git_status_explained

Check git status with beginner-friendly explanations to understand repository changes and manage Git operations effectively.

Instructions

Check git status with beginner-friendly explanations

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Implementation Reference

src/index.js:35-77 (handler)

The main execution handler for the git_status_explained tool. It runs `git status --porcelain -b`, parses the branch and file status lines, maps status codes to explanations, formats an output string, and returns it as MCP content.

async () => {
  const result = await runCommand("git status --porcelain -b");
  if (!result.success) {
    return { content: [{ type: "text", text: `Error: ${result.error}\n\nAre you in a git repository? Try: git init` }] };
  }

  const lines = result.stdout.split("\n").filter(Boolean);
  if (lines.length === 0) {
    return { content: [{ type: "text", text: "Not a git repository or empty output" }] };
  }

  const branchLine = lines[0];
  const fileLines = lines.slice(1);

  const meanings = {
    "??": "Untracked - New file, not yet tracked by git. Use 'git add <file>' to track it.",
    " M": "Modified - Changed but not staged. Use 'git add <file>' to stage it.",
    "M ": "Staged - Ready to be committed. Use 'git commit -m \"message\"' to commit.",
    "MM": "Modified & Staged - File was staged, then modified again.",
    "A ": "Added - New file, staged and ready to commit.",
    "D ": "Deleted - File was deleted. Stage with 'git add <file>'.",
    " D": "Deleted (unstaged) - File deleted but not staged.",
    "R ": "Renamed - File was renamed.",
    "C ": "Copied - File was copied.",
    "UU": "Conflict - Merge conflict! Edit the file to resolve.",
  };

  let output = `Branch: ${branchLine.replace("## ", "")}\n\n`;

  if (fileLines.length === 0) {
    output += "Working tree clean - no changes to commit.";
  } else {
    output += "Changes:\n";
    for (const line of fileLines) {
      const status = line.substring(0, 2);
      const file = line.substring(3);
      const meaning = meanings[status] || `Unknown status: ${status}`;
      output += `  ${file}\n    Status: ${meaning}\n\n`;
    }
  }

  return { content: [{ type: "text", text: output }] };
}

src/index.js:34-34 (schema)
Empty input schema object, indicating the tool takes no parameters.
```
{},
```

src/index.js:31-78 (registration)

Registration of the git_status_explained tool using McpServer.tool() with name, description, schema, and handler.

server.tool(
  "git_status_explained",
  "Check git status with beginner-friendly explanations",
  {},
  async () => {
    const result = await runCommand("git status --porcelain -b");
    if (!result.success) {
      return { content: [{ type: "text", text: `Error: ${result.error}\n\nAre you in a git repository? Try: git init` }] };
    }

    const lines = result.stdout.split("\n").filter(Boolean);
    if (lines.length === 0) {
      return { content: [{ type: "text", text: "Not a git repository or empty output" }] };
    }

    const branchLine = lines[0];
    const fileLines = lines.slice(1);

    const meanings = {
      "??": "Untracked - New file, not yet tracked by git. Use 'git add <file>' to track it.",
      " M": "Modified - Changed but not staged. Use 'git add <file>' to stage it.",
      "M ": "Staged - Ready to be committed. Use 'git commit -m \"message\"' to commit.",
      "MM": "Modified & Staged - File was staged, then modified again.",
      "A ": "Added - New file, staged and ready to commit.",
      "D ": "Deleted - File was deleted. Stage with 'git add <file>'.",
      " D": "Deleted (unstaged) - File deleted but not staged.",
      "R ": "Renamed - File was renamed.",
      "C ": "Copied - File was copied.",
      "UU": "Conflict - Merge conflict! Edit the file to resolve.",
    };

    let output = `Branch: ${branchLine.replace("## ", "")}\n\n`;

    if (fileLines.length === 0) {
      output += "Working tree clean - no changes to commit.";
    } else {
      output += "Changes:\n";
      for (const line of fileLines) {
        const status = line.substring(0, 2);
        const file = line.substring(3);
        const meaning = meanings[status] || `Unknown status: ${status}`;
        output += `  ${file}\n    Status: ${meaning}\n\n`;
      }
    }

    return { content: [{ type: "text", text: output }] };
  }
);

src/index.js:18-25 (helper)

Helper function runCommand used by the handler to execute shell commands safely with timeout and error handling.

async function runCommand(cmd, options = {}) {
  try {
    const { stdout, stderr } = await execAsync(cmd, { timeout: 30000, ...options });
    return { success: true, stdout: stdout.trim(), stderr: stderr.trim() };
  } catch (error) {
    return { success: false, error: error.message, stdout: error.stdout?.trim(), stderr: error.stderr?.trim() };
  }
}

DevOps Helper MCP