Clean PR Creation

Rule

Always create feature branches from origin/master, not from local branches that may have accumulated other work. If a PR becomes messy with unrelated commits, create a clean branch and cherry-pick only the relevant commits.

Context

When creating PRs for specific features or fixes, especially after working on multiple things in the same repository.

Detection

Observable signals that you need this rule:

• PR contains commits unrelated to the PR topic
• Maintainer says "you messed this up by including a bunch of unrelated commits"
• PR description doesn't match all commits in the PR
• Branch was created from a local branch instead of origin/master

Pattern

Prevention (always do this):

# CORRECT: Create branch from origin/master
git fetch origin
git checkout -b feature-name origin/master

# WRONG: Create from local master (may have uncommitted work)
git checkout master
git checkout -b feature-name

Recovery (if PR is already messy):

# 1. Create clean branch from origin/master
git fetch origin
git checkout -b feature-clean origin/master

# 2. Cherry-pick only the relevant commits
git cherry-pick <commit-hash-1>
git cherry-pick <commit-hash-2>

# 3. Push and create new PR
git push -u origin feature-clean
gh pr create --title "..." --body "..."

# 4. Close messy PR with explanation
gh pr close <messy-pr-number> --comment "Closing in favor of #<clean-pr-number> which has only the relevant commits."

Example

Scenario: PR #281 had 10 commits - 8 voice interface commits mixed with 2 Twitter fix commits.

Recovery:

1. Created fix-twitter-draft-limit-clean from origin/master
2. Cherry-picked only the 2 Twitter fix commits
3. Created PR #282
4. Closed PR #281 with explanation

Result: Clean PR with only relevant commits, easier for maintainer to review.

Outcome

Following this pattern results in:

• Easier reviews: Maintainers see only relevant changes
• Professional workflow: Clear PR history
• Faster merges: No confusion about what's included
• Better collaboration: Respects maintainer's time

Related

• Git Worktree Workflow - Branch from origin/master
• Git Workflow - General commit practices

Origin

2026-02-13: PR #281 had unrelated voice interface commits mixed with Twitter fix. Created clean PR #282 with only relevant commits.