| name | create-issue-branch |
| description | Creates a new git branch for a GitHub issue following naming conventions with issue number as prefix. |
Create Issue Branch
When to use this skill
Use this skill when asked to create a new git branch for a GitHub issue, start work on an issue, or check out a new feature/fix branch tied to an issue.
Branch naming convention
Branches must follow this pattern:
<issue-number>-<short-description>
<issue-number> — the GitHub issue number (integer, no leading zeros)<short-description> — kebab-case summary of the work (3–6 words, no punctuation)
Examples
| Issue | Description | Branch name |
|---|
| #42 | Add dark mode toggle | 42-add-dark-mode-toggle |
| #101 | Header overlaps on mobile | 101-header-overlaps-on-mobile |
| #7 | Update contributor guide | 7-update-contributor-guide |
| #55 | Upgrade SvelteKit to v2 | 55-upgrade-sveltekit-v2 |
| #88 | Extract search utils | 88-extract-search-utils |
Rules
- Always prefix with the issue number so the branch is traceable to the GitHub issue.
- Use lowercase only — no uppercase letters.
- Use hyphens (
-) to separate words inside the description — never underscores or spaces.
- Keep the description short and meaningful (≤ 50 characters total for the whole branch name is ideal).
- Do not include
# in the branch name.
- Do not include the issue title verbatim if it is long — shorten it.
Steps
1. Identify the issue number
Before creating the branch, confirm:
- The GitHub issue number (e.g.,
42)
- A short kebab-case description of the change
2. Ensure the base branch is up to date
git checkout develop
git pull origin develop
The default base branch for this project is develop (not main).
3. Create and switch to the new branch
git checkout -b <issue-number>-<short-description>
Example:
git checkout -b 42-add-dark-mode-toggle
4. Verify the branch was created
git branch --show-current
The output should match the pattern exactly.
5. Push the branch to the remote (optional — do only when ready to open a PR)
git push -u origin <branch-name>
Do not push an empty branch. Make at least one commit first.
Commit message convention
Once on the branch, commits should follow Conventional Commits:
<type>(<scope>): <short summary>
Example:
feat(ui): add dark mode toggle to header
Reference the issue in the commit body or footer when relevant:
feat(ui): add dark mode toggle to header
Closes #42
Checklist
