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branch-create

/octopus:branch-create creates a feature branch from the current base, following the project’s branch-naming convention: <type>/<short-description> where type is one of the Conventional Commits types (feat, fix, refactor, docs, test, chore, style, perf, ci).

When invoked without an argument, the agent infers the branch name from recent context — current task, last user message, open files, git status — and proposes it for confirmation before creating.

Why a command and not just git checkout -b

Three small decisions add up to enough friction that codifying them in a command was worth it:

  • Prefix discipline. The branch prefix anchors downstream automation: pr-open derives the PR title emoji from it, release derives the version bump (feat → minor, fix → patch). An ad-hoc branch name breaks the chain.
  • Format validation. Lowercase with hyphens, no underscores, no camelCase, no slashes beyond the prefix. The CLI refuses malformed names so the convention stays consistent across contributors and bots.
  • Base-branch picking. Defaults to main, or to the active release/* branch if the team uses GitFlow-style releases. No silent commits to the wrong base.

Pairing with other commands

The natural successor is /octopus:commit after the first edit, then /octopus:pr-open once the branch is ready. The full sequence is a single /octopus:dev-flow invocation if you want orchestration with pauses between phases.

Source: commands/branch-create.md