| name | captain-sync-all |
| description | Captain-only. Fetch, merge origin into master, merge unique worktree work into master, and sync all worktrees. The daily rhythm command. NEVER pushes to remote. NEVER rebases. NEVER resets to origin. Formerly `/sync-all` — v2 rename to captain-actor-verb. |
| agency-skill-version | 2 |
| when_to_use | Captain on master in main checkout, NEVER from a worktree. Invoke after ANY of these triggers:
- PR merge (called automatically as Step 5 of /pr-captain-post-merge)
- Agent /iteration-complete, /phase-complete, /plan-complete in any worktree
- Agent /seed, /define, /design, /plan completion in any worktree
- Start of a captain session, to catch overnight drift
Not auto-invoked — captain types it. See CLAUDE-CAPTAIN.md "Standing Duty — Worktree Integration Rhythm".
|
| argument-hint | (no args) |
| paths | [] |
| required_reading | ["agency/REFERENCE-GIT-MERGE-NOT-REBASE.md","agency/REFERENCE-WORKTREE-DISCIPLINE.md","agency/REFERENCE-SAFE-TOOLS.md"] |
captain-sync-all
Captain's daily master-sync rhythm command. Reconciles master with origin, merges any unique worktree work into master (with confirmation), and syncs every worktree to the updated master. Never pushes. Push is a separate concern (merged PRs land on master server-side).
Name pattern: captain- actor prefix (captain-only) + sync-all (compound noun-verb, the action). Grouped with captain-release, captain-log, captain-review in the captain family.
When to invoke — the trigger list
Captain runs /captain-sync-all after any of these events:
| Trigger | Emitted by | Scope |
|---|
| PR merge | GitHub | Automatic — /pr-captain-post-merge invokes this as its Step 5 |
/iteration-complete | worktree agent | Integrate committed iteration work |
/phase-complete | worktree agent | Integrate principal-approved phase commit |
/plan-complete | worktree agent | Integrate plan-level milestone |
/seed completion | worktree agent | Share seed artifact with fleet |
/define completion | worktree agent | Share PVR with fleet |
/design completion | worktree agent | Share A&D with fleet |
/plan completion | worktree agent | Share plan with fleet |
| Session start | captain | Catch overnight drift before other work |
Two critical distinctions, mirrored in CLAUDE-CAPTAIN.md "Standing Duty":
- Dirty files ≠ no committed work. A worktree can be dirty (WIP) AND have commits ahead of master. The WIP stays; the commits integrate. Do not skip a worktree just because it's dirty.
- Parked worktrees are intentional. Worktrees with tracked structural debt (e.g., Great-Rename path debt on 5 branches under Bucket G #402) MUST NOT be merged — conflicts are known and handled by the dedicated workstream's tooling, not by this skill.
Why this exists
Captain is the single coordination point for master state across the fleet. After a PR lands on GitHub or after captain-side coord commits, the local master + every worktree's local view of master must be reconciled. Without this skill, each worktree drifts independently and sync-pain accumulates.
Never pushes. Pushing from master is structurally banned by the framework. PR-merged commits reach origin/master via GitHub's merge; local sync pulls those down.
Never rebases, never resets to origin. Per REFERENCE-GIT-MERGE-NOT-REBASE.md, all sync uses true merge commits.
Required reading
Before proceeding, Read the files listed in required_reading: frontmatter.
Usage
/captain-sync-all
No arguments. Skill is fully automatic; prompts for confirmation before merging worktree work into master.
Preconditions
- Captain on master (or main) in main checkout. NOT a worktree.
- Working tree clean. No uncommitted changes on master.
Flow / Steps
Step 1: Safety checks
- Confirm on master in main checkout.
- Confirm clean working tree.
Step 2: Fetch origin
./agency/tools/git-captain fetch
Step 3: Divergence detection + reconcile
Check divergence:
git log --oneline origin/master..master # local-only commits
git log --oneline master..origin/master # remote-only commits
If diverged (both sides > 0 — typical after PR merge + local coord commits):
- Verify merge-base exists:
git merge-base origin/master HEAD. If fails, ABORT with recovery hint.
- Tag for recovery:
git tag sync/pre-merge-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S).
- Merge:
./agency/tools/git-captain merge-from-origin (produces merge commit).
- If conflicts: halt, show files, ask principal to resolve.
If behind only: ./agency/tools/git-captain merge-from-origin fast-forwards.
Never git reset --hard origin/master. Never git rebase origin/master.
Step 4: Enumerate worktrees
For each worktree, determine: branch name, clean/dirty status, commits ahead of master.
Step 5: Merge worktree work (with confirmation)
For each worktree with commits ahead of master:
- Show the commits.
- Ask principal for confirmation.
- If yes:
git merge <branch> --no-ff.
Step 5b: Dispatch master-updated
If any worktree work merged into master in Step 5, dispatch master-updated to all agents with worktrees:
./agency/tools/dispatch create --type master-updated --to <repo>/<principal>/<agent> --subject "Master updated — new work merged"
Note: master-updated is the canonical dispatch type. Legacy docs may say main-updated; the dispatch tool aliases that to master-updated for backward compatibility.
Agents see this on their next iscp-check / /session-resume.
Step 6: Sync worktrees to master
For each worktree: git -C <worktree-path> merge master. Picks up new master content.
Step 7: Report
Present status table:
Sync complete:
Worktree Branch Status Merged Synced
-----------------------------------------------------------------
fix-auth fix-auth clean 3 commits yes
proto-tooling proto/tooling dirty skipped yes
Step 8: Update handoff
Light update to captain handoff: "what synced, what was merged into master, any worktrees skipped."
Failure modes
- Not on master: abort with clear error.
- Dirty working tree: abort; asks principal to commit or stash.
- Merge-base missing: abort (usually force-push or filter-repo incident); principal decides recovery.
- Step 3 merge conflict: halt; principal resolves, captain re-runs skill.
- Worktree merge conflict in Step 5: report, skip that worktree, continue with others. Principal resolves later.
- Worktree sync conflict in Step 6: report that worktree as NOT synced. Agent will resolve on their next /session-resume.
What this does NOT do
- Does not push. Push happens via PR merges server-side.
- Does not rebase. All sync uses merge commits.
- Does not reset to origin. Preserves local history.
- Does not force-sync: conflicts halt the process; no forced resolution.
- Does not write commits on worktree branches (other than merge-master commits).
Captain-only — three-layer defense
paths: [] — no file-path auto-activation; universally discoverable for the captain but scoped out of agent worktree contexts.- Name contains
captain- — scope visible at a glance in skill listings.
- Step 1 precondition — must be on master in main checkout; refuses otherwise.
(Historically disable-model-invocation: true was a fourth layer. That flag was removed 2026-04-20 because the captain session IS the principal's session — DMI was blocking the captain from invoking captain-* skills. See REFERENCE-SKILL-CONVENTIONS.md §1.)
Status
active (v2, refactored from legacy sync-all 2026-04-19).
Related
/pr-captain-post-merge — invokes this as Step 5 after a merge/sync — agent-side push skill (different scope entirely)/worktree-sync — single-worktree sync (agent-side; this skill calls it across all worktrees)agency/tools/git-captain — safe captain-side git operationsagency/REFERENCE-GIT-MERGE-NOT-REBASE.md — the merge disciplineagency/REFERENCE-WORKTREE-DISCIPLINE.md — worktree model
OFFENDERS WILL BE FED TO THE — CUTE — ATTACK KITTENS!
