gitless
Plain-language version control for people who don't know — or don't want to deal
with — git. It gives someone building a personal project the safety net of version
control (saved checkpoints, cloud backup, safe spaces to experiment, real undo)
without ever showing them git jargon.
It's a Claude Code plugin: a skill that teaches Claude to speak plainly and a
set of scripts that bundle each git flow into one friendly command.
What you can do
You never have to learn git. You just talk to Claude — in plain language or with a
slash command; both do the same thing.
| What you want | Just say… | …or run |
|---|
| Get set up for backups | "set up backups" | /gitless:setup |
| Start a new project | "start a new project called my-app" | /gitless:new-project my-app |
| Use gitless on a folder you already have | "manage this folder with gitless" | /gitless:adopt |
| Build something new | "let's add a dark mode" / "new feature: search" | /gitless:feature add dark mode |
| Save your progress | "save" / "save a checkpoint" | /gitless:save |
| Step back | "undo" / "go back" | /gitless:undo |
| Step forward again | "redo" / "bring it back" | /gitless:redo |
| Finish a feature | "this is done" / "ship it" | /gitless:done |
| Drop a finished feature | "get rid of the dark mode feature" | /gitless:remove-feature dark mode |
| See where things stand | "where are we?" / "is it backed up?" | /gitless:status |
| Get a reminder of how this works | "how do I use this?" / "remind me" | /gitless:help |
Claude also saves quietly on its own at natural stopping points, so you rarely
have to remember to.
The workflow
- Start a project. "Start a new project called recipes." → gitless makes the
folder, connects a private GitHub backup, and saves a first checkpoint. From
here your project always has a safe, backed-up "real version."
- Build a feature. "Let's add a search box." → gitless opens a separate
space to work in, so your real project can't break while you experiment.
- Save checkpoints as you go. "save" — or just keep working; gitless
checkpoints at natural stopping points. Every checkpoint is backed up.
- Change your mind freely. "undo" steps back through checkpoints; "redo"
steps forward. Perfect for trying an approach, backing out, and trying another.
- Finish. "It's done." → gitless folds the feature into your real project,
backs it up, and tidies away the separate space.
- Remove it later if you want. "Get rid of the search feature." → gitless
takes that whole feature back out (and can bring it back).
Under the hood (you never see this): your project's real version stays on main
and in sync with your GitHub backup, feature work happens in .worktrees/<feature>
and is folded in when you're done, and ignore rules update themselves as you add
languages and frameworks.
Installing
This repo is its own plugin marketplace. Add it and install:
/plugin marketplace add ninachaubal/gitless
/plugin install gitless@ninachaubal
Then make a project gitless-managed with /gitless:new-project <name> or
/gitless:adopt.
Trying it locally (no install)
From a clone of this repo, load it into a session without installing anything
(session-only — nothing persists when you close it):
git clone https://github.com/ninachaubal/gitless
claude --plugin-dir ./gitless
The scripts can also be run directly for testing:
bash gitless/scripts/bootstrap.sh
Layout
.claude-plugin/plugin.json manifest
skills/gitless/SKILL.md the behavior + vocabulary (the brain)
commands/*.md slash-command entry points (also reached by plain language)
scripts/*.sh the friendly git wrappers
scripts/lib/common.sh shared helpers + plain-language output
hooks/ auto-updates ignore rules when a stack is detected
Not in scope (yet)
No CI, code review, or multi-contributor flows — this is deliberately for one
person maintaining a personal project. Those can layer on later.
