singularity-forge/docs/user-docs/git-strategy.md
2026-05-08 01:34:07 +02:00

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# Git Strategy
SF uses git for milestone isolation and sequential commits within each milestone. You choose an **isolation mode** that controls where work happens. The strategy is fully automated — you don't need to manage branches manually.
## Isolation Modes
SF supports three isolation modes, configured via the `git.isolation` preference:
| Mode | Working Directory | Branch | Best For |
|------|-------------------|--------|----------|
| `worktree` (default) | `.sf/worktrees/<MID>/` | `milestone/<MID>` | Most projects — full file isolation between milestones |
| `branch` | Project root | `milestone/<MID>` | Submodule-heavy repos where worktrees don't work well |
| `none` | Project root | Current branch (no milestone branch) | Hot-reload workflows where file isolation breaks dev tooling |
### `worktree` Mode (Default)
Each milestone gets its own git worktree at `.sf/worktrees/<MID>/` on a `milestone/<MID>` branch. All execution happens inside the worktree. On completion, the worktree is squash-merged to main as one clean commit. The worktree and branch are then cleaned up.
This provides full file isolation — changes in a milestone can't interfere with your main working copy.
### `branch` Mode
Work happens in the project root on a `milestone/<MID>` branch. No worktree is created. On completion, the branch is merged to main (squash or regular merge, per `merge_strategy`).
Use this when worktrees cause problems — submodule-heavy repos, repos with hardcoded paths, or environments where worktree symlinks don't behave.
### `none` Mode
Work happens directly on your current branch. No worktree, no milestone branch. SF still commits sequentially with conventional commit messages, but there's no branch isolation.
Use this for hot-reload workflows where file isolation breaks dev tooling (e.g., file watchers that only see the project root), or for small projects where branch overhead isn't worth it.
## Branching Model (Worktree Mode)
```
main ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
│ ↑
└── milestone/M001 (worktree) ────────────────────────┘
commit: feat: core types
commit: feat: markdown parser
commit: feat: file writer
commit: docs: workflow docs
...
→ squash-merged to main as single commit
```
In **branch mode**, the flow is the same except work happens in the project root instead of a separate worktree directory.
In **none mode**, commits land directly on the current branch — no milestone branch is created, and no merge step is needed.
### Parallel Worktrees
With [parallel orchestration](./parallel-orchestration.md) enabled, multiple milestones run in separate worktrees simultaneously:
```
main ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
│ ↑ ↑
├── milestone/M002 (worktree) ─────────┘ │
│ commit: feat: auth types │
│ commit: feat: JWT middleware │
│ → squash-merged first │
│ │
└── milestone/M003 (worktree) ────────────────────────┘
commit: feat: dashboard layout
commit: feat: chart components
→ squash-merged second
```
Each worktree operates on its own branch with its own commit history. Merges happen sequentially to avoid conflicts.
### Key Properties
- **Sequential commits on one branch** — no per-slice branches, no merge conflicts within a milestone
- **Squash merge to main** — in worktree and branch modes, all commits are squashed into one clean commit on main (configurable via `merge_strategy`)
### Commit Format
Commits use conventional commit format with SF metadata in trailers:
```
feat: core type definitions
SF-Task: M001/S01/T01
feat: markdown parser for plan files
SF-Task: M001/S01/T02
```
## Worktree Management
These features apply only in **worktree mode**.
### Automatic (Autonomous Mode)
Autonomous mode creates and manages worktrees automatically:
1. When a milestone starts, a worktree is created at `.sf/worktrees/<MID>/` on branch `milestone/<MID>`
2. Planning artifacts from `.sf/milestones/` are copied into the worktree
3. All execution happens inside the worktree
4. On milestone completion, the worktree is squash-merged to the integration branch
5. The worktree and branch are removed
### Manual
Use the `/worktree` (or `/wt`) command for manual worktree management:
```
/worktree create
/worktree switch
/worktree merge
/worktree remove
```
## Workflow Modes
Instead of configuring each git setting individually, set `mode` to get sensible defaults for your workflow:
```yaml
mode: solo # personal projects — auto-push, squash, simple IDs
mode: team # shared repos — unique IDs, push branches, pre-merge checks
```
| Setting | `solo` | `team` |
|---|---|---|
| `git.auto_push` | `true` | `false` |
| `git.push_branches` | `false` | `true` |
| `git.pre_merge_check` | `false` | `true` |
| `git.merge_strategy` | `"squash"` | `"squash"` |
| `git.isolation` | `"worktree"` | `"worktree"` |
| `git.commit_docs` | `true` | `true` |
| `unique_milestone_ids` | `false` | `true` |
Mode defaults are the lowest priority — any explicit preference overrides them. For example, `mode: solo` with `git.auto_push: false` gives you everything from solo except auto-push.
Existing configs without `mode` work exactly as before — no defaults are injected.
## Git Preferences
Configure git behavior in preferences:
```yaml
git:
auto_push: false # push after commits
push_branches: false # push milestone branch
remote: origin
snapshots: false # WIP snapshot commits
pre_merge_check: false # pre-merge validation
commit_type: feat # override commit type prefix
main_branch: main # primary branch name
commit_docs: true # commit .sf/ to git
isolation: worktree # "worktree", "branch", or "none"
auto_pr: false # create PR on milestone completion
pr_target_branch: develop # PR target branch (default: main)
```
### Automatic Pull Requests
For teams using Gitflow or branch-based workflows, SF can automatically create a pull request when a milestone completes:
```yaml
git:
auto_push: true
auto_pr: true
pr_target_branch: develop
```
This pushes the milestone branch and creates a PR targeting `develop` (or whichever branch you specify). Requires `gh` CLI installed and authenticated. See [git.auto_pr](./configuration.md#gitauto_pr) for details.
```
### `commit_docs: false`
When set to `false`, SF adds `.sf/` to `.gitignore` and keeps all planning artifacts local-only. Useful for teams where only some members use SF, or when company policy requires a clean repository.
## Self-Healing
SF includes automatic recovery for common git issues:
- **Detached HEAD** — automatically reattaches to the correct branch
- **Stale lock files** — removes `index.lock` files from crashed processes
- **Orphaned worktrees** — detects and offers to clean up abandoned worktrees (worktree mode only)
Run `/doctor` to check git health manually.
## Native Git Operations
Since v2.16, SF uses libgit2 via native bindings for read-heavy operations in the dispatch hot path. This eliminates ~70 process spawns per dispatch cycle, improving autonomous mode throughput.