Repository hygiene

Review only: report findings and suggest commands as text, never delete, untrack, move or rewrite anything unless the user explicitly asks.

Scope

The git repository the user names, otherwise the current one. Uses tracked files (git ls-files) as the source of truth. Outside a git repository, only RH5 can be checked; say so.

Steps

1. Run (no pipe; output is capped): bash <skill-dir>/scripts/hygiene.sh <repo-root> [hitsPerRule=8]
   • Prints ## ID count SEV | desc + samples. LARGE_KB=<n> changes the large-file limit (default 5120 KB), BRANCHES=1 adds RH11.
2. Verify samples: is a "committed artifact" really generated (e.g. bin/ can hold real scripts)? Is a large file intended (e.g. a test asset)?
3. README content is out of scope here - point to markdown-readme-google-style. Secrets in files - point to secrets-scan.
4. Report (format below), with the commands the user could run.

Rules

• RH1 error: no .gitignore; warning: .gitignore misses entries for detected languages/tools (node_modules/, __pycache__/, .venv/, target/, bin//obj/, build/, .godot/, Unity Library/, .env, OS/IDE files)
• RH2 warning: committed build output or dependencies (node_modules/, __pycache__/, bin/, obj/, target/, .godot/, *.pyc, *.class, *.o, *.exe, *.dll, *.jar …) - "possible" when the folder may be intentional
• RH3 warning: committed IDE/OS files (.idea/, .vs/, .DS_Store, Thumbs.db, desktop.ini, *.suo, *.user, *.swp); info: .vscode/ (shared settings can be intentional)
• RH4 warning: large file above the limit - candidate for Git LFS or for not being in the repo at all
• RH5 warning: no LICENSE/COPYING (public repos without a license are not open source) or no README at the root
• RH6 warning: mixed line endings without .gitattributes; error: shell scripts with CRLF line endings (break with $'\r': command not found)
• RH7 info: scripts without the executable bit in git, or non-scripts with it (on Windows core.filemode is often off, so all bits look the same - mention it)
• RH8 error: paths that differ only in case (break checkouts on Windows/macOS)
• RH9 info: .gitkeep in a directory that has other tracked files
• RH10 info: empty tracked files (except __init__.py, py.typed, .gitkeep)
• RH11 info (only with BRANCHES=1): local branches without commits for 180+ days, or already merged

Commands to suggest (as text, never run them)

• Untrack but keep locally: git rm -r --cached <path> after adding it to .gitignore
• Templates: https://github.com/github/gitignore
• Line endings: a .gitattributes with * text=auto and *.sh text eol=lf, then git add --renormalize .
• Executable bit: git update-index --chmod=+x <file>
• Large files: git lfs track "<pattern>"; removing them from history needs git filter-repo and is disruptive - explain, don't run
• Case conflict: git mv via a temporary name

False positives to drop

bin/ with hand-written scripts (Node/Ruby/shell projects) · vendored binaries that are intentionally committed (document them) · dist/ in libraries that publish from git · large test fixtures the project needs · .vscode/ with shared settings.json/extensions.json.

Report

In the user's language, grouped by rule:

path - error|warning|info - <ID> <rule> - <why it is a problem> - suggestion: <command or change>

• Every finding has a concrete path (or .gitignore / repo root). Mark uncertain ones as "possible".
• Bulk hits (e.g. 2,000 files in node_modules/): report once with count and the folder.
• End with a summary: findings per severity, then the 3 most important cleanups first.
• Do not change anything. Apply changes only when the user explicitly asks for it.