repository-required checks in the destination.Verify the original requirements end to end; when performance or quality matters,compare the relevant behavior with the source and state what was actually measured.Fix failures introduced by extraction and report any unverified requirements.Confirm that the source HEAD, index, and working files remain unchanged. Report thedestination branch, base commit, worktree path, what was kept or omitted, and checkresults. Leave the extracted changes uncommitted unless committing is requested oralready authorized; the same authorization rule applies to pushing or opening a PR.

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