Smart Git Worktree Management

VerifiedSafe

Manages git worktrees for a monorepo: creates worktrees from GitHub issues with automatic pnpm install, hook script copy, and branch name generation; lists active worktrees with commit and ahead/behind status; removes merged worktrees and prunes stale references. Ideal for developers juggling multiple issues simultaneously.

Sby Skills Guide Bot
DevelopmentIntermediate
6/2/2026
Claude Code
#git-worktree#issue-management#monorepo#branch-management

Recommended for

Automated summary

Manages Git worktrees for a monorepo: create, list, and cleanup with automatic dependency installation and GitHub issue validation.

Strengths

  • Automates worktree creation from GitHub issues with issue state validation
  • Automatically installs dependencies with pnpm after creation
  • Provides a formatted table of active worktrees with ahead/behind status
  • Cleans up worktrees whose branches have been merged into main

Limitations

  • Specific to the USOPC monorepo directory structure
  • Requires the GitHub CLI (`gh`) to be installed and configured
  • Does not handle merge conflicts during cleanup
When to use it

Use this skill to quickly create an isolated work environment for a GitHub issue, or to clean up stale worktrees after merging.

When not to use it

Do not use it if you are working outside the USOPC monorepo or if you prefer to manage worktrees manually with Git.

Security analysis

Safe
Quality score90/100

The skill only executes standard git worktree operations, pnpm install, and gh issue view, all applied locally within the repository. There is no command to fetch or execute external scripts, delete files outside controlled worktree paths, or exfiltrate data. The allowed tools are restricted to safe, legitimate development commands.

No concerns found

How this analysis is made

Examples

Create worktree for issue #42
/worktree create 42
List all active worktrees
/worktree list
Clean up merged worktrees
/worktree cleanup

name: worktree description: Smart worktree management — create, list, and clean up git worktrees with automatic gotcha handling (pnpm install, hook script copy, issue validation). argument-hint: <create|list|cleanup> [issue-number] disable-model-invocation: true allowed-tools: Bash(git *), Bash(cd *), Bash(pnpm *), Bash(gh issue view *), Bash(gh repo view *), Bash(ls *), Glob, Read

Smart Worktree Management

You are managing git worktrees for the USOPC Athlete Support Agent monorepo. The argument is: $ARGUMENTS.

Parse the argument to determine the subcommand:

  • create <issue-number> — Create a new worktree for an issue
  • list — List active worktrees with status
  • cleanup — Remove worktrees whose branches have been merged

If no subcommand is provided or the argument is empty, print the usage:

Usage: /worktree <command> [args]
  create <issue-number>  — Create worktree for a GitHub issue
  list                   — List active worktrees with branch status
  cleanup                — Remove merged worktrees and prune refs

Subcommand: create <issue-number>

Step 1: Validate the issue exists

Run gh issue view <issue-number> --json number,title,state to confirm the issue exists and is open. If the issue doesn't exist or is closed, warn the user and stop.

Step 2: Determine paths

  • Get the main repo root: git rev-parse --show-toplevel (if in a worktree, use git worktree list to find the main repo)
  • Worktree path: ../usopc-issue-<number> relative to the main repo (i.e., a sibling directory)
  • Derive a short branch name from the issue title: feat/<kebab-case-summary> (max 50 chars, lowercase, hyphens only)

Step 3: Fetch latest main

Run git fetch origin main to ensure we branch from the latest main.

Step 4: Create the worktree

git worktree add <worktree-path> -b <branch-name> origin/main

If the worktree path already exists, warn and stop.

Step 5: Install dependencies

cd <worktree-path> && pnpm install

Step 6: Print summary

Worktree created:
  Path:   <worktree-path>
  Branch: <branch-name>
  Issue:  #<number> — <title>

Dependencies installed.
Navigate with: cd <worktree-path>

Subcommand: list

Step 1: List worktrees

Run git worktree list and parse the output.

Step 2: For each worktree (excluding bare/main)

  • Show the path, branch name
  • Run git -C <path> log --oneline -1 for latest commit
  • Run git -C <path> rev-list --left-right --count origin/main...<branch> for ahead/behind status

Step 3: Print formatted table

Active worktrees:
  ../usopc-issue-42  feat/add-auth        +3 / -0  (latest: abc1234 Add auth middleware)
  ../usopc-issue-55  fix/query-perf       +1 / -2  (latest: def5678 Fix slow query)

Subcommand: cleanup

Step 1: List worktrees

Run git worktree list and identify non-main worktrees.

Step 2: Check each branch

For each worktree branch, check if it has been merged into origin/main:

git branch --merged origin/main | grep <branch-name>

Step 3: Remove merged worktrees

For each merged worktree, remove it:

git worktree remove <path>

Print which worktrees were removed.

Step 4: Prune and clean up

git worktree prune
git fetch --prune origin

Step 5: Print summary

Cleaned up:
  Removed: ../usopc-issue-42 (feat/add-auth — merged)
  Removed: ../usopc-issue-55 (fix/query-perf — merged)
  Pruned stale worktree references.

If no worktrees were eligible for cleanup, say so.

Important notes

  • Always use absolute paths when running git commands to avoid confusion between worktree and main repo.
  • The main repo root can be found via git worktree list — it's the first entry (the one without [branch] or with [main]).
  • scripts/update-hours.mjs and scripts/stamp-readme-hours.mjs are tracked in git, so they'll be available in worktrees automatically — no copying needed.

From the file to a first result

The download contains exactly the content displayed on this page. This copy may differ from the latest version in the source repository.

View the source and supporting files

This download contains SKILL.md only. Any scripts, references, templates and dependencies are not included. Get the required files from the source, preserving their directory structure, before continuing.

1. Download the file

Download SKILL.md

From the root of a test project, save the file as .skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy/SKILL.md, or use the command below. This folder is for inspecting the skill before installation.

Command for macOS/Linux or WSL: requires a POSIX shell and curl. On Windows without WSL, use the download button and create the folder manually.

mkdir -p '.skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy' && curl --fail --show-error --location 'https://skills-guides.com/api/skills/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy/download' --output '.skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy/SKILL.md.part' && mv '.skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy/SKILL.md.part' '.skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy/SKILL.md'

2. Check prerequisites

Read SKILL.md before using it. If it references scripts or external services, inspect them and prepare the required access in your test environment.

Tools declared by the author (check availability in your agent): Bash(git *), Bash(cd *), Bash(pnpm *), Bash(gh issue view *), Bash(gh repo view *), Bash(ls *), Glob, Read

No recognized prerequisites section in this file. This does not mean it is self-contained: libraries, tools and access requirements may be mentioned elsewhere in the content or source repository.

The platforms on this page are catalog indications. The paths below follow tool documentation; they do not prove this skill has been run in those tools. No minimum tool version is confirmed for this listing.

3. Load the skill

After inspection, copy the complete folder into your project using one of the commands below, then open a new tool session. The command stops if a folder with the same name already exists: compare the files before replacing it.

Claude Code
test -f '.skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy/SKILL.md' && test -s '.skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy/SKILL.md' && mkdir -p '.claude/skills' && test ! -e '.claude/skills/worktree' && cp -R '.skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy' '.claude/skills/worktree'

OpenSkills

OpenSkills must already be installed. The local install/read procedure is checked with OpenSkills 1.5.0, which requires Node.js ≥ 20.6.0. Catalog slugs are not resolved automatically.

Official OpenSkills installation
openskills install './.skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy'

openskills read 'smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy'

Reading should display the installed file content and its base directory. It does not run the skill or install its dependencies.

For an agent that reads AGENTS.md, then sync the index. This command changes AGENTS.md: review the diff before using it.

openskills sync

Manual method or another tool: attach SKILL.md to a conversation, or open it in an agent that can read files. Include any required supporting resources. No universal folder is recognized by every tool.

4. Try a first task

Use a short, synthetic input: an API endpoint, a small document or an interface brief. In a new conversation, attach the file or give the agent its path, then adapt this request:

Read .skill-downloads/smart-git-worktree-management-mm5t8bfy/SKILL.md and apply its instructions to this example: [describe a test input]. Identify any missing files, dependencies or access. Produce the result requested by the skill without inventing data or running unreviewed scripts.

Expected result: output matching the skill instructions, or a precise list of missing prerequisites. A read confirmation alone does not validate a first use. If an external resource is unavailable, that path remains untested.

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