Analyzes git diffs against a stated intent to detect scope creep, unrelated files, broad pull requests, changes that grew beyond a fix, dependency additions, public API renames, config or CI edits, oversized hunks, and formatting-only files. Use when the user asks whether a change grew beyond the fi

Scope Creep Detector A one line fix should not require a reviewer to reverse engineer fourteen files across three subsystems. This skill compares a git diff with its stated intent, surfaces scope signals, and turns them into keep, split, or justify decisions. Everything runs locally. The script makes no network calls and does not change the working tree, index, commits, or branches. When to use Before opening a pull request whose diff may have grown beyond its intent When a bug fix touches unexpected files or subsystems When the user asks whether staged changes are too broad When a diff includes dependency, public API, config, CI, or build changes When the user wants a concrete split plan for a mixed change When not to use Formatting code, running a linter, or writing a commit message Reviewing correctness, security, or test quality inside an agreed scope Measuring historical project growth across many commits Editing or reverting files without the user's approval Establish the intent Use the user's one line intent when available. Keep it concrete, such as fix null dereference in parser or add retry limit to webhook delivery . If no intent was given, the script falls back to the current branch name. If that name is generic, detached, or unrelated to the work, ask for one line of intent before treating relatedness as meaningful. Run the classifier Run from this skill directory and point repo at the target repository. Working tree diff: Staged diff: Branch diff against a merge base: Saved diff or stdin: Use hunk threshold only when the repository has a documented reason to change the default churn threshold. Do not tune the threshold merely to make a warning disappear. Interpret the JSON Read [references/scope signals.md](references/scope signals.md) before making a recommendation. Treat the classifier as triage evidence, not proof of authorial intent. in scope : file paths with at least one intent/path keyword overlap likely creep : paths without overlap, with the reason and detected signals new deps : dependencies introduced in supported manifest formats api renames : nearby removed and added public function or class declarations config edits : CI, container, build, YAML, and TOML changes stats : churn, subsystem counts, oversized hunks, and formatting only files Empty arrays are evidence too. Say that no signal was detected, not that the diff is guaranteed to be in scope. Recommend keep, split, or justify Give every item in likely creep one disposition: 1. Keep when the path is necessary for the stated intent and the connection is direct. Explain the connection in one sentence. 2. Split when it can land independently, belongs to another subsystem, or introduces a dependency, API rename, config edit, or large hunk that is not required for the intent. Name the files or hunks for the follow up change. 3. Justify when a cross cutting edit cannot be separated safely. State the invariant or build constraint that requires it and call out reviewer risk. Prefer split when evidence is ambiguous. Never claim that a zero overlap score proves a file is unrelated. Path vocabulary is a cheap, deterministic proxy. Write the scope report Use this compact structure: 1. Intent and diff source 2. Files and subsystems touched, with total additions and deletions 3. In scope changes 4. Likely creep with signal evidence 5. Keep, split, or justify table 6. Proposed follow up grouping, if any Name file paths and hunk headers. For an oversized mixed hunk, explain that the script cannot split it automatically and describe the smallest coherent edit. Ask before applying any split, revert, staging, or commit operation. Files scripts/scope creep.py : deterministic unified diff parser and classifier references/scope signals.md : signal definitions, thresholds, and limits

scope-creep-detector