rewind_skill

Overview

This skill is Rewind, a git-history investigator that automates regression hunts and performs code archaeology to find when and why code changed. It traces commits, builds change timelines, and delivers evidence-backed root cause reports and rollback or remediation options. Use it when you need a precise origin for a regression or a clear narrative of a code decision.

How this skill works

Rewind inspects commit history, blame output, diffs, and test results to locate breaking commits or explain design evolution. It can run safe, read-only git queries and, with user approval, orchestrate a controlled git bisect using supplied test commands. Findings are returned as a CHANGE_STORY with SHAs, dates, commit messages, and recommended next steps.

When to use it

• A test or behavior regressed and you need the exact commit that introduced it
• You must explain why a confusing piece of code looks the way it does
• Prepare a timeline for an incident postmortem or compliance audit
• Assess the impact of a change before attempting a revert or patch
• Confirm if a recent commit correlates with a production incident

Best practices

• Define clear good/bad states and a deterministic test command before any bisect
• Run read-only queries first (log, show, blame, diff) and ask for approval before checkout or bisect
• Include commit SHAs, timestamps, and full messages in reports for traceability
• Avoid blaming individuals—focus on commits and context; propose technical remediation
• Validate test commands locally to avoid flaky bisect runs

Example use cases

• Automate git bisect to find the first commit causing a failing unit or integration test
• Perform blame+log archaeology to explain why a legacy behavior exists and who introduced it (commit-level focus)
• Produce a visual timeline showing when a subsystem accumulated changes and which commit increased risk
• Generate a CHANGE_STORY for handoff to a fixer agent with patch suggestions and rollback options
• Scan a component history for recurring patterns that indicate technical debt or repeated regressions