finishing-work

Finishing Work

Verify tests, present options, execute chosen workflow, clean up.

Purpose

Implementation without proper completion leaves work in limbo. This skill provides structured options for finishing work: merge locally, create PR, defer for later, or discard. Each option has specific procedures and cleanup requirements.

Prerequisites

Before using this skill, verify:

1. All implementation steps completed
2. All verifications passed
3. Code review completed (if applicable)
4. Security review completed (if applicable)

Do not proceed with failing tests. Fix them first.

The Completion Workflow

Step 1: Verify Tests Pass

Run the full test suite:

Run: [project test command]
Verify: Exit code 0, all tests pass

If tests fail: Stop. Do not proceed until tests pass.

Step 2: Identify Base Branch

Determine the target branch for integration:

Common targets:
- main (most common)
- master (legacy naming)
- develop (gitflow)
- [feature-branch] (nested features)

Check git configuration or ask if unclear.

Step 3: Present Options

Present exactly four options without elaboration:

1. Merge locally - Merge to base branch on local machine
2. Create pull request - Push and open PR for review
3. Keep for later - Leave branch as-is to continue later
4. Discard work - Delete branch and changes

Use AskUserQuestion to get user's choice.

Step 4: Execute Chosen Option

Option 1: Merge Locally

1. Checkout base branch
   git checkout [base-branch]

2. Pull latest changes
   git pull origin [base-branch]

3. Merge feature branch
   git merge [feature-branch]

4. Run tests on merged result
   [project test command]

5. If tests pass, push
   git push origin [base-branch]

6. Delete feature branch
   git branch -d [feature-branch]
   git push origin --delete [feature-branch]

Never merge without verifying tests pass on the result.

Option 2: Create Pull Request

1. Push feature branch
   git push -u origin [feature-branch]

2. Create PR using gh CLI
   gh pr create --title "[title]" --body "[description]"

3. Report PR URL to user

4. Keep branch active for PR review

Do NOT delete the branch after creating PR.

Option 3: Keep for Later

1. Commit any uncommitted changes
   git add -A && git commit -m "WIP: [description]"

2. Push to remote (backup)
   git push -u origin [feature-branch]

3. Note current state for later
   - Branch name
   - What's done
   - What remains

Do NOT delete the branch.

Option 4: Discard Work

1. Confirm with user (require typed confirmation)
   "Type 'DISCARD' to confirm deletion of all changes"

2. If confirmed:
   git checkout [base-branch]
   git branch -D [feature-branch]
   git push origin --delete [feature-branch] (if pushed)

3. Clean up any worktree if applicable

Require explicit confirmation. This is destructive.

Step 5: Clean Up

Cleanup depends on the chosen option:

Option	Cleanup Action
Merge locally	Delete feature branch, remove worktree if used
Create PR	Keep branch, keep worktree if used
Keep for later	Keep branch, keep worktree if used
Discard work	Delete branch, remove worktree if used

Worktree Cleanup (if applicable)

If work was done in a git worktree:

1. Exit the worktree directory
   cd [main-repository]

2. Remove the worktree
   git worktree remove [worktree-path]

3. Verify removal
   git worktree list

Only remove worktree for merge (Option 1) and discard (Option 4).

Integration with Implement Phase

This skill is the natural endpoint of the implement phase:

Implementation complete
→ Code review passed
→ Security review passed
→ Use finishing-work skill
→ Choose completion option
→ Execute and clean up

Safety Guardrails

Never Merge with Failing Tests

If tests fail after merge:
1. Do NOT push
2. Reset the merge: git merge --abort
3. Investigate failures
4. Fix before attempting merge again

Never Force Push to Shared Branches

Avoid: git push --force origin main
This rewrites history and breaks collaborators.

If needed, use: git push --force-with-lease
This fails if remote has new commits.

Confirm Before Discarding

Discard is permanent. Require typed confirmation:
"Type 'DISCARD' to confirm"

Do not accept:
- "yes"
- "y"
- "confirm"

Only exact match: "DISCARD"

Status Reporting

After completing the chosen option, report:

Option 1 (Merge):
"Merged [feature-branch] to [base-branch].
Branch deleted. [N] commits integrated."

Option 2 (PR):
"Pull request created: [PR-URL]
Branch [feature-branch] pushed to origin."

Option 3 (Keep):
"Branch [feature-branch] saved for later.
Pushed to origin as backup."

Option 4 (Discard):
"Branch [feature-branch] deleted.
All changes discarded."

Anti-Patterns

Merging Without Tests

Wrong: Merge and hope tests pass Right: Run tests, then merge only if passing

Leaving Branches Dangling

Wrong: Finish work, forget to clean up branches Right: Execute appropriate cleanup for chosen option

Skipping Confirmation for Discard

Wrong: Delete branch immediately when user says "discard" Right: Require explicit "DISCARD" confirmation

Merging Unreviewed Code

Wrong: Merge without code review Right: Complete review process before finishing

Force Pushing to Shared Branches

Wrong: Force push to fix mistakes Right: Use safe alternatives or coordinate with team

Checklist Before Finishing

• All implementation steps complete
• All tests pass
• Code review completed (if required)
• Security review completed (if required)
• Base branch identified
• Option chosen by user
• Tests pass after merge (if merging)
• Appropriate cleanup performed
• Status reported to user