finishing-a-development-branch

Finishing a Development Branch

Close development work with explicit integration choice.

Step 1: Verify

Run full project verification before offering options.

If verification fails, stop and return to implementation.

Step 2: Identify Base Branch

Detect merge base (main/master or repo default) and confirm if unclear.

Step 3: Offer Exactly Four Options

1. Merge back to <base-branch> locally
2. Push branch and open PR
3. Keep branch/worktree as-is
4. Discard branch/worktree

Step 4: Execute Safely

Option 1

• Checkout base
• Pull latest
• Merge feature branch
• Re-run verification
• Delete merged branch
• Remove worktree

Option 2

• Push feature branch
• Create PR with a description that includes:
  • What changed — one-paragraph summary of the change set
  • Why — the motivation or problem this solves (link to plan doc if one exists)
  • How to verify — exact commands or steps a reviewer can run to confirm the change works
  • Notable decisions — any trade-offs made, alternatives rejected, or non-obvious choices
• Keep worktree by default (remove only if user asks)

Option 3

• Keep branch and worktree
• Report exact path and branch name

Option 4

• Show destructive impact summary
• Require exact confirmation: discard
• Delete branch and remove worktree

Hard Rules

• Never merge with failing tests.
• Never delete work without explicit confirmation.
• Never force-push unless explicitly requested.

Final Report

Include:

• Selected option
• Commands executed
• Final branch/worktree status
• PR link (if created)