nesnilnehc/merge-worktree

Skill: merge-worktree

Purpose

Automates the batch worktree lifecycle from the main repo: scan all active linked worktrees, let the user select which to merge, verify all selected are clean, merge and push each in sequence, then remove all successfully-merged worktrees together. Eliminates the need to cd into each worktree directory and invoke a merge operation separately.

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Core Objective

Primary goal: From the main repo, land all selected worktree branches onto main, deliver them to origin, and clean up — leaving the repository in a clean state.

Success Criteria (all must be satisfied):

1. ✅ Invocation context verified: CWD is the main repo root, not inside a linked worktree
2. ✅ All linked worktrees discovered: git worktree list parsed; non-main worktrees presented to user
3. ✅ Pre-flight completed before any merge: All selected worktrees checked for clean working tree; all dirty ones reported upfront
4. ✅ Batch merge + push: Each selected clean worktree merged with --no-ff and pushed; per-worktree status (succeeded/failed) recorded
5. ✅ Unified cleanup: All succeeded worktrees removed together; no failed worktree is deleted
6. ✅ Summary reported: Per-worktree table covers merge, push, cleanup, and branch-deletion status for every entry

Acceptance Test: After skill completes, git log --oneline <main> shows one merge commit per succeeded worktree; git worktree list shows only the main repo and any failed/skipped worktrees; remote is up to date.

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Scope Boundaries

This skill handles:

• Verifying invocation context (main repo, not a linked worktree)
• Detecting the main branch (auto-detect or ask user)
• Scanning and listing all active linked worktrees
• User selection of which worktrees to merge (all or subset)
• Pre-flight clean-tree check for all selected worktrees before any merge begins
• Sequential merge (--no-ff) + push for each selected clean worktree
• Per-failure user decision: continue with remaining or abort
• Unified cleanup of all successfully-merged worktrees
• Optional feature branch deletion (user-confirmed, -d only)
• Per-worktree summary report

This skill does NOT handle:

• Committing uncommitted changes (use commit-work skill first, per worktree)
• Rebasing or squashing commits before merge
• Resolving merge conflicts (halts and reports to user)
• Creating or managing pull requests
• Pushing feature branches or creating remote tracking branches
• Force-pushing to any branch
• Parallel merge execution (always sequential)

Handoff points:

• If any selected worktree is dirty → report all dirty ones upfront; ask user to continue with clean ones or halt all
• If a merge conflict occurs → halt that worktree; ask whether to continue with remaining
• If push is rejected → halt that worktree; ask whether to continue with remaining
• If invoked from inside a linked worktree → halt immediately

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Use Cases

• Developer has 2–4 feature worktrees ready to land onto main and wants to handle them in one invocation
• End-of-sprint batch cleanup: merging all completed feature worktrees from the main repo
• CI/automation that spawned multiple parallel worktrees for isolated tasks, now collecting results
• After completing commit-work cycles in multiple worktrees, delivering all work end-to-end

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Behavior

Workflow (Checklist)

Step 1 — Verify invocation context

git rev-parse --show-toplevel          # current repo root
git worktree list --porcelain          # first worktree entry = main repo path

Parse git worktree list --porcelain. The first block is the main repo. Compare its worktree path against git rev-parse --show-toplevel.

• If they do NOT match (currently inside a linked worktree) → halt:

  "This skill must be run from the main repo, not from inside a worktree. Current location: <cwd>. Main repo is at: <main-repo-path>. Run cd <main-repo-path> and re-invoke."

• If they match → record <main-repo-path>. CWD remains here for every subsequent step.

Step 2 — Determine main branch

git remote show origin | grep 'HEAD branch'

• Unambiguous result (e.g., HEAD branch: main) → use it.
• Command fails or returns nothing → check git branch -r for origin/main then origin/master.
• Still ambiguous → ask the user:

  "Could not determine the main branch automatically. What is the name of the main branch (e.g., main, master, develop)?"

Record <main-branch>.

Step 3 — Scan and present active worktrees

git worktree list

Parse output. Filter out the main repo entry (the one at <main-repo-path> on <main-branch>). Each remaining entry is a candidate.

• If no linked worktrees found → halt:

  "No active linked worktrees found. Nothing to merge."

Present the list with path and branch name:

Active worktrees available to merge:
  [1]  /repos/myapp-auth      feat/user-auth
  [2]  /repos/myapp-api       feat/api-v2
  [3]  /repos/myapp-ui        feat/dashboard

Ask:

"Which worktrees should be merged? Enter numbers separated by commas, or type all:"

Record <selected-list>.

Step 4 — Pre-flight: check all selected worktrees

For each worktree in <selected-list>:

git -C <worktree-path> status --porcelain

Collect all results. Build <clean-list> and <dirty-list>.

If <dirty-list> is non-empty, report all dirty entries in a single block before any merge begins:

Pre-flight check — dirty worktrees (will be skipped):
  /repos/myapp-api   (feat/api-v2)    — 3 uncommitted file(s)
  /repos/myapp-ui    (feat/dashboard) — 1 uncommitted file(s)

Ask:

"The above worktrees have uncommitted changes. Proceed with the remaining clean worktrees, or halt all? [continue / halt]"

• halt → stop; no merges performed.
• continue → proceed with <clean-list> only. If <clean-list> is empty → halt, nothing to do.

No auto-stash is performed under any condition.

Step 5 — Batch merge + push (sequential)

For each worktree W in <clean-list>:

# Pull main to stay current across multi-worktree run
git checkout <main-branch>
git pull origin <main-branch>

# Merge with --no-ff
git merge --no-ff <W.branch> -m "Merge branch '<W.branch>' into <main-branch>"

# Push
git push origin <main-branch>

On failure for worktree W:

• If merge conflict:

  "Merge conflict merging <W.branch> into <main-branch>. Resolve conflicts in <main-repo-path>, complete the merge manually, then push and remove the worktree."

• If push rejected (non-fast-forward):

  "Push rejected after merging <W.branch>. Run git reset --hard HEAD~1 in <main-repo-path> to undo the merge, then pull, re-merge, and push manually."

In both cases, mark W as failed and ask:

"Continue with the remaining worktrees, or abort all remaining? [continue / abort]"

• abort → stop; do not touch any remaining worktrees.
• continue → mark W as failed, proceed to next.

Record per-worktree outcome: succeeded or failed.

Step 6 — Unified cleanup

After all merges complete, verify CWD is still the main repo:

pwd   # must equal <main-repo-path>

For each worktree in <succeeded-list> only:

git worktree remove <worktree-path>

Execute sequentially. If an individual removal fails (e.g., path already gone), log the error and continue.

Never remove a worktree whose status is failed.

Step 7 — Offer to delete feature branches

For all worktrees in <succeeded-list>, present branches together:

"Worktrees removed. Delete these local feature branches? Enter numbers, all, or none:"

[1]  feat/user-auth
[2]  feat/dashboard

For each confirmed:

git branch -d <W.branch>

Use -d only — never -D. If -d fails (unexpected after a successful --no-ff merge), report and stop for that branch.

Step 8 — Summary report

merge-worktree summary
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Worktree               Branch            Merge         Push   Cleanup  Branch
/repos/myapp-auth      feat/user-auth    ✓             ✓      ✓        deleted
/repos/myapp-api       feat/api-v2       ✗(conflict)   —      —        —
/repos/myapp-ui        feat/dashboard    skipped(dirty) —     —        —
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Main branch: main  |  Remote: origin

Status codes: ✓ succeeded · ✗(reason) failed · skipped(dirty) pre-flight fail · — not applicable

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Input & Output

Input Requirements

| Input | Required | Description | |---|---|---| | Main repo context | Yes | CWD must be the main repo root; halts if inside a linked worktree | | Active linked worktrees | Yes | At least one non-main linked worktree must exist | | Worktree selection | User input | all or comma-separated indices from the presented list | | Clean working tree | Per-worktree | Dirty worktrees are reported upfront and skipped; no auto-stash | | Main branch name | Auto/Ask | Detected from remote; user asked if ambiguous | | Network access | Yes | Required to push to origin |

Output Contract

Produces (side-effects):

| Element | Description | |---|---| | Merge commits | One --no-ff merge commit on <main-branch> per succeeded worktree | | Remote push | origin/<main-branch> updated once per succeeded worktree | | Worktree removal | All succeeded worktrees removed from git worktree list | | Branch deletion | Optional, user-confirmed; git branch -d only | | Batch summary report | Per-worktree table: branch, merge, push, cleanup, branch-deletion status |

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Restrictions

Hard Boundaries

• MUST NOT force-push (--force, --force-with-lease) to any branch
• MUST NOT remove any worktree if its merge or push failed
• MUST NOT auto-stash uncommitted changes — report upfront and skip the worktree
• MUST NOT use git branch -D — only -d (safe delete)
• MUST NOT begin any merge before pre-flight check completes for all selected worktrees
• MUST NOT proceed if invoked from inside a linked worktree — halt immediately

Skill Boundaries

Do not do these (other skills or tools handle them):

• Committing pending work: Use commit-work skill per worktree before invoking this skill
• Rebasing/squashing: Use git rebase directly before invoking this skill
• Creating PRs: Use platform-specific PR tools; this skill merges directly to main
• Code review: Use review-diff before committing; this skill does not review code

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Anti-Patterns

Invocation context

✅ Always run from the main repo root ❌ Do not run from inside a linked worktree — the CWD becomes invalid when the worktree is later removed, causing all subsequent commands to fail

Pre-flight order

✅ Check all selected worktrees for dirty state before starting any merge ❌ Do not check each worktree immediately before merging it — the user would discover dirty worktrees mid-batch after some merges are already committed

Merge style

✅ Use git merge --no-ff to preserve branch history ❌ Do not use git merge --squash or fast-forward merge — history would be lost

Push safety

✅ Use git push origin <main-branch> (standard push) ❌ Never use --force or --force-with-lease on main

Deletion order

✅ Remove worktrees only after their merge AND push both succeeded ❌ Do not remove a worktree after merge but before push — the branch would be unreachable if push fails

Branch deletion

✅ Use git branch -d (safe) and confirm with user first ❌ Never use git branch -D (force) — it can delete unmerged commits

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Examples

Example 1: Batch happy path

Scenario: Two feature worktrees are ready to merge into main.

Execution:

# Step 1: Guard — invoked from main repo
git rev-parse --show-toplevel   # /repos/myapp
git worktree list --porcelain   # first entry: /repos/myapp → match ✓

# Step 2: Main branch
git remote show origin | grep 'HEAD branch'
# HEAD branch: main

# Step 3: Scan
git worktree list
# /repos/myapp        abc1234 [main]
# /repos/myapp-auth   def5678 [feat/user-auth]
# /repos/myapp-api    ghi9012 [feat/api-v2]
# User selects: all

# Step 4: Pre-flight
git -C /repos/myapp-auth status --porcelain   # (empty ✓)
git -C /repos/myapp-api  status --porcelain   # (empty ✓)

# Step 5: Merge + push — worktree 1
git checkout main
git pull origin main
git merge --no-ff feat/user-auth -m "Merge branch 'feat/user-auth' into main"
git push origin main

# Step 5: Merge + push — worktree 2
git pull origin main
git merge --no-ff feat/api-v2 -m "Merge branch 'feat/api-v2' into main"
git push origin main

# Step 6: Unified cleanup
pwd                                    # /repos/myapp ✓
git worktree remove /repos/myapp-auth
git worktree remove /repos/myapp-api

# Step 7: Branch deletion — user selects all
git branch -d feat/user-auth
git branch -d feat/api-v2

Summary:

merge-worktree summary
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Worktree             Branch          Merge  Push  Cleanup  Branch
/repos/myapp-auth    feat/user-auth  ✓      ✓     ✓        deleted
/repos/myapp-api     feat/api-v2     ✓      ✓     ✓        deleted
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Main branch: main  |  Remote: origin

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Example 2: Pre-flight dirty detection (edge case — skip and continue)

Scenario: Three worktrees selected; two have uncommitted changes.

Execution:

# Step 4: Pre-flight
git -C /repos/myapp-auth  status --porcelain   # (empty ✓)
git -C /repos/myapp-api   status --porcelain   # M  src/api.ts
git -C /repos/myapp-ui    status --porcelain   # ?? src/temp.log

Skill reports:

Pre-flight check — dirty worktrees (will be skipped):
  /repos/myapp-api  (feat/api-v2)    — 1 uncommitted file(s)
  /repos/myapp-ui   (feat/dashboard) — 1 uncommitted file(s)

"Proceed with the remaining clean worktrees, or halt all? [continue / halt]"

User answers continue → only feat/user-auth is merged and cleaned up. The other two are untouched.

Summary:

merge-worktree summary
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Worktree             Branch          Merge         Push  Cleanup  Branch
/repos/myapp-auth    feat/user-auth  ✓             ✓     ✓        deleted
/repos/myapp-api     feat/api-v2     skipped(dirty) —    —        —
/repos/myapp-ui      feat/dashboard  skipped(dirty) —    —        —
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

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Example 3: Mid-batch merge conflict (edge case — continue past failure)

Scenario: Two clean worktrees; the second has a conflicting change with recent main.

Execution:

# Step 5: Worktree 1 — succeeds
git merge --no-ff feat/user-auth -m "Merge branch 'feat/user-auth' into main"
git push origin main
# ✓ succeeded

# Step 5: Worktree 2 — conflict
git merge --no-ff feat/api-v2 -m "Merge branch 'feat/api-v2' into main"
# CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in src/api.ts

"Merge conflict merging feat/api-v2 into main. Continue with remaining worktrees, or abort? [continue / abort]"

User answers continue (no remaining worktrees) → proceed to cleanup.

# Step 6: Cleanup — only feat/user-auth succeeded
pwd                                    # /repos/myapp ✓
git worktree remove /repos/myapp-auth  # ✓
# /repos/myapp-api NOT removed (status = failed)

Summary:

merge-worktree summary
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Worktree             Branch          Merge          Push  Cleanup  Branch
/repos/myapp-auth    feat/user-auth  ✓              ✓     ✓        deleted
/repos/myapp-api     feat/api-v2     ✗(conflict)    —     —        —
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

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AI Refactor Instruction

If this skill produces incorrect behavior:

1. Wrong invocation context: if the skill proceeds without verifying CWD matches the main repo → rewind to Step 1, add the invocation guard check
2. Pre-flight skipped or deferred: if git merge is attempted without first running git -C <path> status --porcelain for all selected worktrees → rewind to Step 4, complete all pre-flight checks before any merge
3. Failed worktree deleted: if git worktree remove is called for a worktree with status failed → halt; only the <succeeded-list> is eligible for removal
4. Force-push attempted: if --force or --force-with-lease appears in a push command → substitute standard push; if that fails, halt and report
5. Pull skipped before merge: if git merge --no-ff runs without a preceding git pull origin <main-branch> → re-run from the pull step

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Self-Check

• [ ] Invocation context verified: git rev-parse --show-toplevel matched main repo path before proceeding
• [ ] Main branch confirmed: auto-detected or explicitly provided by user; not assumed
• [ ] All linked worktrees scanned: git worktree list parsed; non-main entries presented to user
• [ ] User selection recorded: all or index-based subset captured before any pre-flight check
• [ ] Pre-flight ran for all selected before any merge: git -C <path> status --porcelain completed for every selected worktree first
• [ ] Dirty worktrees reported upfront: all dirty entries listed together before the continue/halt prompt
• [ ] Pull before each merge: git pull origin <main-branch> ran immediately before each git merge --no-ff
• [ ] No-ff merge used: git merge --no-ff confirmed; no fast-forward or squash
• [ ] Push succeeded before worktree marked succeeded: only after git push returns 0 is a worktree added to <succeeded-list>
• [ ] Unified cleanup ran only on <succeeded-list>: git worktree remove never called for failed or skipped entries
• [ ] CWD confirmed before cleanup: pwd matched <main-repo-path> before any git worktree remove
• [ ] Branch deletion used -d: no -D flag in any branch deletion command; user confirmed each branch
• [ ] Summary report produced: per-worktree table includes all entries with correct status codes
• [ ] No force-push used: --force or --force-with-lease never appeared in any command

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附录：输出合约 (Appendix: Output Contract)

本技能产出批量合并摘要表：

| 元素 | 格式 | 必填字段 | 路径模式 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 摘要表 | 文本表格（聊天输出） | 列：Worktree / Branch / Merge / Push / Cleanup / Branch（删除状态）；每行覆盖所有用户选中的 worktree | 标准输出，不落盘 | | 状态码 | 单元格枚举 | Merge ∈ {✓, skipped(dirty), ✗(conflict), —}；Push/Cleanup/Branch ∈ {✓, —, deleted, kept} | 摘要表每行 | | 失败诊断 | 列表项（仅当存在失败/冲突时） | worktree_path / failure_kind（dirty / conflict / push_rejected）/ next_step | 摘要表下方 |