| name | dirty-worktree-discipline |
| description | Keeps agent work safe in messy repositories. Use when git status is dirty, unrelated files exist, generated artefacts are present, multiple agents share a repo, or you must commit only the intended slice without damaging someone else's work. |
Dirty Worktree Discipline
Overview
Use this skill before editing, staging, committing, or reverting in a repository that already has unrelated changes.
A dirty worktree is not an excuse to stop. It is a reason to be precise.
When to Use
git status is not clean.- Generated files are present.
- Multiple agents or humans are working in the same repo.
- You need to commit only your slice.
- You are tempted to run broad cleanup or reset commands.
- A deploy or review requires exact source state.
Preflight
Capture:
git status --short --branch
git rev-parse --show-toplevel
git diff --name-only
git diff --cached --name-only
Classify files:
- yours;
- pre-existing unrelated;
- generated artefacts;
- unknown and risky;
- ignored/cache/temp.
Rules
- Never run broad reset/clean by default. No
git reset --hard, no git clean -fd, no mass restore without explicit scope.
- Stage by path. Use
git add path1 path2, not git add ..
- Inspect staged diff. Run
git diff --cached --stat and git diff --cached --name-only before commit.
- Preserve unrelated work. Do not format, revert, or move files outside your slice.
- Generated artefacts need intent. If build output is required for deploy, say so. Otherwise leave it uncommitted.
- Dirty state is part of evidence. Report what remains dirty and why.
Commit Protocol
Before commit:
Intended files:
Staged files:
Excluded dirty files:
Validation run:
After commit:
Commit SHA:
Files committed:
Repo still dirty: yes/no
Unrelated dirty state preserved:
Safe Commands
Good:
git add specific/file another/file
git diff --cached --name-only
git restore -- specific/generated-file
Risky, use only with explicit approval:
git add .
git reset --hard
git clean -fd
git checkout .
Anti-patterns
- "Workspace was messy so I committed everything."
- "I cleaned generated files and accidentally deleted someone else's artefacts."
- "I deployed from a dirty tree but did not report it."
- "I used broad restore because the diff was noisy."
