How do I install the Git Worktree Prune skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add zacheryglass/git-worktree-prune 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 Worktree Prune safe to use?

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Which AI agents work with Git Worktree Prune?

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 Worktree Prune free to use?

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

Who published Git Worktree Prune?

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

Git Worktree Prune by zacheryglass — Agent Skill

Name: Git Worktree Prune
Author: zacheryglass

Git Worktree Prune

Safely prune stale git worktrees and local branches left over from past sessions, deleting only those with no unique work so no commit is ever lost. Use when a repo has accumulated worktrees and branches over many sessions and needs cleanup. Triggers include "prune worktrees", "delete stale branches", "clean up git worktrees/branches", "remove old worktrees", "which branches are safe to delete".

zacheryglass 3ee1350 2 files · 9.9 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Git Worktree & Branch Prune

Remove stale worktrees and local branches from old sessions without ever losing a commit.

Safety invariant

A branch is deleted only when every commit on it is reachable from some other surviving ref (another local branch, a remote-tracking branch origin/*, or a tag). Branches with unique commits are kept.
A worktree is removed only when it is clean (no uncommitted or untracked changes). The branch it held is preserved.
The primary worktree, the current branch, and main/master are always kept.

Usage

Always dry-run first (the default — it changes nothing), review the plan, then apply:

python scripts/prune_git.py --repo <path>            # dry-run: prints KEEP/REMOVE/DELETE plan
python scripts/prune_git.py --repo <path> --apply    # execute after reviewing the dry-run

Flags:

--fetch — run git fetch --all --prune first so branches already merged/pushed to a remote are recognized as deletable. Without it the tool is more conservative (stale remotes only ever cause it to keep more, never lose work).
--protect BRANCH — always keep this branch (repeatable). Use for branches with no unique commits that you still want to keep (see below).
--repo PATH — a path inside the target repo (default: cwd).

Review the DELETE list before `--apply`

The "no unique commits" rule is about commits, not intent. A branch can be flagged DELETE while still being meaningful — most commonly a feature branch that a descendant now subsumes (e.g., you branched research/x off feat/y, so feat/y's commits now also live on research/x). No commit is lost if it's deleted, but the branch name and its PR track are. Keep such a branch with --protect <name>.

Every removal is printed with its reason; a branch shown as KEEP -- N unique commit(s) holds work found nowhere else and is never touched.

Notes

Never deletes remote-tracking refs, tags, or the reflog — only local branches and worktree checkouts.
Removing a worktree that holds a branch (even a protected one like main) frees the branch without deleting it; you can then check it out in the primary worktree.
Worktrees whose directory is already gone are cleaned via git worktree prune.
On Windows, run under Git Bash / a UTF-8 console (PYTHONIOENCODING=utf-8) if paths contain non-ASCII characters.

---name: git-worktree-prunedescription: Safely prune stale git worktrees and local branches left over from past sessions, deleting only those with no unique work so no commit is ever lost. Use when a repo has accumulated worktrees and branches over many sessions and needs cleanup. Triggers include "prune worktrees", "delete stale branches", "clean up git worktrees/branches", "remove old worktrees", "which branches are safe to delete".---# Git Worktree & Branch PruneRemove stale worktrees and local branches from old sessions **without ever losing a commit**.## Safety invariant- A **branch** is deleted only when every commit on it is reachable from some *other* surviving ref (another local branch, a remote-tracking branch `origin/*`, or a tag). Branches with unique commits are kept.- A **worktree** is removed only when it is **clean** (no uncommitted or untracked changes). The branch it held is preserved.- The **primary worktree**, the **current branch**, and `main`/`master` are always kept.## UsageAlways dry-run first (the default — it changes nothing), review the plan, then apply:```bashpython scripts/prune_git.py --repo <path> # dry-run: prints KEEP/REMOVE/DELETE planpython scripts/prune_git.py --repo <path> --apply # execute after reviewing the dry-run```Flags:- `--fetch` — run `git fetch --all --prune` first so branches already merged/pushed to a remote are recognized as deletable. Without it the tool is more *conservative* (stale remotes only ever cause it to keep more, never lose work).- `--protect BRANCH` — always keep this branch (repeatable). Use for branches with no unique commits that you still want to keep (see below).- `--repo PATH` — a path inside the target repo (default: cwd).## Review the DELETE list before `--apply`The "no unique commits" rule is about *commits*, not intent. A branch can be flagged **DELETE** while still being meaningful — most commonly a **feature branch that a descendant now subsumes** (e.g., you branched `research/x` off `feat/y`, so `feat/y`'s commits now also live on `research/x`). No commit is lost if it's deleted, but the branch *name* and its PR track are. Keep such a branch with `--protect <name>`.Every removal is printed with its reason; a branch shown as `KEEP -- N unique commit(s)` holds work found nowhere else and is never touched.## Notes- Never deletes remote-tracking refs, tags, or the reflog — only local branches and worktree checkouts.- Removing a worktree that holds a branch (even a protected one like `main`) frees the branch without deleting it; you can then check it out in the primary worktree.- Worktrees whose directory is already gone are cleaned via `git worktree prune`.- On Windows, run under Git Bash / a UTF-8 console (`PYTHONIOENCODING=utf-8`) if paths contain non-ASCII characters.

Frequently asked questions