command

update-branch-name — Claude Code command: what it does, how to install

Q: How to install update-branch-name in Claude Code?

Run `npx claude-code-templates@latest --command git-workflow/update-branch-name` in your project root. The command definition will be placed in `.claude/commands/update-branch-name.md`.

Q: What does update-branch-name do?

It compares your current work against `main` using `git diff`, suggests a fitting branch name, and executes `git branch -m` to rename it.

Q: What is required for update-branch-name to work?

Your repository must have a `main` branch, because the prompt hardcodes `git diff main...HEAD`.

Renames the active Git branch based on its changes against main. It is useful when you started coding on a temporary branch like temp.

Install into Claude Code · claude-code-templates All methods and platforms ↓

npx claude-code-templates@latest --command git-workflow/update-branch-name

Open on GitHub

What update-branch-name does

The command inspects modified files against main using git diff main...HEAD. Claude Code analyzes the diff and determines what task was completed.

Next, it generates a descriptive branch name. The agent updates the local branch with git branch -m [new-branch-name] and confirms the result via git branch.

The instructions explicitly check against main. If your primary branch is master or develop, the diff command will fail.

What it helps with

rename a working branch based on modified files
inspect differences between the current branch and main
update the local branch name without typing git branch -m manually

Example prompts for the agent

/update-branch-name
Rename the current branch based on my changes against main
Check the diff with main and update the branch name

How to install update-branch-name

1claude-code-templates

npx claude-code-templates@latest --command git-workflow/update-branch-name

2Manually: put the files in place

.claude/commands/update-branch-name.md

Call it with /update-branch-name. For all projects use ~/.claude/commands/

Manually: put the files in place

~/.codex/prompts/update-branch-name.md

Call it with /prompts:update-branch-name. Codex marks this format deprecated in favour of skills

Manually: put the files in place

.github/prompts/update-branch-name.prompt.md

Manually: put the files in place

.gemini/commands/update-branch-name.toml

Gemini stores commands as TOML: the prompt text goes into the prompt field

Questions about update-branch-name

How to install update-branch-name in Claude Code?

Run npx claude-code-templates@latest --command git-workflow/update-branch-name in your project root. The command definition will be placed in .claude/commands/update-branch-name.md.

What does update-branch-name do?

It compares your current work against main using git diff, suggests a fitting branch name, and executes git branch -m to rename it.

What is required for update-branch-name to work?

Your repository must have a main branch, because the prompt hardcodes git diff main...HEAD.

Source text

update-branch-name.md · MIT

---
description: "Rename the current branch to a descriptive name based on its changes against main"
---

# Update Branch Name

Follow these steps to update the current branch name:

1. Check differences between current branch and main branch HEAD using `git diff main...HEAD`
2. Analyze the changed files to understand what work is being done
3. Determine an appropriate descriptive branch name based on the changes
4. Update the current branch name using `git branch -m [new-branch-name]`
5. Verify the branch name was updated with `git branch`

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