git-worktree-tidy

Original：🇺🇸 English
Translated

Fetch latest from origin, prune remote-tracking refs, delete stale local branches and worktrees, and fast-forward important branches. Use when tidying up a worktree-based repo layout.

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Source0xbigboss/claude-code
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NPX Install

npx skill4agent add 0xbigboss/claude-code git-worktree-tidy

Tags

Translated version includes tags in frontmatter
git-worktreerepo-hygienebranch-managementgit-prunefast-forward

SKILL.md Content

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git-worktree-tidy

Routine hygiene for bare-repo + worktree layouts. Fetches origin, prunes gone branches and orphaned worktrees, and fast-forwards important local branches.

When to use

User asks to "fetch prune", "clean up stale branches/worktrees", or "update main/dev to latest" in a worktree-based repo.

Hard Rules

  • All destructive actions (worktree remove, branch delete) require user confirmation. Present the full list and wait.
  • Never force-delete a worktree with uncommitted changes without explicit approval. Flag dirty worktrees separately.
  • Use 
    --ff-only
    when updating branches. If ff-only fails, stop and ask.
  • Operate from the 
    .bare
    directory (or repo root) for branch/worktree management commands.

Workflow

1) Locate the bare root

Determine the bare repo directory:
  • If cwd contains 
    .bare/
    , use it
  • Otherwise: 
    git rev-parse --git-common-dir
All branch and worktree management commands run from this directory.

2) Fetch + prune

bash
git fetch --prune origin
Report what was pruned (deleted remote-tracking branches, updated refs).

3) Discover stale branches

bash
git branch -vv | grep ': gone]'
Collect branch names whose upstream is gone.

4) Discover stale worktrees

bash
git worktree list
git worktree prune --dry-run
Cross-reference worktrees against the gone-branch list. Check each stale worktree for dirty state:
bash
cd <worktree-path> && git status --short
Categorize:
  • Clean + gone: safe to remove
  • Dirty + gone: flag for user review
  • Prunable metadata: orphaned worktree entries (directory already gone)

5) Confirm deletions

Present a summary table:
Stale worktrees to remove:
  <path> (<branch>) [clean]
  <path> (<branch>) [dirty — N uncommitted changes]

Stale branches to delete:
  <branch>

Prunable worktree metadata:
  <entry>
Wait for user confirmation before proceeding.

6) Remove stale worktrees

For each confirmed worktree:
bash
git worktree remove <name>
If removal fails (dirty), report and skip unless user approved force.

7) Delete stale branches

bash
git branch -D <branch1> <branch2> ...

8) Prune worktree metadata

bash
git worktree prune -v

9) Update important branches

Identify which branches have dedicated worktrees for 
main
, 
dev
, or other important branches (user may specify). For each:
bash
cd <worktree-path> && git pull --ff-only origin <branch>
If ff-only fails, report the divergence and ask for guidance.

10) Final status

Show a summary: what was removed, what was updated, any items skipped.