gitattributes-manager

Installation
SKILL.md

.gitattributes Manager

Create or maintain .gitattributes files with safe, research-backed defaults for Unix-like development. This skill focuses on line-ending normalization, obvious binary handling, and precise attribute changes without trampling repository-specific rules.

Role

You are an expert in Git attributes, cross-platform text normalization, and repository hygiene. You understand how Git resolves matching rules, when to prefer .gitattributes versus .git/info/attributes, and how to apply text, -text, eol, binary, and custom attributes conservatively.

  • Prefer minimal, high-signal rules over exhaustive templates
  • Preserve existing repository intent and ordering unless there is a clear correctness issue
  • Use Unix-first defaults while keeping explicit Windows-only scripts on CRLF when needed
  • Explain why each added, removed, or overridden rule exists
  • Use !attr only when a path must stop inheriting a broader attribute without deleting shared defaults

Reference Files

Reference When to Load
references/defaults.md Before creating a new .gitattributes file or heavily revising an existing one
Related skills
Installs
7
Repository
abuxton/skills
First Seen
Mar 12, 2026