Finishing A Development Branch

---
name: finishing-a-development-branch
description: Use when implementation is complete, all tests pass, and you need to decide how to integrate the work
---

# Finishing a Development Branch

## Overview

Guide completion of development work by presenting clear options and handling chosen workflow.

**Core principle:** Verify tests → Detect environment → Present options → Execute choice → Clean up.

## The Process

### Step 1: Verify Tests
Run test suite. If tests fail, stop. If pass, continue.

### Step 2: Detect Environment
Determine workspace state (normal repo vs worktree vs detached HEAD).

### Step 3: Determine Base Branch
`git merge-base HEAD main` or ask.

### Step 4: Present Options
1. Merge back to base branch locally
2. Push and create a Pull Request
3. Keep the branch as-is
4. Discard this work

### Step 5: Execute Choice
Merge locally: Checkout base, merge, verify tests, cleanup.
Create PR: Push branch, create PR with gh CLI.
Keep as-is: Report branch name and location.
Discard: Confirm first, then cleanup.

### Step 6: Cleanup Workspace
Only for Options 1 and 4. Remove worktree and prune.

## Red Flags
Never: Proceed with failing tests, delete work without confirmation, force-push without explicit request.