synthesys-lab/fork-dev-branch

Fork Dev Branch

This skill instructs AI agents on how to create a development branch for implementing a GitHub issue. The branch name follows the standard format: issue-<number>-<brief-title>.

Branch Naming Convention

Branches created by this skill must follow this exact format:

issue-<number>-<brief-title>

Where:

• <number>: The GitHub issue number (without the # symbol)
• <brief-title>: A brief, hyphen-separated description of the issue
  • Lowercase only
  • Use hyphens to separate words
  • Maximum 5 words (preferably 3-4)
  • No special characters except hyphens
  • Must be meaningful and descriptive

Examples:

• issue-42-add-typescript-support
• issue-15-fix-precommit-hook
• issue-67-create-open-pr-skill
• issue-23-refactor-sdk-templates

Workflow for AI Agents

When this skill is invoked, the AI agent MUST follow these steps:

1. Extract and Verify Issue Number

Find the issue number from conversation context:

• Look for explicit references: "for issue #42", "implement #15", etc.
• If not found, check recent issues: gh issue list --limit 10
• If still unclear, ask the user: "Which issue number should this branch be for?"
• Accept numbers with or without # prefix (e.g., "42" or "#42")

Verify the issue exists and is open:

gh issue view <issue-number> --json state,title

If the issue is closed or doesn't exist, inform the user and abort.

2. Generate Branch Title

Fetch the issue details and create a concise branch title:

gh issue view <issue-number>

Convert the issue title to branch format:

• Remove tag prefix (e.g., [plan][feat]: → empty)
• Convert to lowercase, replace spaces with hyphens
• Remove special characters (except hyphens)
• Keep 3-5 words maximum

Title conversion examples:

• [plan][feat]: Add TypeScript SDK support → add-typescript-support
• [bugfix]: Pre-commit hook fails → fix-precommit-hook
• [agent.skill]: Create open-pr skill → create-open-pr-skill

If unclear or too long, confirm with user before proceeding.

3. Create Branch

Create and switch to the new branch:

git checkout -b issue-<number>-<brief-title>

Confirm success:

Successfully created and switched to branch: issue-<number>-<brief-title>

Examples

Example 1: Simple Feature Branch

Context: User wants to implement issue #42 for TypeScript SDK support.

Conversation:

User: Create a dev branch for issue #42
Agent: [Runs gh issue view 42]
Agent: I'll create a branch for issue #42: "Add TypeScript SDK template support"

Suggested branch name: issue-42-add-typescript-support

Creating branch...
[Runs: git checkout -b issue-42-add-typescript-support]

Successfully created and switched to branch: issue-42-add-typescript-support

Example 2: Bugfix Branch

Context: User wants to fix issue #15.

Conversation:

User: fork a branch for #15
Agent: [Runs gh issue view 15]
Agent: I'll create a branch for issue #15: "Pre-commit hook fails to run tests"

Suggested branch name: issue-15-fix-precommit-hook

Creating branch...
[Runs: git checkout -b issue-15-fix-precommit-hook]

Successfully created and switched to branch: issue-15-fix-precommit-hook

Example 3: Error - Invalid Issue Number

Context: User provides a non-existent issue number.

Conversation:

User: Create dev branch for issue 999
Agent: [Runs gh issue view 999]
Agent: Error: Issue #999 not found in this repository.

Please provide a valid issue number.