Dissect the current Git change set, treated as an epic, domain-wise and logically into cohesive parts and materialize each part in its own dedicated Git WorkTree. Use when the user calls to "dissect", "split", "break up", or "decompose" a large change set into atomic, separately committable parts.
Scanned 9/1/2026
Install to Claude Code
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---
name: ase-code-dissect
argument-hint: "[--help|-h] [--max-parts|-m <count>] [--staged|-s] [--dry|-d] [--force|-f] [<dissect-hint>]"
description: >
Dissect the current Git change set, treated as an epic, domain-wise
and logically into cohesive parts and materialize each part in its
own dedicated Git WorkTree. Use when the user calls to "dissect",
"split", "break up", or "decompose" a large change set into atomic,
separately committable parts.
user-invocable: true
disable-model-invocation: false
effort: xhigh
allowed-tools:
- "Bash(git *)"
- "Bash(rm -f *)"
- "Write"
- "Read"
- "Edit"
---
@${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-control.md
@${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-skill.md
@${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-getopt.md
<purpose name="ase-code-dissect">
Dissect a Change Set
</purpose>
<expand name="getopt"
arg1="ase-code-dissect"
arg2="--max-parts|-m=8 --staged|-s --dry|-d --force|-f">
$ARGUMENTS
</expand>
<objective>
*Dissect* the current Git change set, treated as an *epic*, domain-wise
and logically into *cohesive parts*, and materialize every part in its
own dedicated *Git WorkTree*, so each part can be reviewed and
committed *atomically* and *independently*.
</objective>
@${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-common-dissect.md
Procedure
---------
<flow>
1. <step id="STEP 1: Determine Change Set and Hint">
1. Determine the *dissection hint*: set
<dissect-hint><getopt-arguments/></dissect-hint>, with any
leading and trailing whitespace stripped. Additionally, inherit
the always existing <ase-project-id/> from the current context,
as it names the worktrees and branches of all derived parts.
<if condition="<dissect-hint/> is not empty">
Only output the following <template/>:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ⇌ hint: **<dissect-hint/>**
</template>
</if>
<else>
No dissection hint was given, so the parts are derived from the
change set alone. Do not output anything.
</else>
2. Determine the *repository root* by running the corresponding
command (taken exactly as given) and capturing its output into
<repo-root/>:
`git rev-parse --show-toplevel`
3. Determine the *diff details* and the *diff statistics* by
running the corresponding commands (taken exactly as given) and
capturing their full outputs into <diff/> and <stat/>:
<if condition="<getopt-option-staged/> is equal `true`">
`git diff --cached HEAD`
`git diff --cached --numstat HEAD`
</if>
<else>
`git diff`
`git diff --numstat`
</else>
4. <if condition="<getopt-option-staged/> is not equal `true`">
Additionally, *fold in the untracked files* -- they are part of
the working copy change set, but carry no diff of their own.
Determine them *read-only* by running the corresponding command
(taken exactly as given):
`git -C "<repo-root/>" -c core.quotepath=off ls-files --others --exclude-standard`
*Skip* every listed entry below the `.ase/` directory -- it
carries *ASE*'s own state and the worktrees created by this very
skill, and hence is never part of the user's change set.
Then, for *every* remaining listed file, capture its creation
diff by running the corresponding command (taken exactly as
given) and *append* its output to <diff/>:
`git -C "<repo-root/>" diff --no-index --binary /dev/null "<file/>"`
This command intentionally exits with a non-zero status,
because the two compared paths differ; treat this exit status
as *success*, not as an error. Judge the *outcome* by the
*output* instead: a run which emits *no* diff on standard output
but an `error:` or `fatal:` message (e.g. the entry is a *nested*
Git repository, which `git ls-files` reports as a directory) is a
*real* failure -- append nothing for that entry and only output
the following <template/>, then continue with the next file:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ⊘ untracked: `<file/>`, ▶ status: **not foldable into the change set**
</template>
</if>
<else>
Untracked files are *not* folded in under `--staged`/`-s`,
because they are by definition *not* part of the Git index. Do
not output anything.
</else>
5. <if condition="<diff/> is empty">
Only output the following <template/> and then *STOP* immediately:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ▶ status: **no changes to dissect**
</template>
</if>
</step>
2. <step id="STEP 2: Dissect Change Set">
1. *Derive the parts* of the epic:
<expand
name="dissect-derive"
arg1="ase-code-dissect"
arg2="<dissect-hint/>"
arg3="<ase-project-id/>"
>
the individual hunks of the captured <diff/>, weighted by the
line counts of <stat/> and -- for the folded-in untracked files,
which carry no <stat/> entry -- by their own diff line counts
</expand>
Additionally, try to keep *all* hunks of *one* file in the
*same* part, and split a file's hunks across parts *only* when
they are genuinely unrelated -- this keeps the per-part patches
applicable.
A *single* hunk is *atomic* here, so rule 3's splitting
permission does *not* apply to it: you *MUST NOT* break a hunk
into sub-hunks, because this would require re-computing its `@@`
header and hence destroy the byte-exactness the per-part
<patch/> depends on.
2. *Report the parts*:
<expand name="dissect-report" arg1="<ase-project-id/>"></expand>
</step>
3. <step id="STEP 3: Detect Target Collisions"
condition="<getopt-option-dry/> is not equal `true`">
1. Determine the *worktree directory* of every part by calling the
`ase_worktree_path(id: "<part-id/>", create: true)` tool of the
`ase` MCP server once per <part-id/> of <parts/> and capturing
its output into the <part-dir/> of that part.
You *MUST* *NEVER* assemble such a path yourself, as only this
tool rejects a path leading through a symbolic link, through a
non-directory, or out of the repository -- a path both `git
worktree add` and `git worktree remove` would otherwise silently
follow and thereby write outside the repository.
<if condition="this tool call fails for any part">
Only output the following <template/> and then immediately *STOP*
processing the entire current skill, leaving the working copy and
*all* existing worktrees and branches untouched:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ▶ ERROR: unsafe worktree directory -- cannot create worktrees
</template>
</if>
2. Determine the *existing worktrees* and *existing branches* by
running the corresponding commands (taken exactly as given) and
capturing their outputs:
`git worktree list --porcelain`
`git branch --list`
3. Set <collisions/> to all <part-id/> of <parts/> for which either
the worktree directory <part-dir/> or a branch `<part-id/>`
already exists.
4. <if condition="<collisions/> is not empty AND <getopt-option-force/> is not equal `true`">
Only output the following <template/> -- with <collisions/>
rendered as a comma-separated list of code spans -- and then
immediately *STOP* processing the entire current skill, leaving
*all* existing worktrees and branches untouched:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ⊘ collisions: <collisions/>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ✪ dissection: **<n/>** parts, ▶ status: **targets exist**
</template>
Directly *after* this <template/>, and *before* stopping, give
the corrective hint by expanding the following (which, depending
on the configured <ase-guidance-level/>, may expand into nothing
and hence emit no output at all):
<ase-tpl-hint level="minimal">
Re-run `/ase-code-dissect --force` to remove and re-create the colliding worktrees and branches.
</ase-tpl-hint>
</if>
5. <if condition="<collisions/> is not empty AND <getopt-option-force/> is equal `true`">
*Remove* every colliding target by running the corresponding
commands (taken exactly as given) per colliding <part-id/>, and
silently ignore the failure of an individual command when the
corresponding worktree or branch does not exist:
`git worktree remove --force "<part-dir/>"`
`git worktree prune`
`git branch -D "<part-id/>"`
</if>
</step>
4. <step id="STEP 4: Materialize WorkTrees"
condition="<getopt-option-dry/> is not equal `true`">
You *MUST* *NEVER* mutate the *original* working copy in this step:
do *not* modify, stage, stash, revert, or commit anything outside of
the freshly created worktrees.
1. Set <tmp-dir/> to the value of the `TMPDIR` environment variable
if it is known in the current session context, and to `/tmp`
otherwise. Do not output anything.
2. For *every* part in <parts/>, in their derived order:
1. Assemble <patch/> from the *verbatim* subset of <diff/>
assigned to this part: keep the complete `diff --git` file
headers and the complete `@@` hunk headers of the assigned
hunks, and change *nothing* inside them.
The captured <diff/> is *byte-exact* input and <patch/> stays
*byte-exact*, too, because `git apply` rejects even the
smallest deviation. You *MUST* therefore *NEVER* re-wrap a
line, re-indent a line, normalize or strip trailing
whitespace, drop the leading context/`+`/`-` marker column,
re-encode a character, or omit the trailing newline -- and
you *MUST* *NEVER* re-render any part of the diff as
Markdown, so no bullet marker and no inline code span is ever
introduced into <patch/>.
2. Use the `Write` tool to write <patch/> to the patch file
`<tmp-dir/>/ase-dissect-<part-id/>.patch`.
3. Create the worktree by running the corresponding command
(taken exactly as given), which creates the directory
*and* -- named after its last path component -- the branch
<part-id/> from `HEAD`. The `.ase` directory is usually
git-ignored, so the worktree itself never shows up as a
change:
`git worktree add "<part-dir/>"`
<if condition="this command fails">
Only output the following <template/>, then *continue* with
the *next* part -- a single failing part *never* aborts the
remaining ones:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ◉ part: **<part-id/>**, ▶ status: **worktree failed to create**
</template>
</if>
4. Apply the patch *inside* the freshly created worktree by
running the corresponding command (taken exactly as given):
`git -C "<part-dir/>" apply --whitespace=nowarn "<tmp-dir/>/ase-dissect-<part-id/>.patch"`
<if condition="this command fails">
Only output the following <template/>, then *continue* with
the *next* part -- a single failing part *never* aborts the
remaining ones:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ◉ part: **<part-id/>**, ▶ status: **patch failed to apply**
</template>
</if>
5. <if condition="a `CHANGELOG.md` file exists in the created worktree">
Add *one* new entry to the *first* (most recent) section of
that `CHANGELOG.md` *inside the worktree*, summarizing
*this part's* change set only, and strictly aligned with the
established style and conventions of the project (usually
`- <change-type/> [<artifact-kind/>]: <summary/>`).
The *existing* `CHANGELOG.md` is *changed*, never replaced:
you *MUST* use the `Read` tool to read it and the `Edit` tool
to insert the single new entry *in place*, and you *MUST*
*NEVER* use the `Write` tool on it, as this would drop the
entire remaining change history.
<if condition="the patch of this part already added an entry to that `CHANGELOG.md`">
The part's own change set already carries its `CHANGELOG.md`
entry, so you *MUST* *NOT* add a second one. Keep the entry
which came with the patch and, if it mentions changes which
landed in *other* parts, reduce it to *this* part's change
set only.
</if>
</if>
<else>
The project keeps no `CHANGELOG.md`, so nothing is added and
no `CHANGELOG.md` is created. Do not output anything.
</else>
6. Leave the worktree *uncommitted*: do *not* run `git add` and
do *not* run `git commit`, so the user keeps full control
over the final commit of every part.
7. Only output the following <template/>:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ◉ part: **<part-id/>**, ▶ status: **worktree created**
</template>
3. *Clean up* the temporary patch files by running the
corresponding command (taken exactly as given) once per
<part-id/> of the *successfully* materialized <parts/>, and
silently ignore the failure of an individual command when the
corresponding patch file does not exist:
`rm -f "<tmp-dir/>/ase-dissect-<part-id/>.patch"`
The patch file of a *successful* part is a pure *intermediate*:
it was already consumed by `git apply` and its content is fully
preserved in the worktree, so it is removed. The patch file of a
part whose worktree or patch *failed* is *kept* instead, because
it is that part's only materialization and would otherwise be
lost. Do not output anything.
</step>
5. <step id="STEP 5: Report Result">
1. <if condition="<getopt-option-dry/> is equal `true`">
Only output the following <template/>:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ✪ dissection: **<n/>** parts, ▶ status: **dry-run -- no worktrees created**
</template>
</if>
<else>
Only output the following <template/>:
<template>
⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-code-dissect**, ✪ dissection: **<n/>** parts, ▶ status: **change set dissected**
</template>
</else>
2. Finally, give the closing hints by expanding the following
(which, depending on the configured <ase-guidance-level/>, may
each expand into nothing and hence emit no output at all):
<if condition="<getopt-option-dry/> is not equal `true`">
<ase-tpl-hint level="minimal">
The parts are uncommitted in `.ase/worktree/<id>` -- review and commit each of them separately, then remove them via `git worktree remove`.
</ase-tpl-hint>
</if>
<else>
<ase-tpl-hint level="minimal">
Re-run `/ase-code-dissect` without `--dry` to actually create the reported worktrees, optionally with a `<dissect-hint>` argument if the reported split is not the intended one.
</ase-tpl-hint>
</else>
<ase-tpl-hint level="normal">
Use `/ase-meta-diff` and `/ase-meta-review` inside a part's worktree to summarize and review it before committing.
</ase-tpl-hint>
<ase-tpl-hint level="verbose">
Use `/ase-code-dissect --staged` to dissect the staged changes only, `--max-parts <count>` to bound the number of parts, `--force` to re-create already existing worktrees, and a `<dissect-hint>` argument to steer the split.
</ase-tpl-hint>
</step>
</flow>
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