8.7 KiB
name, description
| name | description |
|---|---|
| jj | Jujutsu (jj) version control system - a Git-compatible VCS with novel features. Use when working with jj repositories, managing stacked/dependent commits, needing automatic rebasing with first-class conflict handling, using revsets to select commits, or wanting enhanced Git workflows. Triggers on mentions of 'jj', 'jujutsu', change IDs, operation log, or jj-specific commands. |
Jujutsu (jj) Version Control System
Overview
Jujutsu is a powerful Git-compatible version control system that combines ideas from Git, Mercurial, Darcs, and adds novel features. It uses Git repositories as a storage backend, making it fully interoperable with existing Git tooling.
Key differentiators from Git:
- Working copy is automatically committed (no staging area)
- Conflicts can be committed and resolved later
- Automatic rebasing of descendants when commits change
- Operation log enables easy undo of any operation
- Revsets provide powerful commit selection
- Change IDs stay stable across rewrites (unlike commit hashes)
When to Use This Skill
- User mentions "jj", "jujutsu", or "jujutsu vcs"
- Working with stacked/dependent commits
- Questions about change IDs vs commit IDs
- Revset queries for selecting commits
- Conflict resolution workflows in jj
- Git interoperability with jj
- Operation log, undo, or redo operations
- History rewriting (squash, split, rebase, diffedit)
- Bookmark management (jj's equivalent of branches)
Key Concepts
Working Copy as a Commit
In jj, the working copy is always a commit. Changes are automatically snapshotted:
# No need for 'git add' - changes are tracked automatically
jj status # Shows working copy state
jj diff # Shows changes in working copy commit
Change ID vs Commit ID
- Change ID: Stable identifier that persists across rewrites (e.g.,
kntqzsqt) - Commit ID: Hash that changes when commit is rewritten (e.g.,
5d39e19d)
Always prefer change IDs when referring to commits in commands.
No Staging Area
Instead of staging, use these patterns:
jj split- Split working copy into multiple commitsjj squash -i- Interactively move changes to parent- Direct editing with
jj diffedit
First-Class Conflicts
Conflicts are recorded in commits, not blocking operations:
jj rebase -s X -d Y # Succeeds even with conflicts
jj log # Shows conflicted commits with ×
jj new <conflicted> # Work on top of conflict
# Edit files to resolve, then:
jj squash # Move resolution into parent
Operation Log
Every operation is recorded and can be undone:
jj op log # View operation history
jj undo # Undo last operation
jj op restore <op-id> # Restore to specific operation
Essential Commands
| Command | Description | Git Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
jj git clone <url> |
Clone a Git repository | git clone |
jj git init |
Initialize new repo | git init |
jj status / jj st |
Show working copy status | git status |
jj log |
Show commit history | git log --graph |
jj diff |
Show changes | git diff |
jj new |
Create new empty commit | - |
jj describe / jj desc |
Edit commit message | git commit --amend (msg only) |
jj edit <rev> |
Edit existing commit | git checkout + amend |
jj squash |
Move changes to parent | git commit --amend |
jj split |
Split commit in two | git add -p + multiple commits |
jj rebase |
Move commits | git rebase |
jj bookmark / jj b |
Manage bookmarks | git branch |
jj git fetch |
Fetch from remote | git fetch |
jj git push |
Push to remote | git push |
jj undo |
Undo last operation | git reflog + reset |
jj file annotate |
Show line origins | git blame |
Common Workflows
Starting a New Change
# Working copy changes are auto-committed
# When ready to start fresh work:
jj new # Create new commit on top
jj describe -m "message" # Set description
# Or combine:
jj new -m "Start feature X"
Editing a Previous Commit
# Option 1: Edit in place
jj edit <change-id> # Make working copy edit that commit
# Make changes, they're auto-committed
jj new # Return to working on new changes
# Option 2: Squash changes into parent
jj squash # Move all changes to parent
jj squash -i # Interactively select changes
jj squash <file> # Move specific file
Rebasing Commits
# Rebase current branch onto main
jj rebase -d main
# Rebase specific revision and descendants
jj rebase -s <rev> -d <destination>
# Rebase only specific revisions (not descendants)
jj rebase -r <rev> -d <destination>
# Insert commit between others
jj rebase -r X -A Y # Insert X after Y
jj rebase -r X -B Y # Insert X before Y
Working with Bookmarks (Branches)
jj bookmark list # List bookmarks
jj bookmark create <name> # Create at current commit
jj bookmark set <name> # Move bookmark to current commit
jj bookmark delete <name> # Delete bookmark
jj bookmark track <name>@<remote> # Track remote bookmark
Pushing Changes
# Push specific bookmark
jj git push --bookmark <name>
# Push change by creating auto-named bookmark
jj git push --change <change-id>
# Push all bookmarks
jj git push --all
Resolving Conflicts
# After a rebase creates conflicts:
jj log # Find conflicted commit (marked with ×)
jj new <conflicted> # Create commit on top
# Edit files to resolve conflicts
jj squash # Move resolution into conflicted commit
# Or use external merge tool:
jj resolve # Opens merge tool for each conflict
Undoing Mistakes
jj undo # Undo last operation
jj op log # View operation history
jj op restore <op-id> # Restore to specific state
# View repo at past operation
jj --at-op=<op-id> log
Revsets Quick Reference
Revsets select commits using a functional language:
| Expression | Description |
|---|---|
@ |
Working copy commit |
@- |
Parent of working copy |
x- |
Parents of x |
x+ |
Children of x |
::x |
Ancestors of x (inclusive) |
x:: |
Descendants of x (inclusive) |
x..y |
Ancestors of y not in ancestors of x |
x::y |
Commits between x and y (DAG path) |
bookmarks() |
All bookmark targets |
trunk() |
Main branch (main/master) |
mine() |
Commits by current user |
conflicts() |
Commits with conflicts |
description(text) |
Commits with matching description |
Examples:
jj log -r '@::' # Working copy and descendants
jj log -r 'trunk()..@' # Commits between trunk and working copy
jj log -r 'mine() & ::@' # My commits in working copy ancestry
jj rebase -s 'roots(trunk()..@)' -d trunk() # Rebase branch onto trunk
Git Interoperability
Colocated Repositories
By default, jj git clone and jj git init create colocated repos where both jj and git commands work:
jj git clone <url> # Creates colocated repo (default)
jj git clone --no-colocate <url> # Non-colocated (jj only)
Using Git Commands
In colocated repos, Git changes are auto-imported. For non-colocated:
jj git import # Import changes from Git
jj git export # Export changes to Git
Converting Existing Git Repo
cd existing-git-repo
jj git init --colocate # Add jj to existing Git repo
Configuration
Edit config with jj config edit --user:
[user]
name = "Your Name"
email = "your@email.com"
[ui]
default-command = "log" # Run 'jj log' when no command given
diff-editor = ":builtin" # Or "meld", "kdiff3", etc.
[revset-aliases]
'wip' = 'description(exact:"") & mine()' # Custom revset alias
Advanced Topics
For comprehensive documentation, see:
- references/revsets.md - Complete revset reference
- references/commands.md - Full command reference
- references/git-comparison.md - Git to jj command mapping
Troubleshooting
"Working copy is dirty" - Never happens in jj! Working copy is always a commit.
Conflicts after rebase - Normal in jj. Conflicts are recorded, resolve when convenient.
Lost commits - Use jj op log to find when commits existed, then jj op restore.
Divergent changes - Same change ID, different commits. Usually from concurrent edits:
jj log # Shows divergent commits
jj abandon <unwanted> # Remove one version
Immutable commit error - Can't modify trunk/tagged commits by default:
jj --ignore-immutable <command> # Override protection