[FEATURE] Honor the repository's documented branch-naming convention (CLAUDE.md) for auto-created session branches

Environment

• Claude Code 2.1.222, desktop app, macOS
• Background / worktree sessions against a repository that documents a branch-naming convention in CLAUDE.md

Summary

Auto-created session branches use a random claude/<adjective>-<surname>-<hash> name (claude/distracted-tharp-9849c2, claude/quizzical-yalow-4ab734) and ignore a branch-naming convention documented in the repository's own CLAUDE.md.

The specific inconsistency: CLAUDE.md already takes precedence over harness git behavior in one place but not the other.

Per agent-view.md and the v2.1.221 release notes, background sessions auto-commit and push unless CLAUDE.md says the user handles git — the harness reads and defers to CLAUDE.md for commit/push. But a branch-naming convention stated in that same file has no effect. Two git behaviors, one config file, opposite treatment.

Example

The repository's CLAUDE.md states that work should use claude/<type>/<slug> branches. Human-initiated and plan-driven work in the repo follows it:

claude/feat/ap3-production-deploy
claude/docs/lp-content-playbook
claude/fix/lp-only-interior-chrome
claude/chore/open-issue-sweep-2

Auto-created session branches in the same repository do not:

claude/distracted-tharp-9849c2
claude/quizzical-yalow-4ab734

Impact

A random name says nothing about the work. In a branch list, a PR queue, or a worktree directory listing, these are unidentifiable without checking out or reading the diff — the same complaint as #18686.

It compounds with worktree naming: worktree directories keep the name of the first branch they ever held, so neither the directory name nor the branch name describes what is in it. See #85997 and #79366.

Request

Any one of these would resolve it, in rough order of preference:

1. Honor a branch-naming convention documented in CLAUDE.md, consistent with how CLAUDE.md git instructions are already honored for commit/push.
2. A configurable naming template in settings.json (e.g. branchNameTemplate).
3. Task-derived slugs instead of random names. #62166 indicates task-derived branch naming previously existed on the web client and regressed to this same <adjective>-<surname>-<hash> pattern, so the capability appears to have existed.

A WorktreeCreate hook can rename after the fact, but that is a post-hoc workaround for a name the harness has already chosen and used.

Related

• #31969 — open: "Enter/resume existing worktrees, configurable branch naming, hook removal control." This overlaps directly; happy for this to be folded into that issue if maintainers prefer. Filing separately because the CLAUDE.md-precedence angle is not raised there.
• #62166 — task-derived branch names regressing to <adjective>-<surname>-<hash> (web)
• #42365, #63458 — configurable worktree branch prefix / desktop parity (both closed as stale)
• #18686 — generated branch names unidentifiable in the session dropdown
• #85997 — no visible indication of current branch/worktree in the desktop UI