Sanitize Git Repo

The sanitize-git-repo skill cleans and prepares Git repositories by removing sensitive information, fixing structural issues, and ensuring compliance with security standards before deployment or sharing. It automates the detection of secrets in commit history and refactors repository configurations to prevent accidental data leaks.

When to use it

• Before pushing a repository containing potentially exposed API keys or credentials to public platforms.
• When preparing open-source projects for release to ensure no private user data remains in the codebase.
• During CI/CD pipeline setup to automatically scrub sensitive logs and configuration files from version control.
• To remediate legacy repositories that have accumulated secrets over time without manual auditing.

Key capabilities

• Scans commit history and current files for common secret patterns.
• Removes or redacts identified sensitive data while preserving code integrity.
• Validates repository structure to ensure no broken links or invalid references remain.
• Generates a clean, sanitized clone ready for public distribution.

Example prompts

• "Sanitize this Git repository by removing all hardcoded API keys and database passwords from the commit history."
• "Prepare my open-source project for public release by scrubbing any user emails or private tokens found in the codebase."
• "Run a full security audit on this repo and output a clean version with all sensitive configuration files redacted."

Tips & gotchas

Ensure you have a backup of your original repository before running sanitization, as the process permanently alters the history. This skill focuses on automated pattern matching; manually review critical changes to confirm no legitimate data was inadvertently removed.