imvanzen/create-branch

Create Branch

Creates and checks out a new branch from the repo default branch. Branch name follows the project convention. Never create a branch from an already diverged feature branch unless the user explicitly asks (e.g. for a sub-task branch).

When to apply

• User asks to "create a branch", "branch for PAIC-XXX", "start working on PAIC-XXX", or "create a feature branch".
• User provides a ticket id (e.g. PAIC-510) and wants a branch for it.
• User provides a short description and wants a branch name from it.
• User wants to get off main and has uncommitted changes (infer branch purpose from changes).
• Another skill (e.g. commit-series-on-branch) needs a working branch and user is on main.

Branch naming convention (project)

From README.md: First letter of your name + full surname / issue ID - brief description.

• Default prefix: initials. Always use the developer’s initials (e.g. jdoe/PAIC-123-slug). Derive from git config user.name: first letter of first name + full surname, lowercased (e.g. "John Doe" → jdoe). If not set or unparseable, ask the user for their initials or use a placeholder until they set git user.name.
• Intent prefix only when asked. Use feature/, feat/, fix/, or us/ only if the user explicitly requests it (e.g. "create a feature branch", "use fix/ prefix", "I want a story branch us/").

With ticket: initials/PAIC-XXX-brief-slug (e.g. jdoe/PAIC-492-checkout-banner). Without ticket: initials/slug (e.g. jdoe/checkout-banner).

Slug rules: Lowercase, words separated by hyphens, no special characters. Keep short (e.g. 2–5 words). Derive from Jira summary or change purpose.

Procedure

1. Resolve repo default, current branch, and prefix

• git branch --show-current
• Repo default: git remote show origin (or assume main). Do not create from a non-default branch unless user asks.
• Prefix: Default is initials. Get from git config user.name: first letter of first name + full surname, lowercased (e.g. "Jane Doe" → jdoe). If missing or unparseable, ask user for initials. Use intent prefix (feature/, fix/, us/) only if the user explicitly asks for it (e.g. "use feature branch", "I want fix/ prefix").

2. Choose branch name source (in order of preference)

A) Ticket number provided (e.g. PAIC-510)

1. Get Atlassian cloud ID: call MCP atlassian → atlassian/getAccessibleAtlassianResources. Use the first accessible resource’s id as cloudId (or the one that matches the PAIC project).
2. Get issue: getJiraIssue with cloudId and issueIdOrKey: PAIC-510 (or the given key).
3. From the issue: use summary (and optionally issuetype.name) to build the slug. If issue not found or MCP fails, fall back to B or C and use ticket only: PAIC-510-description or ask user for a short description.
4. Branch name: prefix/PAIC-XXX-slug (e.g. jdoe/PAIC-510-store-scope-config). Use initials (or user-requested intent prefix).

B) Short description provided (no ticket)

1. Slugify: lowercase, replace spaces with hyphens, strip non-alphanumeric/hyphen.
2. Branch name: prefix/slug (e.g. jdoe/store-scope-config). Use initials (or user-requested intent prefix). If ticket is provided later, user can rename.

C) Nothing provided (infer from uncommitted changes)

1. Run git status and git diff (and git diff --staged if needed).
2. Summarize change in a few words (e.g. "checkout-banner", "zero-amount-gift-card").
3. Branch name: prefix/slug (e.g. jdoe/checkout-total-display). If a ticket id appears in files or paths (e.g. PAIC-510 in docs), use it: prefix/PAIC-510-slug. Use initials (or user-requested intent prefix).

3. Create and checkout branch

1. Ensure you are on repo default (or user-approved base): git checkout main if needed.
2. Create and checkout: git checkout -b <branch-name>.
3. Report: "Created and checked out branch <branch-name>."

Slugification

• Lowercase.
• Replace spaces and underscores with single hyphen.
• Remove characters other than a-z, 0-9, hyphen.
• Collapse multiple hyphens; trim leading/trailing hyphens.
• Max length for slug part ~50 characters; prefer brevity.

Constraints

• Create from repo default (main) unless user specifies another base.
• Do not push in this skill unless the user explicitly asks.
• If current branch is not default and has uncommitted changes, warn and ask whether to create from current branch or from default (with or without stashing).

Summary

1. Prefix: Always initials from git config user.name (first letter + surname, lowercased). Use intent prefix (feature/, fix/, us/) only when the user explicitly asks.
2. Input: PAIC-XXX → Jira MCP (cloudId + getJiraIssue) → summary → prefix + slug. Short description → slugify + prefix. Nothing → git diff → infer slug + prefix.
3. Convention: initials/PAIC-XXX-slug or initials/slug; slug lowercase, hyphenated.
4. Action: git checkout -b <branch-name> from default; report branch name.