feat: rename cascade command to restack, keep cascade as alias by boneskull · Pull Request #32 · boneskull/gh-stack

boneskull · 2026-02-06T21:29:35Z

The cascade command is now restack, with cascade retained as a
Cobra alias for backward compatibility. All user-facing strings (help
text, output messages, error messages) and documentation updated
accordingly. The --no-cascade flag on sync is now --no-restack.

Internal identifiers (function names, STACK_CASCADE_STATE,
OperationCascade, etc.) are intentionally unchanged.

boneskull · 2026-02-06T21:29:37Z

Stack

main
- feat: rename cascade command to restack, keep cascade as alias #32 - branch: cascade-to-restack (this PR)

Managed by gh-stack

Copilot

Pull request overview

Renames the user-facing cascade command to restack while keeping cascade as a Cobra alias, and updates help text/output/docs to use the new terminology (including renaming sync’s --no-cascade flag to --no-restack).

Changes:

Rename the Cobra command cascade → restack and keep cascade as an alias.
Update user-facing strings in CLI commands (sync, submit, continue, undo, abort) to say “restack”.
Update docs (README.md, ARCHITECTURE.md, e2e/README.md) to reflect the rename and flag change.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated 8 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
e2e/README.md	Updates E2E docs to refer to “restack” workflows/tests.
cmd/undo.go	Updates undo help/error messaging to say “restack”.
cmd/sync.go	Updates sync help text and renames flag to `--no-restack`.
cmd/submit.go	Updates submit help text and phase output to “restack”.
cmd/continue.go	Updates continue help/success messaging to “restack”.
cmd/cascade.go	Implements the `restack` command name with `cascade` alias and updates output strings.
cmd/abort.go	Updates abort help/output messaging to “restack”.
README.md	Updates user documentation and command reference to “restack” (and notes alias).
ARCHITECTURE.md	Updates architecture docs to reflect `restack` naming while preserving internal `cascade` operation state.

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cmd/cascade.go

cmd/abort.go

cmd/undo.go

cmd/sync.go

e2e/README.md

cmd/cascade.go

The `cascade` command is now `restack`, with `cascade` retained as a Cobra alias for backward compatibility. All user-facing strings (help text, output messages, error messages) and documentation updated accordingly. The `--no-cascade` flag on `sync` is now `--no-restack`. Internal identifiers (function names, `STACK_CASCADE_STATE`, `OperationCascade`, etc.) are intentionally unchanged. Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 11 out of 11 changed files in this pull request and generated 8 comments.

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Copilot · 2026-02-08T02:27:08Z

cmd/abort.go

+		opName = "Operation"
+	}
+	fmt.Printf("%s %s aborted. Original HEAD was %s\n", s.WarningIcon(), strings.ToUpper(opName[:1])+opName[1:], st.OriginalHead)


abort prints the operation name based on st.Operation, but restack (and sync's restack phase) store OperationCascade ("cascade") in the state file. This means aborting a gh stack restack run will currently print “Cascade aborted…”, which conflicts with the renamed command. Consider mapping "cascade" to the display name "restack" (while still keeping "submit" as-is), or deriving the display name from the command invoked rather than the internal operation key.

Suggested change

opName = "Operation"

}

fmt.Printf("%s %s aborted. Original HEAD was %s\n", s.WarningIcon(), strings.ToUpper(opName[:1])+opName[1:], st.OriginalHead)

opName = "operation"

}

if opName == state.OperationCascade {

opName = "restack"

}

displayName := strings.ToUpper(opName[:1]) + opName[1:]

fmt.Printf("%s %s aborted. Original HEAD was %s\n", s.WarningIcon(), displayName, st.OriginalHead)

Copilot · 2026-02-08T02:27:09Z

cmd/abort.go

+	Short: "Abort an operation in progress",
+	Long:  `Abort a restack or submit operation and restore the original state.`,


The abort help text says it “restore[s] the original state”, but runAbort only does git rebase --abort, removes the state file, and restores the stash; it does not roll back any branches already successfully rebased earlier in the operation. To avoid misleading users, adjust the Short/Long description to reflect what actually happens (and optionally point users to gh stack undo for a full rollback).

Suggested change

Short: "Abort an operation in progress",

Long: `Abort a restack or submit operation and restore the original state.`,

Short: "Abort a restack or submit operation in progress",

Long: `Abort a restack or submit operation in progress.

This stops the current operation, aborts any in-progress rebase, cleans up

internal state, and restores any auto-stashed local changes.

It does not roll back branches that were already successfully rebased or

otherwise modified earlier in the operation. For a full rollback of changes

made by a restack or submit, use "gh stack undo".`,

Copilot · 2026-02-08T02:27:09Z

cmd/continue.go

 	Use:   "continue",
 	Short: "Continue an operation after resolving conflicts",
-	Long:  `Continue a cascade or submit operation after resolving rebase conflicts.`,
+	Long:  `Continue a restack or submit operation after resolving rebase conflicts.`,


continue can be triggered by a conflict during sync as well (the same state file is used), but the Long help text only mentions “restack or submit”. Update the Long text to include sync (or describe it generically as “an operation”) so CLI help matches actual behavior.

Suggested change

Long: `Continue a restack or submit operation after resolving rebase conflicts.`,

Long: `Continue a restack, submit, or sync operation after resolving rebase conflicts.`,

Copilot · 2026-02-08T02:27:09Z

cmd/sync.go


 func init() {
-	syncCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncNoCascadeFlag, "no-cascade", false, "skip cascading branches")
+	syncCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncNoCascadeFlag, "no-restack", false, "skip restacking branches")


Renaming --no-cascade to --no-restack is a breaking CLI change for scripts. If backward compatibility is a goal (as it is for the command rename via Aliases), consider keeping --no-cascade as a deprecated/hidden alias bound to the same variable so existing automation keeps working.

Suggested change

syncCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncNoCascadeFlag, "no-restack", false, "skip restacking branches")

syncCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncNoCascadeFlag, "no-restack", false, "skip restacking branches")

// Deprecated alias for backward compatibility; prefer --no-restack

syncCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncNoCascadeFlag, "no-cascade", false, "skip restacking branches (deprecated; use --no-restack)")

_ = syncCmd.Flags().MarkDeprecated("no-cascade", "use --no-restack instead")

_ = syncCmd.Flags().MarkHidden("no-cascade")

Copilot · 2026-02-08T02:27:09Z

cmd/sync.go

 	// Cascade all (if not disabled)
 	if !syncNoCascadeFlag {
-		fmt.Println(s.Bold("\nCascading all branches..."))
+		fmt.Println(s.Bold("\nRestacking all branches..."))


The comment // Cascade all (if not disabled) is now out of date relative to the renamed user-facing terminology (“Restacking all branches…”). Updating these internal comments to “Restack” (and similarly for “Cascade from trunk's children”) will reduce confusion when maintaining this code.

Copilot · 2026-02-08T02:27:10Z

cmd/undo.go

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func runUndo(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {

 	// Check if a cascade/submit is in progress


This inline comment still refers to “cascade/submit” even though the check blocks any in-progress operation state and the surrounding user-facing strings have been generalized. Consider updating the comment to match the current behavior/terminology (e.g., “operation in progress”).

Suggested change

// Check if a cascade/submit is in progress

// Check if an operation is in progress

Copilot · 2026-02-08T02:27:10Z

cmd/cascade.go

@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ func runCascade(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {

 	// Check if cascade already in progress


This comment says “Check if cascade already in progress”, but the command is now user-facing as restack and the error message is generalized to “operation already in progress”. Updating the comment to match the new terminology will make the flow easier to follow.

Suggested change

// Check if cascade already in progress

// Check if a restack operation is already in progress

Copilot · 2026-02-08T02:27:10Z

README.md

-Abort a cascade or submit operation in progress.
+Abort a restack or submit operation in progress.

 This aborts any in-progress rebase and cleans up the operation state. Your branches will be left in their pre-operation state.


The docs claim abort leaves branches in their pre-operation state, but the implementation only aborts the current rebase and removes the state file; any branches already successfully rebased earlier in the operation are not rolled back. Please adjust this description (and/or mention using gh stack undo for a full rollback) so user expectations match behavior.

Suggested change

This aborts any in-progress rebase and cleans up the operation state. Your branches will be left in their pre-operation state.

This aborts the currently in-progress rebase and cleans up the operation state. It does not roll back branches that were already successfully restacked earlier in the operation; use `gh stack undo` if you need to fully revert previously applied changes.

docs(README): move link to ARCHITECTURE.md

61471f3

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings February 6, 2026 21:29

github-actions bot assigned boneskull Feb 6, 2026

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of boneskull February 6, 2026 21:30 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Feb 6, 2026

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boneskull force-pushed the cascade-to-restack branch from 7d1877b to 55e58bf Compare February 6, 2026 22:01

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings February 8, 2026 02:23

boneskull force-pushed the cascade-to-restack branch from 55e58bf to 938f1d2 Compare February 8, 2026 02:23

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of boneskull February 8, 2026 02:23 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Feb 8, 2026

View reviewed changes

-		opName = "Operation"
-	}
-	fmt.Printf("%s %s aborted. Original HEAD was %s\n", s.WarningIcon(), strings.ToUpper(opName[:1])+opName[1:], st.OriginalHead)
+		opName = "operation"
+	}
+	if opName == state.OperationCascade {
+		opName = "restack"
+	}
+	displayName := strings.ToUpper(opName[:1]) + opName[1:]
+	fmt.Printf("%s %s aborted. Original HEAD was %s\n", s.WarningIcon(), displayName, st.OriginalHead)

		Short: "Abort an operation in progress",
		Long: `Abort a restack or submit operation and restore the original state.`,

-	Short: "Abort an operation in progress",
-	Long:  `Abort a restack or submit operation and restore the original state.`,
+	Short: "Abort a restack or submit operation in progress",
+	Long: `Abort a restack or submit operation in progress.
+This stops the current operation, aborts any in-progress rebase, cleans up
+internal state, and restores any auto-stashed local changes.
+It does not roll back branches that were already successfully rebased or
+otherwise modified earlier in the operation. For a full rollback of changes
+made by a restack or submit, use "gh stack undo".`,

	Long: `Continue a restack or submit operation after resolving rebase conflicts.`,
	Long: `Continue a restack, submit, or sync operation after resolving rebase conflicts.`,

-	syncCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncNoCascadeFlag, "no-restack", false, "skip restacking branches")
+	syncCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncNoCascadeFlag, "no-restack", false, "skip restacking branches")
+	// Deprecated alias for backward compatibility; prefer --no-restack
+	syncCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncNoCascadeFlag, "no-cascade", false, "skip restacking branches (deprecated; use --no-restack)")
+	_ = syncCmd.Flags().MarkDeprecated("no-cascade", "use --no-restack instead")
+	_ = syncCmd.Flags().MarkHidden("no-cascade")

		@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func runUndo(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {

		// Check if a cascade/submit is in progress

	// Check if a cascade/submit is in progress
	// Check if an operation is in progress

		@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ func runCascade(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {

		// Check if cascade already in progress

	// Check if cascade already in progress
	// Check if a restack operation is already in progress

	This aborts any in-progress rebase and cleans up the operation state. Your branches will be left in their pre-operation state.
	This aborts the currently in-progress rebase and cleans up the operation state. It does not roll back branches that were already successfully restacked earlier in the operation; use `gh stack undo` if you need to fully revert previously applied changes.

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boneskull commented Feb 6, 2026 •

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