clud-git

name	clud-git
description	Worktree, branch, process-audit, and quarantine playbook extracted from /clud-pr so /clud-fix-quick and other skills can reuse it. Use this when the user asks for worktree cleanup, stale-branch teardown, or a process audit on a leftover dir.
triggers	["When the user asks to clean up worktrees, leftover .claude/worktrees/ directories, or stale feature branches","When the user reports \"shells appear stuck\" or worktree removal failing with file-lock errors on Windows","When the user invokes \"/clud-git\"","When another skill needs the worktree-create + teardown + audit playbook (delegated from /clud-pr, /clud-fix-quick, /clud-do)"]

/clud-git

Single source of truth for the worktree / branch / process-audit / quarantine playbook. Today the same procedure is duplicated as prose inside /clud-pr's Worktree Workspace section; this skill extracts it so /clud-fix-quick, /clud-do, and any future skill can delegate without copying.

The three hard rules from /clud-pr carry over verbatim — this skill exists to centralize them, not to relax them.

Three hard rules

1. .gitignore gate first. Before creating any worktree under .claude/worktrees/, confirm .gitignore covers .claude/. If it doesn't, refuse to create the worktree inside the repo — use a sibling path (../<repo>-wt-<branch>/) or ask to add .claude/ to .gitignore.
2. Process audit before destructive removal. Windows file locks routinely cause git worktree remove to fail with Permission denied / Access is denied. Always audit which processes hold the directory before resorting to --force, then prefer clud trash over rm -rf retry loops.
3. Never blind-loop rm -rf. A rm -rf retry loop hides the actual problem (a process holding a file open) instead of fixing it. Audit, stop the specific offender, OR quarantine via clud trash.

Worktree creation playbook

1. Sync main. git fetch origin main so the new worktree starts from current main, not stale local state.
2. Stale worktree prune. git worktree prune to clear git's view of any worktrees deleted on disk without proper removal.
3. .gitignore gate. Grep .gitignore for one of .claude/, .claude/**, /.claude/. If absent, refuse — see hard rule 1.
4. Create. git worktree add -b <branch> .claude/worktrees/<short-name> origin/main. The path component is freely chosen — convention is <slice-or-feature>-<issue-number> so leftover dirs are searchable.
5. RED -> GREEN inside the worktree. All edits, lint, tests, and commits happen inside the worktree path. Never edit the main checkout for worktree-scoped work.

Worktree teardown playbook

1. git status clean check. Inside the worktree, confirm no uncommitted changes — refuse to tear down a dirty worktree without explicit user OK.
2. Process audit. Before removal, identify what holds the worktree path open:
   • Windows: Get-CimInstance Win32_Process | Where-Object { $_.ExecutablePath -like "*<branch>*" -or $_.CommandLine -like "*<worktree-path>*" }. Common holders: zccache.exe, rust-analyzer.exe, the agent's own PowerShell session (cwd anchored inside the dir).
   • Unix: lsof +D .claude/worktrees/<name> or fuser -m .claude/worktrees/<name>.
3. Stop only specific abandoned holders. Never kill unrelated processes. If the holder is the agent's own shell session (cwd anchored), cd to an absolute path outside the worktree first.
4. git worktree remove --force. Pass --force only after the audit shows no useful holders. If it still fails with "Access is denied" / "device or resource busy", fall through to step 5.
5. clud trash quarantine fallback. clud trash .claude/worktrees/<name> moves the path to ~/.clud/trash/<timestamp>/ for the daemon's GC sweeper to reap when handles release. This is the documented fallback — see /clud-pr for the precedent.
6. git worktree prune + verify git worktree list no longer mentions the path.
7. Delete the local branch if it was created for the worktree: git branch -D <branch> for already-merged work; git branch -d for non-merged (which will refuse and force you to confirm).

Process-audit playbook (standalone)

When the user reports "my shell appears stuck" or git commands hang on a Windows path:

1. Identify the anchored cwd. A Bash or PowerShell session whose cwd is inside a deleted-or-moved dir will fail every command because the hook system can't resolve its own scripts. Look for the error pattern python .claude/hooks/check-soldr.py: No such file or directory.
2. Cd to a known-good absolute path before running any other command: cd "C:/Users/niteris/dev/clud2" (or your repo root).
3. Re-audit for stale holders of the original problem path. The shell session unanchoring usually clears the immediate issue; lingering processes like zccache or rust-analyzer may still need explicit attention.

Standard recovery patterns

Symptom	Fix
git worktree remove → "Access is denied"	Process audit → stop specific holders → retry. If still failing → clud trash.
10+ leftover dirs under .claude/worktrees/	Batch git worktree remove --force for each git-tracked one, then clud trash for the orphan dirs. Delete the merged branches with git branch -D afterward.
"Shells appear stuck" after a teardown	Bash cwd is anchored on a deleted dir. Cd to absolute path. PowerShell tracks cwd independently and is usually the safer escape.
Local branch list cluttered with old feature branches	git branch --merged main | grep feat/ to find merged ones; git branch -D to delete. Non-merged branches need explicit git branch -D after confirming the work landed via squash.

Delegation contract

When called from /clud-pr, /clud-fix-quick, /clud-do, or any other skill:

• The caller provides the <branch> / <short-name> and the operation (create / teardown / audit).
• This skill executes the playbook and returns structured evidence: what was created, what was torn down, what was quarantined, what processes were stopped.
• This skill does NOT manage /goal lifecycle — the caller owns its own goal hook.
• This skill does NOT push or merge PRs — those belong to the caller.

Hard rules summary

1. .gitignore gate before creating worktrees inside the repo.
2. Process audit before destructive removal.
3. clud trash is the documented Windows fallback, not rm -rf retry loops.
4. RED -> GREEN for any code edits made inside a worktree (same as /clud-pr).
5. Never kill unrelated processes during a stale-holder cleanup.
6. Cd to absolute path before running git commands when shell behavior gets weird.
7. Delete merged branches after squash-merge so the local branch list doesn't accumulate.

When NOT to use this

• The caller wants to ship a PR — that's /clud-pr's job (which uses this skill internally).
• The caller wants to drive an existing open PR to merge — /clud-pr PR Drive Mode.
• The caller wants to investigate or design — this skill is mechanical; design discussion is the parent skill's responsibility.

Related

• /clud-pr SKILL.md — original source of the worktree playbook; will delegate here once skill-to-skill calls are wired.
• clud trash subcommand — quarantines paths under ~/.clud/trash/<timestamp>/ for daemon GC.
• /clud-fix-quick — speed-mode skill that wants the same worktree teardown without the full /clud-pr ceremony.