Agent skill · software engineering · microsoft
sync-upstream
Update a stale session branch by rebasing onto the latest origin. Use when the upstream has moved significantly and the session needs to catch up, resolving conflicts by preserving upstream changes and adapting session work to fit.
Why this skill is useful
Codifies a specific git rebase procedure that the AI could infer but now doesn't have to guess.
What it needs
About 1k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 188,455 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
<!-- Customize this skill and select save to override its behavior. Delete that copy to restore the built-in behavior. --> Update Branch Rebase the current session branch onto the latest upstream so the work stays grounded in origin. Workflow 1. If there are uncommitted changes, use the /commit skill to commit them first. 2. Fetch the latest upstream and rebase onto it: Use the appropriate base branch if it is not main. Conflict Resolution When conflicts arise, upstream always wins: Never alter upstream logic, APIs, or patterns to accommodate session changes. Adapt session work to fit the new upstream — rename, restructure, or rewrite as needed while preserving the session's goals. After resolving each conflict, git add the files and git rebase --continue. Validation After the rebase completes, verify the result still compiles and meets the session's objectives. If session changes no longer make sense against the updated upstream, explain what changed and propose a revised approach.
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills microsoft/sync-upstream