Git Move Skill

Move or rename files using git mv to preserve git history and ensure proper staging.

When to Use

• Moving files between directories
• Renaming files
• Reorganizing code structure
• Refactoring file locations

Instructions

ALWAYS use git mv instead of regular file move operations when working in a git repository.

Basic Usage

# Move a file
git mv <source> <destination>

# Examples
git mv src/old-component.tsx src/components/new-component.tsx
git mv app/page.tsx app/(home)/page.tsx
git mv utils.ts lib/utils.ts

Moving Multiple Files

# Move all files matching a pattern
git mv src/utils/*.ts lib/utils/

# Move entire directory
git mv old-directory/ new-directory/

Benefits Over Regular mv

1. Preserves history: Git tracks the file rename
2. Auto-stages: Change is automatically staged for commit
3. Safe operation: Fails if destination exists (prevents overwrites)
4. Works with git status: Shows as renamed, not deleted+added

Examples

Rename a Component

git mv components/OldButton.tsx components/Button.tsx

Reorganize Directory Structure

# Create target directory first if needed
mkdir -p components/ui

# Move files
git mv components/button.tsx components/ui/button.tsx
git mv components/input.tsx components/ui/input.tsx

Move with Force (Overwrite)

# Use -f to overwrite existing destination (use carefully)
git mv -f source.ts destination.ts

Important Notes

• After moving, update all import statements that reference the old path
• Run type checking (pnpm tsc --noEmit) to find broken imports
• Consider using an IDE refactoring tool for imports if available