/finishing-a-development-branch

name: finishing-a-development-branch
description: Git branch completion workflow. Use when implementation is complete, tests pass, and a feature branch needs to be integrated via merge, pull request, or cleanup.

Finishing a Development Branch

The Process

Step 1: Verify Tests

Determine test runner from project structure:

• `package.json` → `npm test` or `yarn test`
• `Cargo.toml` → `cargo test`
• `pyproject.toml` / `setup.py` → `pytest`
• `go.mod` → `go test ./...`
• `Makefile` with `test` target → `make test`

Run tests. If any fail, report `⊘ BLOCKED:TESTS` with failure count and stop. Do not proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Determine Base Branch

Find the branch this feature diverged from:

# Check which branch has the closest merge-base
for candidate in main master develop; do
  if git rev-parse --verify "$candidate" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    MERGE_BASE=$(git merge-base HEAD "$candidate" 2>/dev/null)
    if [ -n "$MERGE_BASE" ]; then
      echo "Candidate: $candidate (merge-base: $MERGE_BASE)"
    fi
  fi
done

Select the candidate with the most recent merge-base (closest ancestor). If multiple branches share the same merge-base or detection is ambiguous, ask: "This branch could target `main` or `develop`. Which should it merge into?"

**Store the result** - subsequent steps reference `<base-branch>` meaning this determined value.

Step 3: Present Options

Present exactly these 4 options:

Implementation complete. What would you like to do?

1. Merge back to <base-branch> locally
2. Push and create a Pull Request
3. Keep the branch as-is (I'll handle it later)
4. Discard this work

Which option?

Step 4: Execute Choice

Option 1: Merge Locally

git checkout <base-branch>
git pull
git merge <feature-branch>

**If merge conflicts:**

⊘ BLOCKED:CONFLICTS

Merge conflicts in:
- <conflicted files>

Cannot auto-resolve. User must:
1. Resolve conflicts manually
2. Run tests
3. Re-run this workflow

Stop. Do not proceed.

**If merge succeeds:**

# Verify tests on merged result
<test command>

# If tests pass, delete feature branch
git branch -d <feature-branch>

Then: Cleanup worktree (Step 5). Report `✓ MERGED`.

Option 2: Push and Create PR

**Verify `gh` CLI is available:**

if ! command -v gh &>/dev/null; then
  echo "gh CLI not installed. Install from https://cli.github.com/ or push manually and create PR via web."
  exit 1
fi
gh auth status || echo "gh not authenticated. Run: gh auth login"

Extract title from first commit on branch (original intent):

MERGE_BASE=$(git merge-base HEAD <base-branch>)
TITLE=$(git log --reverse --format=%s "$MERGE_BASE"..HEAD | head -1)
git push -u origin <feature-branch>
gh pr create --title "$TITLE" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
## Summary
<2-3 bullets of what changed>

## Test Plan
- [ ] <verification steps>
EOF
)"

Report `✓ PR_CREATED` with PR URL. **Keep worktree intact** for continued work during review.

Option 3: Keep As-Is

Report `✓ PRESERVED` with branch name and worktree path.

**Do not cleanup worktree.**

Option 4: Discard

**Confirm first:**

This will permanently delete:
- Branch <name>
- All commits: <commit-list>
- Worktree at <path>

Type 'discard' to confirm.

Wait for exact confirmation. If not received, abort.

If confirmed:

git checkout <base-branch>
git branch -D <feature-branch>

Then: Cleanup worktree (Step 5). Report `✓ DISCARDED`.

Step 5: Cleanup Worktree

**For Options 1 and 4 only:**

# Check if currently in a worktree (not main repo)
if [ "$(git rev-parse --git-common-dir)" != "$(git rev-parse --git-dir)" ]; then
  # Get worktree root (handles invocation from subdirectory)
  WORKTREE_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
  cd "$(git rev-parse --git-common-dir)/.."
  git worktree remove "$WORKTREE_ROOT"
fi

**For Options 2 and 3:** Keep worktree intact.

Quick Reference

| Option | Merge | Push | Keep Worktree | Cleanup Branch | |--------|-------|------|---------------|----------------| | 1. Merge locally | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | | 2. Create PR | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | | 3. Keep as-is | - | - | ✓ | - | | 4. Discard | - | - | - | ✓ (force) |

Terminal States

On completion, report exactly one:

| State | Output | Meaning | |-------|--------|---------| | `✓ MERGED` | Branch merged to `<base>`, worktree cleaned | Option 1 success | | `✓ PR_CREATED` | PR #N at URL | Option 2 success | | `✓ PRESERVED` | Branch kept at path | Option 3 success | | `✓ DISCARDED` | Branch deleted, worktree cleaned | Option 4 success | | `⊘ BLOCKED:TESTS` | N test failures | Cannot proceed | | `⊘ BLOCKED:CONFLICTS` | Merge conflict in files | Cannot proceed |

Guardrails

**Blocking conditions (stop immediately):**

• Tests failing → `⊘ BLOCKED:TESTS`
• Merge conflicts → `⊘ BLOCKED:CONFLICTS`

**Mandatory confirmations:**

• Option 4 (Discard): Require typed "discard" confirmation

**Cleanup rules:**

• Options 1, 4: Clean up worktree and branch
• Options 2, 3: Preserve worktree

**Never:**

• Proceed with failing tests
• Merge without verifying tests on result
• Delete work without typed confirmation
• Force-push without explicit request

Integration

**Called by:**

• **subagent-driven-development** (Step 7) - After all tasks complete
• **executing-plans** (Step 5) - After all batches complete

**Pairs with:**

• **using-git-worktrees** - Cleans up worktree created by that skill