Create and checkout a new git branch with smart validation and GitHub issue integration

Language Conventions Infer language style from the project: Analyze existing branches, commit messages, and documentation to detect the project's language variant (US English, UK English, etc.) Match the spelling conventions found in the project (e.g., "synchronize" vs "synchronise", "center" vs "centre") Maintain consistency with the project's established language style throughout branch names and command outputs Create Branch Command This command creates and checks out a new git branch with intelligent validation and GitHub issue integration. Priority: GitHub Issue Integration IMPORTANT : If the user provides an issue number (e.g., " 123", "123", or "issue 123"), ALWAYS prioritise using GitHub CLI's issue development workflow: 1. Check for GitHub CLI availability : If not available, inform the user and fall back to manual branch creation. 2. Verify the issue exists : Display issue title and status to confirm. 3. Create branch linked to issue : The c flag automatically checks out the newly created branch GitHub automatically generates an appropriate branch name from the issue title The branch is linked to the issue for better project tracking 4. Skip to remote push step (step 8 below) Manual Branch Creation Workflow If no issue number is provided, follow this workflow: 1. Check Repository Status Verify: Clean working directory or acceptable uncommitted changes Current branch information Whether we're in a git repository 2. Get Branch Name Input Ask the user for the desired branch name. Accept input in any format the command will handle formatting and validation. 3. Auto Detect and Apply Prefix Analyse the branch name input for keywords and automatically add appropriate prefixes: feature/ Keywords: "add", "implement", "create", "new", "feature" bugfix/ Keywords: "fix", "bug", "resolve", "patch", "repair" hotfix/ Keywords: "hotfix", "urgent", "critical", "emergency" chore/ Keywords: "chore", "refactor", "update", "upgrade", "maintain" docs/ Keywords: "docs", "documentation", "readme", "guide" If the user's input already starts with a recognised prefix (feature/, bugfix/, etc.), keep it as is. 4. Validate Branch Name Apply comprehensive validation: Kebab Case Enforcement Convert to lowercase Replace spaces and underscores with hyphens Ensure format is: prefix/kebab case name Character Validation Reject branch names containing: Spaces (convert to hyphens) Special characters: ~ , ^ , : , ? , , [ , ] , \ , @{ , .. Control characters or non ASCII (except hyphens and slashes) Leading or trailing slashes or hyphens Length Validation Minimum: 3 characters (excluding prefix) Maximum: 100 characters (total) 5. Check for Duplicates Check both local and remote branches: If branch exists: Locally : Offer to checkout existing branch instead Remotely : Warn user and suggest alternative name Both : Inform user and ask if they want to checkout or choose different name 6. Determine Base Branch Use smart defaulting: 1. Check if main exists: 2. If not, check if master exists: 3. If neither exists, use current HEAD 4. Allow user to specify different base branch if needed (ask before creating) 7. Create and Checkout Branch Confirm successful creation with a message showing: Branch name Base branch used Current status 8. Remote Push Recommendation Ask the user: "Would you like to push this branch to remote and set up tracking?" If yes: This enables: Remote backup of the branch Collaboration with team members GitHub PR creation workflow Branch visibility in GitHub UI Error Handling Provide clear, actionable error messages: Not a git repository : "This directory is not a git repository. Initialise one with git init or navigate to a repository." GitHub CLI not available : "GitHub CLI ( gh ) is not installed. Install it from https://cli.github.com or use manual branch creation." Issue not found : "Issue 123 not found. Check the issue number or create a branch manually." Invalid branch name : "Branch name contains invalid characters. Suggested: feature/valid branch name " Branch exists : "Branch feature/existing already exists. Switch to it with git checkout feature/existing or choose a different name." Network issues : "Unable to check remote branches. Proceeding with local creation only." Examples Example 1: GitHub Issue Integration Example 2: Manual with Auto Prefix Example 3: Custom Prefix Best Practises 1. Always prioritise GitHub issue workflow when issue numbers are mentioned 2. Validate thoroughly before creating branches to avoid git errors 3. Use descriptive names that clearly indicate the purpose 4. Follow team conventions check existing branch names for patterns 5. Push to remote early for backup and collaboration 6. Link branches to issues whenever possible for better project tracking

create-branch