fix: skip files with no updates

cmd/doctor.go

@@ -70,13 +70,23 @@ func runChecks(cfg *config.Config, cfgErr error, deps checkDeps) []result {
 		return results
 	}
 
-	// Check 5: env files exist (warn only)
+	// Check 5: env files exist (warn only) + inert files with no checkout vars (info)
 	for _, ef := range cfg.EnvFiles {
 		if deps.existingEnvFiles[ef.Path] {
 			results = append(results, ok(fmt.Sprintf("env file: %s", ef.Path)))
 		} else {
 			results = append(results, warn(fmt.Sprintf("env file: %s — not found (will be created on first patch)", ef.Path)))
 		}
+
+		applicable := 0
+		for _, v := range ef.Vars {
+			if v.On == "checkout" {
+				applicable++
+			}
+		}
+		if applicable == 0 {
+			results = append(results, info(fmt.Sprintf("env file: %s — no vars apply on checkout; file will be left untouched", ef.Path)))
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Check 6: strategies valid

cmd/doctor_test.go

@@ -126,6 +126,23 @@ func TestRunChecks_EnvFileMissing(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRunChecks_EnvFileNoCheckoutVars(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Project: "myapp",
+		EnvFiles: []config.EnvFile{
+			{Path: ".env", Vars: nil},
+		},
+	}
+	results := runChecks(cfg, nil, happyDeps)
+	r, found := findByPrefix(results, "env file: .env — no vars apply on checkout")
+	if !found {
+		t.Fatalf("expected info line for env file with no checkout vars, got: %v", results)
+	}
+	if r.status != "info" {
+		t.Errorf("expected info status, got %q", r.status)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRunChecks_UnknownStrategy(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg := &config.Config{
 		Project: "myapp",

cmd/patch.go

@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ func patchEnvFiles(cfg *config.Config, branch string) error {
 			sensitiveVars[v.Name] = v.Sensitive
 		}
 
+		if len(patches) == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if ef.Backup {
 			if err := env.BackupFile(ef.Path); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("backup %s: %w", ef.Path, err)

cmd/patch_test.go

@@ -185,6 +185,112 @@ func TestPatchEnvFiles_BackupCreated(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestPatchEnvFiles_SkipsWhenNoVars(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	envPath := filepath.Join(dir, ".env")
+	original := []byte("DB_NAME=keep\n# a comment\nOTHER=val\n")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(envPath, original, 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	before, err := os.Stat(envPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Project: "myapp",
+		EnvFiles: []config.EnvFile{
+			{Path: envPath, Vars: nil},
+		},
+	}
+
+	if err := patchEnvFiles(cfg, "feature-x"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("patchEnvFiles: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	got, err := os.ReadFile(envPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if string(got) != string(original) {
+		t.Errorf("file content changed: got %q, want %q", got, original)
+	}
+	after, err := os.Stat(envPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !before.ModTime().Equal(after.ModTime()) {
+		t.Errorf("mtime changed: before %v, after %v", before.ModTime(), after.ModTime())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPatchEnvFiles_SkipsWhenAllVarsNonCheckout(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	envPath := filepath.Join(dir, ".env")
+	original := []byte("DB_NAME=keep\n")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(envPath, original, 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	before, err := os.Stat(envPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Project: "myapp",
+		EnvFiles: []config.EnvFile{
+			{
+				Path: envPath,
+				Vars: []config.Var{
+					{Name: "DB_NAME", Strategy: "template", On: "db_create"},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	if err := patchEnvFiles(cfg, "feature-x"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("patchEnvFiles: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	got, err := os.ReadFile(envPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if string(got) != string(original) {
+		t.Errorf("file content changed: got %q, want %q", got, original)
+	}
+	after, err := os.Stat(envPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !before.ModTime().Equal(after.ModTime()) {
+		t.Errorf("mtime changed: before %v, after %v", before.ModTime(), after.ModTime())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPatchEnvFiles_NoBackupWhenSkipped(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	envPath := filepath.Join(dir, ".env")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(envPath, []byte("DB_NAME=keep\n"), 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{
+		Project: "myapp",
+		EnvFiles: []config.EnvFile{
+			{Path: envPath, Backup: true, Vars: nil},
+		},
+	}
+
+	if err := patchEnvFiles(cfg, "feature-x"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("patchEnvFiles: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(envPath + ".bak"); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Errorf("expected no backup file, but it exists (or stat err: %v)", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestPatchEnvFiles_NoBackupByDefault(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 	envPath := filepath.Join(dir, ".env")