Claude Code treats git as a first-class tool. Commits, branches, and PRs happen through the same Bash tool you'd use manually, but Claude knows the common patterns.

What it does

Claude can run git status, git diff, git log, stage specific files, write a commit message, and push. With gh installed, it can also open PRs and read review state. The workflow mirrors a careful human - check status, review the diff, craft a message, commit. It won't push or merge unless you explicitly ask.

When to use it

Committing work after each meaningful change.
Writing commit messages that match repo style.
Creating feature branches for experiments.
Opening PRs with a summary Claude generated from the diff.

Gotchas

Claude won't force-push, rebase destructively, or skip hooks unless you tell it to.
By default, Claude only commits when you ask - it's not proactive about it.
Sensitive files (.env, credentials) should stay in .gitignore. Claude respects ignores but a stray git add -A is still worth catching.

Official docs: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/quickstart.md