start-work

name	start-work
description	Start new work on an issue with discovery, worktree/branch setup, TDD workflow, and draft PR creation. Use when beginning work on a GitHub issue.

Start Work

When starting work on a new issue, follow this complete workflow from discovery to draft PR.

Step 0: Discovery & Research

Before creating any branches or worktrees, gather context:

1. Fetch Issue Details

   • Get the issue number if not provided
   • Retrieve issue title, description, labels, and acceptance criteria
   • Identify linked issues, PRs, or related discussions

2. Codebase Analysis

   • Search for relevant files mentioned in the issue
   • Identify files that will likely need changes
   • Find existing tests related to the affected code
   • Review recent commits touching the same areas

3. Pattern Recognition

   • Look for similar issues or PRs in the repository history
   • Identify architectural patterns used in similar features
   • Check for existing conventions or best practices in the codebase

4. Scope Clarification

   • Summarize your understanding of the work
   • Ask the user to confirm or clarify before proceeding
   • Flag any ambiguities or missing information

Step 1: Setup

Once discovery is complete and scope is confirmed:

1. Create Worktree or Branch

   • Ask user preference: worktree or branch?
   • Naming convention: elenatanasoiu/{issue-number}-short-description
     • Example: elenatanasoiu/42-fix-auth-bug
     • Short description should be kebab-case, 2-4 words max
   • For worktree: create in ../worktrees/{branch-name}/
   • For branch: create and checkout locally

2. Verify Setup

   • Confirm clean working directory
   • Show current branch/worktree path

Step 2: TDD Implementation

Follow test-driven development with linting checkpoints:

1. Write Failing Tests First

   • Create or update test files based on requirements
   • Run tests to confirm they fail
   • Commit: test: add tests for [feature]
   • Lint before committing: Run project linter to catch issues early

2. Implement Until Tests Pass

   • Write minimal code to make tests pass
   • Run tests frequently
   • Commit when a logical unit is complete: feat: implement [feature]
   • Lint before committing: Ensure code style compliance

3. Refactor & Improve

   • Clean up implementation
   • Improve naming, structure, or performance
   • Ensure tests still pass
   • Commit: refactor: [improvement]
   • Lint before committing: Validate refactoring

4. Checkpoint Commits

   • Make semantic commits at each meaningful step
   • Keep commits focused and atomic
   • Run linter before each commit to maintain quality

Semantic Commit Format:

• test: for test changes
• feat: for new features
• fix: for bug fixes
• refactor: for code improvements without behavior changes
• docs: for documentation only
• chore: for build, config, or dependency updates

Step 3: Completion

Before pushing, ensure quality:

1. Final Quality Checks

   • Run full test suite
   • Run linter one final time: Catch any remaining issues
   • Fix any linting errors or warnings
   • Ensure all tests pass

2. Commit Final Changes

   • If lint fixes were needed: chore: fix linting issues
   • Ensure working directory is clean

3. Push to Remote

   • Push branch to origin
   • Confirm push succeeded

Step 4: Draft Pull Request

Create a draft PR with proper context:

1. PR Title

   • Use the issue title or a clear summary
   • Example: "Fix authentication redirect loop"

2. PR Body

   • Start with: Closes #{issue-number}
   • Add a brief summary of changes
   • Include any testing notes or considerations
   • Mention any breaking changes or dependencies

3. Mark as Draft

   • Create as draft PR initially
   • Link the PR URL to the user

4. Handoff

   • Confirm PR is created and linked to issue
   • Ask if user wants to:
     • Continue with more work
     • Convert to ready for review
     • Make additional changes

Related Skills

This skill works well with:

• conventional-commits: For commit message guidance
• pr-review-assist: For pre-push self-review

Notes

• Always lint before commits to catch issues early
• Use discovery phase to prevent rework later
• Keep commits atomic and focused
• TDD ensures reliable, testable code