pkuppens/sync-branch

Sync Branch

Update default branch (main) without leaving the user stranded. Read-only on default branch — no commits.

Not for: branch deletion (branch-cleanup-after-pr), PRs, rebase.

Checklist

- [ ] Pre-flight: working tree, stashes, worktrees
- [ ] Save current branch
- [ ] Checkout default → fetch --prune → pull
- [ ] Return to saved branch (if local + origin exist)
- [ ] Post: report leftover stashes/worktrees

Pre-flight

Dirty tree — git status --porcelain non-empty → stop; ask stash / commit / abort. Do not auto-stash.

Stashes — git stash list. If any exist:

• Report each (stash@{n} + branch message).
• Do not drop, pop, or apply unless the user asked.
• If a stash targets the saved branch, note: git stash pop after return (only when user wants it).

Worktrees — git worktree list. If more than one entry:

• Report path + branch per worktree.
• Do not remove unless the user asked.
• Checkout/delete failures → git-worktrees.

Sync steps

OLD_BRANCH=$(git branch --show-current)

DEFAULT=$(git symbolic-ref --short refs/remotes/origin/HEAD 2>/dev/null | sed 's|^origin/||')
[ -z "$DEFAULT" ] && DEFAULT=main

git checkout "$DEFAULT"
git fetch origin --prune
git pull --ff-only origin "$DEFAULT" 2>/dev/null || git pull origin "$DEFAULT"

if [ -n "$OLD_BRANCH" ] && [ "$OLD_BRANCH" != "$DEFAULT" ]; then
  if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$OLD_BRANCH" \
     && git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/$OLD_BRANCH"; then
    git checkout "$OLD_BRANCH"
  elif git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$OLD_BRANCH"; then
    echo "Staying on $DEFAULT: $OLD_BRANCH has no origin ref."
  elif git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/$OLD_BRANCH"; then
    echo "Staying on $DEFAULT: recreate with git checkout -b $OLD_BRANCH origin/$OLD_BRANCH"
  fi
fi

Detached HEAD: skip return; report HEAD short SHA.

PowerShell: same flow; chain with ; not &&. Default branch: gh repo view --json defaultBranchRef -q .defaultBranchRef.name if symbolic-ref fails.

Post-sync

Re-list git stash list and git worktree list if anything was reported in pre-flight and not yet addressed. Summarize:

• current branch
• stashes still present (count + branches)
• extra worktrees (count + paths)

Safety

• No force-push, hard reset, branch delete, or git config changes
• On checkout/pull failure: report error; stay on last successful branch

Related

• branch-cleanup-after-pr — delete merged/gone branches
• git-worktrees — worktree removal when branch locked