jut — Jujutsu CLI Skill

Use jut as the primary interface for jj version control. jut is a thin opinionated layer — not a replacement. Drop into raw jj for anything jut doesn't cover.

Non-Negotiable Rules

1. Start every task with jut status --json to get workspace state, stack structure, and change IDs.
2. For all mutations, always use --json --status-after.
3. Use short IDs from jut status --json output (short_id field) to reference revisions.
4. After a successful --status-after, do not run redundant jut status.
5. Use raw jj for interactive commands (split, resolve, diffedit, edit, rebase) — jut intentionally does not wrap these.
6. Never fabricate change IDs. Always read them from jut status, jut log, or jut show output first.
7. jj has no staging area. The working copy IS the stage. Don't look for add/stage commands.
8. Build stacks, not monoliths. Multiple related changes should be multiple stacked commits, not one giant commit. Use jut branch <name> --stack to chain them.
9. jj's working copy IS a commit. You describe it, evolve it, then jut commit (or jj new) to start the next one. This is NOT git's "stage → commit" model.

Core Flow

# 1. Understand workspace state
jut status --json

# 2. Perform mutations with structured feedback
jut <command> --json --status-after

# 3. For complex operations, drop into jj
jj split -r <rev>
jj rebase -r <rev> -d <dest>

Command Reference

Inspection

jut status                       # Workspace state: stacks, bookmarks, files
jut status -f                    # Include file-level details
jut status -v                    # Verbose: author + timestamps
jut log                          # Revision history (default: 20)
jut log -n 50                    # More revisions
jut log --all                    # All revisions
jut diff                         # Working copy diff
jut diff <rev>                   # Diff of specific revision
jut show <rev>                   # Revision details
jut show <rev> -v                # With inline diff

Committing

jut commit -m "message"          # Describe @ + create new empty change
jut commit                       # Opens editor for message

jj's model: the working copy is always a commit. jut commit describes it and creates a new empty change on top — like jj commit.

Branching

jut branch <name>                # Create branch from trunk + new change
jut branch <name> --stack        # Stack: branch from @ (dependent work)
jut branch <name> --from <rev>   # Branch from specific revision
jut branch -l                    # List branches (same as status)
jut branch -d <name>             # Delete branch
jut branch --rename <old> <new>  # Rename branch

The Rub Primitive

rub is the universal "combine two things" verb (from GitButler). It replaces several jj commands based on what SOURCE and TARGET are:

jut rub <source> <target>        # Or: jut <source> <target>

SOURCE → TARGET	Action	jj equivalent
file → revision	Amend file into commit	jj squash --into <rev> <file>
file → zz	Discard file changes	jj restore <file>
revision → revision	Squash into target	jj squash --from <src> --into <tgt>
revision → zz	Abandon revision	jj abandon <rev>

zz is the discard target — the trash can.

Squash & Reword

jut squash                       # Squash @ into parent
jut squash <rev>                 # Squash <rev> into its parent
jut squash <from> <into>         # Squash <from> into <into>
jut squash <from> <into> -m "x"  # With new message
jut reword <rev> -m "new msg"    # Edit commit message
jut reword <rev>                 # Opens editor

Discard

jut discard <file>               # Restore file (discard changes)
jut discard <rev>                # Abandon revision

Auto-detects whether target is a file path or revision ID.

Absorb

jut absorb                       # Auto-amend changes into the right commits
jut absorb --dry-run             # Show plan without applying

Push, Pull & PR

jut push                         # Push all bookmarks
jut push <bookmark>              # Push specific bookmark
jut pull                         # Fetch + rebase onto trunk
jut pull --clean                 # Also delete merged bookmarks
jut pull --no-rebase             # Fetch only
jut pull --dry-run               # Show plan
jut pr                           # Create PR for current bookmark (via gh)
jut pr <bookmark>                # Create PR for specific bookmark
jut pr -m "title\nbody"         # With message

History

jut undo                         # Undo last operation
jut oplog                        # View operation history
jut oplog -n 20                  # More operations
jut oplog restore <op-id>        # Restore to previous state

JSON Output Shapes

All commands support --json (or -j). Key shapes:

jut status --json

{
  "trunk": { "change_id": "...", "short_id": "...", "bookmarks": ["main"], ... },
  "stacks": [
    {
      "bookmarks": ["feature-x"],
      "revisions": [
        {
          "change_id": "abc123...",
          "commit_id": "def456...",
          "short_id": "abc",
          "description": "add feature x",
          "bookmarks": ["feature-x"],
          "is_empty": false,
          "is_working_copy": true,
          "is_conflicted": false,
          "is_immutable": false,
          "parent_change_ids": ["..."],
          "author": "user@example.com",
          "timestamp": "2026-02-10 13:00",
          "files": [{ "status": "M", "path": "src/main.rs" }]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "working_copy": null,
  "uncommitted_files": [],
  "shared_base": []
}

jut log --json

{
  "revisions": [
    { "change_id": "...", "short_id": "...", "description": "...", "bookmarks": [...], ... }
  ]
}

jut pull --json

{
  "fetched": true,
  "rebased": true,
  "merged_bookmarks": ["old-feature"],
  "cleaned_bookmarks": [],
  "conflicts": []
}

jut pr --json

{
  "created": true,
  "bookmark": "feature-x",
  "pr_url": "https://github.com/user/repo/pull/42"
}

Task Recipes

Start new feature work

jut pull --clean --json --status-after
jut branch my-feature --json --status-after
# ... make changes ...
jut commit -m "implement feature" --json --status-after

Start stacked work (depends on current branch)

jut branch part-2 --stack --json --status-after
# ... make changes ...
jut commit -m "part 2" --json --status-after

Multi-part feature (the critical pattern)

DO THIS — three stacked commits, each reviewable independently:

jut branch auth --json --status-after
# ... write auth code ...
jut commit -m "add authentication" --json --status-after
jut branch profile --stack --json --status-after
# ... write profile code ...
jut commit -m "add user profiles" --json --status-after
jut branch settings --stack --json --status-after
# ... write settings code ...
jut commit -m "add settings page" --json --status-after

NOT THIS — one giant commit (git muscle memory):

# WRONG: dumping everything into one commit
# ... write all files ...
jj describe -m "add auth, profiles, and settings"

Each logical unit of work should be its own commit in a stack. This enables independent review, selective rollback, and clean history.

Ship a feature

jut push --json --status-after
jut pr --json

Amend a file into an older commit

jut status --json                          # Find the file and target revision short_id
jut rub <file> <rev> --json --status-after  # Amend file into that commit

Discard all changes to a file

jut rub <file> zz --json --status-after
# or equivalently:
jut discard <file> --json --status-after

Abandon a revision

jut rub <rev> zz --json --status-after
# or equivalently:
jut discard <rev> --json --status-after

Clean up after pull (delete merged bookmarks)

jut pull --clean --json --status-after

Undo a mistake

jut undo --json --status-after
# If you need to go further back:
jut oplog --json                           # Find the operation
jut oplog restore <op-id> --json --status-after

Split a commit (drop to jj)

jut status --json    # Get the revision ID
jj split -r <rev>    # Interactive split in jj
jut status --json    # Refresh state

Rebase work (drop to jj)

jj rebase -r <rev> -d <dest>
jut status --json    # Refresh state

Resolve conflicts (drop to jj)

jut status --json          # See conflicted revisions (is_conflicted: true)
jj resolve -r <rev>        # Interactive merge tool
jut status --json          # Verify resolution

When to Use jj Directly

jut intentionally skips these — use raw jj:

Command	Why
jj split	Interactive editor — can't improve on it
jj edit <rev>	Trivial one-liner
jj rebase	Complex revset args — wrapping loses flexibility
jj resolve	Interactive merge tool
jj diffedit	Interactive editor
jj next / jj prev	Trivial navigation
jj new	Covered by jut commit and jut branch
jj describe	Covered by jut reword
jj abandon	Covered by jut discard
jj bookmark (advanced)	jut branch covers common cases
jj config	Config management, not a repo operation

Read-only jj commands are always fine alongside jut (jj log, jj evolog, jj show, jj diff).

Notes

• jj has no staging area. Every change is immediately part of the working copy commit.
• The working copy (@) is always a revision. jut commit describes it and creates a new one.
• Change IDs (reverse hex) are stable across rebases. Commit IDs change. Always prefer change IDs.
• short_id from JSON output is the shortest unique prefix — use these for brevity.
• rub is positional: jut <source> <target> works without the rub subcommand.
• zz is the universal discard target for rub.
• --status-after returns the full workspace state after mutation — eliminates a round-trip.
• jut and jj coexist freely. No setup/teardown. Switch between them at will.
• Keep skill version checks low-noise:
  • Do not run jut skill check as routine preflight.
  • Run jut skill check when command behavior diverges from this skill.
  • If update available, recommend jut skill check --update.
• For deeper command syntax and flags, see references/reference.md.
• For workspace model and jj concepts, see references/concepts.md.
• For end-to-end workflow patterns, see references/examples.md.