gh-claudeforge-marketplace-plugins-commands-update-branch-name/commands/update-branch-name.md

description, version

description	version
Rename git branches with proper naming conventions and update remote tracking	2.0.0

Branch Name Updater

Rename git branches following naming conventions and automatically update remote tracking.

What It Does

• Analyzes current branch and changes
• Suggests descriptive branch names
• Renames local and remote branches
• Updates branch tracking
• Enforces naming conventions

How to Use

Run on the branch you want to rename:

/update-branch-name

The command will suggest names based on your changes.

Branch Naming Patterns

Feature Development

feature/user-profile-editor
feature/csv-export
feature/oauth-login

Bug Fixes

fix/validation-error
fix/memory-leak
fix/null-pointer

Refactoring

refactor/extract-utils
refactor/database-layer
refactor/api-structure

Documentation

docs/api-documentation
docs/setup-guide
docs/contributing

Naming Best Practices

• Use lowercase letters
• Separate words with hyphens
• Include type prefix (feature, fix, docs, etc.)
• Be descriptive but concise
• Avoid generic names like "updates" or "changes"
• Include issue number if applicable

Rename Workflow

1. Check Current Branch

git branch --show-current
# Output: temp-branch

2. Analyze Changes

git diff main...HEAD
# Review what you've changed

3. Rename Locally

git branch -m temp-branch feature/user-authentication

4. Update Remote

# Delete old remote branch
git push origin --delete temp-branch

# Push new branch and set upstream
git push -u origin feature/user-authentication

Example: Renaming Process

Scenario: Working on search feature, branch named "test"

Step 1: Analyze Changes

git log main..HEAD --oneline
# Shows commits related to search functionality

Step 2: Choose New Name

Based on changes: feature/fuzzy-search

Step 3: Rename

git branch -m test feature/fuzzy-search

Step 4: Update Remote

git push origin --delete test
git push -u origin feature/fuzzy-search

Use Cases

• Clean Up Naming: Rename temporary or unclear branch names
• Enforce Standards: Apply team naming conventions
• Clarify Purpose: Make branch purpose obvious from name
• Before PR: Rename before creating pull request
• Team Collaboration: Help others understand branch purpose

Naming Conventions

Type Prefixes

• feature/: New features or functionality
• fix/: Bug fixes
• hotfix/: Critical production fixes
• refactor/: Code restructuring
• docs/: Documentation changes
• test/: Test additions or updates
• chore/: Build/config changes

With Issue Numbers

feature/123-user-dashboard
fix/456-login-error
docs/789-api-guide

Team Member Prefix

alice/feature/search
bob/fix/validation

Safety Checks

Before renaming:

• Commit or stash all changes
• Verify branch is not protected (main/master)
• Check if others are working on this branch
• Ensure you have push permissions

Common Scenarios

Temporary Name to Descriptive

# From: temp, test, branch1
# To: feature/shopping-cart
git branch -m temp feature/shopping-cart

Fix Type After Work Changes

# Started as feature, became refactor
# From: feature/update-api
# To: refactor/api-structure
git branch -m feature/update-api refactor/api-structure

Add Issue Number

# From: feature/notifications
# To: feature/234-notifications
git branch -m feature/notifications feature/234-notifications

Verification

After renaming, verify:

# Check local branch
git branch --show-current

# Check remote tracking
git branch -vv

# Verify remote branch exists
git ls-remote --heads origin

Troubleshooting

Branch Already Exists: Choose a different name

Push Denied: Check permissions, might need force push

Lost Tracking: Reset with git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/new-name

Protected Branch: Cannot rename main/master/develop

Multiple Branches

Rename multiple branches:

# List all branches
git branch

# Rename each one
git branch -m old-name-1 new-name-1
git branch -m old-name-2 new-name-2

Working with PRs

Before PR Creation: Rename to descriptive name

After PR Created: Avoid renaming (causes confusion)

PR Already Open: Update PR title/description instead

Team Communication

When renaming shared branches:

1. Notify team members
2. Ensure no one else is working on it
3. Update any documentation referencing old name
4. Update CI/CD configs if needed

Best Practices

• Rename Early: Do it before creating PR
• Be Descriptive: Make purpose clear from name
• Follow Conventions: Use team's naming standards
• Update Remote: Don't forget to update remote branch
• Communicate: Tell team about shared branch renames
• Document: Note rename in commit or PR if relevant

Quality Checklist

A good branch name:

• Uses type prefix (feature/fix/docs/etc)
• Is descriptive of the work
• Uses lowercase and hyphens
• Is concise but clear
• Follows team conventions
• Includes issue number if applicable