feat: add timestamp-based branch naming option for `specify init` by amweiss · Pull Request #1911 · github/spec-kit

amweiss · 2026-03-19T19:05:47Z

Description

Add --branch-numbering flag to specify init supporting 'sequential' (default, 001/002/003) or 'timestamp' (YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS) prefix modes. Timestamp mode is useful for distributed teams to avoid numbering conflicts. Config is persisted in init-options.json and the AI agent template reads it to pass --timestamp to the create-new-feature script.

Relates to #1382

Testing

Tested locally with uv run specify --help
Ran existing tests with uv sync && uv run pytest
Tested with a sample project (if applicable)

AI Disclosure

I did not use AI assistance for this contribution
I did use AI assistance (describe below)

Claude generated much of the code based on an existing patch we use that forces timestamps where this is an option.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Adds an opt-in timestamp-based feature branch prefix mode to Spec Kit initialization, persisting the choice in .specify/init-options.json and documenting how agents should invoke feature-creation scripts accordingly.

Changes:

Add --branch-numbering {sequential|timestamp} to specify init, validate it, and persist it to init options.
Add --timestamp/-Timestamp support to create-new-feature scripts and relax feature-branch validation to accept timestamp prefixes.
Update docs/templates and add initial test coverage for the new behavior.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated 7 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
`src/specify_cli/__init__.py`	Adds `--branch-numbering` option, validates it, and saves `branch_numbering` into init options.
`scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh`	Adds `--timestamp` mode and handles conflicts with `--number`.
`scripts/bash/common.sh`	Allows timestamp-prefixed branches in feature-branch validation and prefix resolution.
`scripts/powershell/create-new-feature.ps1`	Adds `-Timestamp` mode and adjusts truncation math for variable prefix length.
`scripts/powershell/common.ps1`	Allows timestamp-prefixed branches and prefers timestamp spec dirs when inferring branch in no-git scenarios.
`templates/commands/specify.md`	Instructs agents to read `branch_numbering` and pass `--timestamp`/`-Timestamp` when configured.
`README.md`	Documents the new `--branch-numbering` option and adds an example.
`tests/test_branch_numbering.py`	Adds basic tests around persisting `branch_numbering` and enumerating valid values.
`tests/test_timestamp_branches.sh`	Adds a shell-based test suite for timestamp behavior in bash scripts/common helpers.

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tests/test_timestamp_branches.sh

templates/commands/specify.md

scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh

scripts/powershell/create-new-feature.ps1

tests/test_branch_numbering.py

mnriem

Can you avoid doing large whitespace changes it makes it hard to see what changed

amweiss · 2026-03-19T19:19:37Z

Can you avoid doing large whitespace changes it makes it hard to see what changed

There was a merge conflict on the README I did wrong; were there more large whitespace issues you saw?

mnriem

Please address Copiot feedback. If not applicable, please explain why

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

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Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated 8 comments.

Comments suppressed due to low confidence (1)

templates/commands/specify.md:89

The IMPORTANT bullet says the script "determines the correct next number automatically", which isn't accurate in timestamp mode (there is no number; --number is ignored and a timestamp is generated). Reword this bullet to cover both modes (e.g., don't pass --number; in sequential it's auto-detected, in timestamp it's ignored).

   **IMPORTANT**:
   - Do NOT pass `--number` — the script determines the correct next number automatically
   - Always include the JSON flag (`--json` for Bash, `-Json` for PowerShell) so the output can be parsed reliably

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tests/test_timestamp_branches.py

scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh

scripts/powershell/create-new-feature.ps1

tests/test_branch_numbering.py

tests/test_timestamp_branches.py

scripts/bash/common.sh

scripts/powershell/create-new-feature.ps1

amweiss · 2026-03-19T20:24:59Z

Please address Copiot feedback. If not applicable, please explain why

@mnriem copilot feedback addressed and whitespace issue from merge resolved.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated 5 comments.

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tests/test_branch_numbering.py

tests/test_timestamp_branches.py

scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh

scripts/powershell/create-new-feature.ps1

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated no new comments.

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Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated 1 comment.

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tests/test_branch_numbering.py

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

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Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated no new comments.

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Upstream changes merged: - feat: add Junie agent support (github#1831) - feat: add timestamp-based branch naming option (--branch-numbering) (github#1911) - fix: Align native skills frontmatter with install_ai_skills (github#1920) - docs: add Extension Comparison Guide for community extensions (github#1897) - docs: update SUPPORT.md, fix issue templates, add preset submission template (github#1910) Tikalk customizations preserved: - Orange theme (ACCENT_COLOR = #f47721) - --team-ai-directives CLI parameter - Skills package manager (specify skill subcommand) - Bundled extensions/presets installation - Pre-Installed Extensions panel Version: 0.1.16

…v0.1.16) Upstream changes (6 commits): - feat: add Junie agent support (github#1831) - feat: add timestamp-based branch naming option (--branch-numbering timestamp) (github#1911) - fix: Align native skills frontmatter with install_ai_skills (github#1920) - docs: add Extension Comparison Guide for community extensions (github#1897) - docs: update SUPPORT.md, fix issue templates, add preset submission template (github#1910) - docs: update publishing guide with Category and Effect columns (github#1913) Tikalk customizations preserved: - Orange branding theme (#f47721) - --team-ai-directives CLI parameter - Skills package manager (specify skill subcommand) - Bundled extensions/presets installation - --contracts/--data-models script options

amweiss requested a review from mnriem as a code owner March 19, 2026 19:05

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feat: add timestamp-based branch naming option for specify init

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Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

amweiss force-pushed the feat/timestamp-branch-numbering branch from bf2b23e to 77cf88b Compare March 19, 2026 20:06

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Fix test

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Update tests/test_branch_numbering.py

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mnriem approved these changes Mar 20, 2026

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mnriem merged commit 65ecd53 into github:main Mar 20, 2026
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amweiss commented Mar 19, 2026

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