github-spec-kit/extensions/git/README.md

Git Branching Workflow Extension

Git repository initialization, feature branch creation, numbering (sequential/timestamp), validation, remote detection, and auto-commit for Spec Kit.

Overview

This extension provides Git operations as an optional, self-contained module. It manages:

• Repository initialization with configurable commit messages
• Feature branch creation with sequential (001-feature-name) or timestamp (20260319-143022-feature-name) numbering and optional templates for branch namespaces
• Branch validation to ensure branches follow naming conventions
• Git remote detection for GitHub integration (e.g., issue creation)
• Auto-commit after core commands (configurable per-command with custom messages)

Commands

Command	Description
speckit.git.initialize	Initialize a Git repository with a configurable commit message
speckit.git.feature	Create a feature branch with sequential or timestamp numbering
speckit.git.validate	Validate current branch follows feature branch naming conventions
speckit.git.remote	Detect Git remote URL for GitHub integration
speckit.git.commit	Auto-commit changes (configurable per-command enable/disable and messages)

Hooks

Event	Command	Optional	Description
before_constitution	speckit.git.initialize	No	Init git repo before constitution
before_specify	speckit.git.feature	No	Create feature branch before specification
before_clarify	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Commit outstanding changes before clarification
before_plan	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Commit outstanding changes before planning
before_tasks	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Commit outstanding changes before task generation
before_implement	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Commit outstanding changes before implementation
before_checklist	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Commit outstanding changes before checklist
before_analyze	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Commit outstanding changes before analysis
before_taskstoissues	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Commit outstanding changes before issue sync
after_constitution	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Auto-commit after constitution update
after_specify	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Auto-commit after specification
after_clarify	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Auto-commit after clarification
after_plan	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Auto-commit after planning
after_tasks	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Auto-commit after task generation
after_implement	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Auto-commit after implementation
after_checklist	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Auto-commit after checklist
after_analyze	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Auto-commit after analysis
after_taskstoissues	speckit.git.commit	Yes	Auto-commit after issue sync

Configuration

Configuration is stored in .specify/extensions/git/git-config.yml:

# Branch numbering strategy: "sequential" or "timestamp"
branch_numbering: sequential

# Optional branch name template. Leave empty for the default "{number}-{slug}".
# Supported tokens: {author}, {app}, {number}, {slug}; {slug} must not appear
# before {number}, and the final path segment must start with {number}-.
# Example for monorepos: "{author}/{app}/{number}-{slug}"
branch_template: ""

# Optional shorthand namespace. Leave empty to use branch_template/default behavior.
# Example: "features/{app}" expands to "features/{app}/{number}-{slug}"
branch_prefix: ""

# Custom commit message for git init
init_commit_message: "[Spec Kit] Initial commit"

# Auto-commit per command (all disabled by default)
# Example: enable auto-commit after specify
auto_commit:
  default: false
  after_specify:
    enabled: true
    message: "[Spec Kit] Add specification"

{author} is derived from Git config and sanitized for branch names. {app} is derived from the Spec Kit init directory name. Custom templates must not put {slug} before {number}, and must put {number}- at the start of the final path segment so generated names remain valid feature branches. For a monorepo project at apps/web/.specify/, a template such as {author}/{app}/{number}-{slug} produces branches like jdoe/web/008-guided-tour.

For simple namespace-only customization, branch_prefix is also accepted as a shorthand and expands to <branch_prefix>/{number}-{slug}.

Installation

# Install the bundled git extension (no network required)
specify extension add git

Disabling

# Disable the git extension (spec creation continues without branching)
specify extension disable git

# Re-enable it
specify extension enable git

Graceful Degradation

When Git is not installed or the directory is not a Git repository:

• Spec directories are still created under specs/
• Branch creation is skipped with a warning
• Branch validation is skipped with a warning
• Remote detection returns empty results

Scripts

The extension bundles cross-platform scripts:

• scripts/bash/create-new-feature-branch.sh — Bash implementation (branch creation only)
• scripts/bash/git-common.sh — Shared Git utilities (Bash)
• scripts/powershell/create-new-feature-branch.ps1 — PowerShell implementation (branch creation only)
• scripts/powershell/git-common.ps1 — Shared Git utilities (PowerShell)