verify-branch-commits

name	verify-branch-commits
description	Verify that every commit on the current branch passes all project checks independently. Use after rebasing, before creating a PR, or when picking up a branch. Triggers on: "verify commits", "verify branch", "check each commit", "per-commit verification", "/verify-branch-commits".
argument-hint	[base-ref]

Verify Branch Commits

Step through every commit on the current branch and verify each one passes the project's full check suite independently.

Process

1. Determine the base ref. Use $0 if provided, otherwise detect via git merge-base HEAD main (or master). Confirm with the user if uncertain.

2. Discover the verification commands. Read the project's AGENTS.md, agent-docs/, or CLAUDE.md for the specific commands covering compilation, linting, tests, and formatting. If not documented, ask the user.

3. Start the verification rebase. Mark every commit as edit:

   GIT_SEQUENCE_EDITOR="sed -i '' 's/^pick /edit /g'" \
     git rebase -i <base-ref>
   

4. At each stop, run the full verification suite. If a check fails:

   • Fix the issue (e.g., format a file, fix a lint error).
   • Stage and amend: git add <files> && git commit --amend --no-edit
   • Note: amending may cause merge conflicts in later commits. Resolve them as they arise during rebase --continue.

5. Check the commit message. Verify that the commit message accurately reflects the current contents of the commit. After rebasing or amending, commit contents may have changed while the message stayed the same. If the message is stale or misleading:

   • Write the new message to /private/tmp/claude/commit-reword.txt using the Write tool
   • Amend: git commit --amend -F /private/tmp/claude/commit-reword.txt
   • Note what was reworded for the final summary.

6. Continue to the next commit:

   git rebase --continue
   

7. Repeat steps 4–6 for every commit until the rebase completes.

8. Report results. Show the final git log --oneline <base>..HEAD and summarize any commits that needed fixing. If any commit messages were reworded, show the old → new message for each.

Non-negotiables

• Never skip a commit. Every commit must be verified, even if "it's just a refactor" or "only touches tests."
• Never skip a check. Run all of: compilation, linting, tests, and formatting. A commit that passes lint but fails compilation is not acceptable.
• Fix, don't skip. If a commit fails, fix it and amend. Do not mark it as "known failure" and move on.
• No pre-existing failures. Do not assume any test or check failure is pre-existing. Everything passes on main, and everything must pass on every branch commit.

Example output

Verifying 6 commits on mig-7928/sql-file-upload-chunk-1 (base: main)

  ✓ eb58427 refactor(MIG-7928): extract SQL files and query options
  ✓ 40916a8 refactor(MIG-7928): export API request helpers
  ⚠ 2dcc7e5 chore(MIG-7928): add upload utilities and store
    → prettier: 2 files reformatted, amended
  ✓ 350f9da feat(MIG-7928): add SQL file upload modal
  ✓ d2326c3 feat(MIG-7928): wire upload modal into details page
    → reworded: "feat(MIG-7928): add upload button to details page"
      → "feat(MIG-7928): wire upload modal into details page"
  ✓ 3f0fc64 test(MIG-7928): add upload flow E2E tests

All 6 commits pass verification.