Skip to content

Implementation Summary: Git Safety Improvements

Summary of the work completed after the 2025-12-07 Git Recovery incident, including documentation updates and automation to prevent recurrence.

What Was Done

1. Updated Incident Report ✅

File: /development/incident-reports/2025-12-07-git-recovery.md

Key updates: - Revised executive summary and timeline with verified commands. - Rewrote root cause analysis using forensic evidence. - Added Post-Remote-Merge Safety Protocol and Branch Staleness Detection Script to preventative measures. - Expanded workflow improvements with concrete safeguards.

Key Finding Documented:

The incident was caused by resetting main to a stale local branch reference that had not been updated after a remote PR merge.

2. Enhanced Git Safety Rules ✅

File: ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md

  • Added Post-Remote-Merge Safety Protocol (fetch, verify merge commit, update local, verify content).
  • Added Pre-Reset Content Verification (fetch, diff, verify, check for unpushed work, confirm).

3. Created Branch Staleness Detection Script ✅

File: scripts/git-check-staleness.sh

Features: - Detects if a local branch reference is stale compared to remote. - Shows ahead/behind commit counts with color-coded output. - Provides update instructions and returns exit code 0 (fresh) or 1 (stale).

Example usage:

./scripts/git-check-staleness.sh <branch-name>
./scripts/git-check-staleness.sh  # checks current branch

Testing Performed

  • Markdown linting for updated docs.
  • Manual validation of CLAUDE.md instructions.
  • Verified staleness script on up-to-date and stale branches; exit codes correct.

How These Changes Prevent Recurrence

The Original Mistake (Simplified)

  1. Merge PR on GitHub (remote updates).
  2. Run git reset --hard <branch> using stale local ref.
  3. Work lost because local ref lacked merged commits.

With New Safeguards

  1. Fetch remote before using branch references.
  2. Verify merge presence and compare SHAs.
  3. Run staleness check before destructive commands.
  4. Proceed only after showing user a preview of the target state.

Multiple layers now prevent loss: process (protocols), verification (diffs), automation (staleness script), and clear documentation.