git-branch-cleanup

What it does

This skill automates the process of identifying and deleting stale or merged Git branches. It can filter branches based on whether they have been merged into a specified target branch, and delete those that match the criteria. The skill also allows for dry-run mode to preview changes before actual deletion occurs.

When to use it

• Clean up after feature development: Regularly remove branches that have already been merged into main or develop.
• Automate repository maintenance: Schedule periodic runs to keep the branch list manageable, especially in teams with frequent branching and merging.
• Identify orphaned branches: Find branches that haven't been merged and may be candidates for deletion after investigation.
• Prepare a repository for archiving: Before archiving a Git repository, remove unnecessary branches to reduce its size.

Key capabilities

• Filters branches based on merge status with a target branch.
• Supports dry-run mode for previewing deletions.
• Allows specification of the target branch for merge comparison.
• Provides clear output indicating which branches will be deleted (or would be, in dry-run mode).

Example prompts

• "Clean up all merged branches into main."
• "Dry run: Show me what branches would be deleted if I cleaned up branches merged into develop."
• "Delete branches that have been merged into release/1.0 and are older than 6 months."

Tips & gotchas

The skill requires access to a Git repository with appropriate permissions to delete branches. Always run in dry-run mode first to verify the intended branches will be affected before executing the actual deletion.