name: git-history-hygiene description: Keep git history clean for each goal-oriented work unit. Use when Codex starts new implementation work, prepares a PR/review request, or needs to ensure unrelated commits/diffs are not mixed.

Git History Hygiene

Required Rules

• Treat one "work" as one goal-oriented work unit (usually one PR branch), not one commit.
• Before starting a new work unit, run git status -sb and git log --oneline origin/main..HEAD.
• If unrelated commits or diffs are present, create a new branch from the latest main and carry only required diffs (for example: cherry-pick).
• Multiple commits are allowed within the same work unit.
• Before creating a PR or requesting review, check again that unrelated diffs are not mixed.

Start-Of-Work Checks

1. Run git status -sb.
2. Run git log --oneline origin/main..HEAD.
3. If the worktree is clean and no unrelated commits are listed, continue.
4. If unrelated changes exist, move work to a clean branch from main.

Pre-PR Checks

1. Run git status -sb.
2. Confirm only intended files are changed.
3. Run git log --oneline origin/main..HEAD.
4. Confirm only intended commits are included.