Review findings and roadmap

Summary

This issue tracks the comprehensive review findings and the prioritized roadmap to fix correctness, UX, and stack management problems.

Key Findings

• get --downstack flag is defined but unused.
• GitRepo.commit bypasses hooks for non-interactive commits.
• Stack metadata in .git/shortcake.json is local-only and worktree-unaware.
• Worktree support is incomplete (hard-coded .git paths).
• create --insert updates parents but not parent_revision.
• move and split compute parent_revision from local trunk instead of origin/main.
• submit requires a clean tree even when no restack is needed.
• ls hides branches by rendering only the first child chain.
• Docs mismatch: README config path/format vs XDG TOML config.

Plan

Phase 1: Correctness and Data Safety

• Implement or remove get --downstack.
• Ensure hooks run for non-interactive commits.
• Use Repo.git_dir or git rev-parse --git-dir for metadata and split state paths.
• Update parent_revision when inserting branches.
• Normalize trunk refs to origin/main for parent revision calculations.
• Render all stack roots and children in ls.
• Align docs with actual config location/format.

Phase 2: UX Improvements

• Only require a clean tree in submit when restack is needed (or add --no-restack).
• Add a safe view/status command for stack inspection.
• Provide interactive nav up when multiple children exist.
• Add consistent --dry-run behavior across mutating commands.

Phase 3: Cross-Device Metadata

• Evaluate trailers vs notes for portable metadata.
• Add shortcake metadata migrate and shortcake metadata sync.
• Add fallback stack reconstruction when metadata is missing.

Phase 4: Workflow Enhancements

• Optional integration with git-absorb or git-autofixup.
• Add undo/runlog recovery commands.
• Consider a land/merge command for orderly stack landing.

Suggested Tests

• Worktree path handling for metadata and split state.
• submit behavior with dirty tree when restack not needed.
• create --insert parent revision updates.
• get --downstack behavior.

Start by choosing one scoped item from the Phase 1 plan, then inspect the related command and the .git/shortcake.json metadata behavior. Run the corresponding suggested test, such as worktree path handling or create --insert parent revision updates. Done means the selected behavior is implemented and covered by its focused test; the broader roadmap remains separate work.