Process Ship Finishing Development Branch

Finishing a Development Branch

Adapted from the superpowers plugin (MIT).

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.

Announce at start: "I'm using the process-ship-finishing-development-branch skill to complete this work."

The Process

Step 1: Verify Tests

Before presenting options, verify tests pass:

# Run project's test suite
npm test / cargo test / pytest / go test ./...

If tests fail:

Tests failing (<N> failures). Must fix before completing:

[Show failures]

Cannot proceed with merge/PR until tests pass.

Stop. Don't proceed to Step 2.

If tests pass: Continue to Step 2.

Step 2: Detect Environment

Determine workspace state before presenting options:

GIT_DIR=$(cd "$(git rev-parse --git-dir)" 2>/dev/null && pwd -P)
GIT_COMMON=$(cd "$(git rev-parse --git-common-dir)" 2>/dev/null && pwd -P)
BRANCH=$(git branch --show-current)          # EMPTY on a detached HEAD - this is what splits
                                             # the two `GIT_DIR != GIT_COMMON` rows below
WORKTREE_PATH=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)   # capture NOW: options 1 and 4 cd to the main
                                                 # root before Step 6 runs, and Step 6 cannot
                                                 # recover it from the current directory

This determines which menu to show and how cleanup works:

Step 3: Determine Base Branch

# Try common base branches
git merge-base HEAD main 2>/dev/null || git merge-base HEAD master 2>/dev/null

Or ask: "This branch split from main - is that correct?"

Step 4: Present Options

Normal repo and named-branch worktree - 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?

Detached HEAD - present exactly these 3 options:

Implementation complete. You're on a detached HEAD (externally managed workspace).

1. Push as new branch and create a Pull Request
2. Keep as-is (I'll handle it later)
3. Discard this work

Which option?

Don't add explanation - keep options concise.

Before any option that pushes (option 2, or detached-HEAD option 1): review the push range for leaked secrets, private infrastructure, and personal data (see bitranox:compuse-git) - git push sends every unpushed commit on the branch, not just the merge.

Step 5: Execute Choice

Option 1: Merge Locally

# Get main repo root for CWD safety
MAIN_ROOT=$(git -C "$(git rev-parse --git-common-dir)/.." rev-parse --show-toplevel)
cd "$MAIN_ROOT"

# Merge first  -  verify success before removing anything
git checkout <base-branch>
git pull
git merge <feature-branch>

# Verify tests on merged result
<test command>

# Only after merge succeeds: cleanup worktree (Step 6), then delete branch

Then: Cleanup worktree (Step 6), then delete branch:

git branch -d <feature-branch>

Option 2: Push and Create PR

# Push branch
git push -u origin <feature-branch>

Do NOT clean up worktree - user needs it alive to iterate on PR feedback.

Option 3: Keep As-Is

Report: "Keeping branch . Worktree preserved at ."

Don't 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 confirmed:

MAIN_ROOT=$(git -C "$(git rev-parse --git-common-dir)/.." rev-parse --show-toplevel)
cd "$MAIN_ROOT"

Then: Cleanup worktree (Step 6), then force-delete branch:

git branch -D <feature-branch>

Step 6: Cleanup Workspace

Only runs for Options 1 and 4. Options 2 and 3 always preserve the worktree.

# Use the values captured in STEP 2. Do NOT recompute them here: options 1 and 4 have already
# cd'd to the main root, so a fresh probe reports GIT_DIR == GIT_COMMON and this step concludes
# "no worktree to clean up" while the worktree is still on disk. That failure is silent.
: "${GIT_DIR:?capture in Step 2}" "${GIT_COMMON:?capture in Step 2}" "${WORKTREE_PATH:?capture in Step 2}"

If GIT_DIR == GIT_COMMON: Normal repo, no worktree to clean up. Done.

If worktree path is under .worktrees/ or worktrees/: this skill created this worktree - we own cleanup.

MAIN_ROOT=$(git -C "$(git rev-parse --git-common-dir)/.." rev-parse --show-toplevel)
cd "$MAIN_ROOT"
git worktree remove "$WORKTREE_PATH"
git worktree prune  # Self-healing: clean up any stale registrations

Otherwise: The host environment (harness) owns this workspace. Do NOT remove it. If your platform provides a workspace-exit tool, use it. Otherwise, leave the workspace in place.

Quick Reference

Common Mistakes

Skipping test verification

• Problem: Merge broken code, create failing PR
• Fix: Always verify tests before offering options

Open-ended questions

• Problem: "What should I do next?" is ambiguous
• Fix: Present exactly 4 structured options (or 3 for detached HEAD)

Cleaning up worktree for Option 2

• Problem: Remove worktree user needs for PR iteration
• Fix: Only cleanup for Options 1 and 4

Deleting branch before removing worktree

• Problem: git branch -d fails because worktree still references the branch
• Fix: Merge first, remove worktree, then delete branch

Running git worktree remove from inside the worktree

• Problem: Command fails silently when CWD is inside the worktree being removed
• Fix: Always cd to main repo root before git worktree remove

Cleaning up harness-owned worktrees

• Problem: Removing a worktree the harness created causes phantom state
• Fix: Only clean up worktrees under .worktrees/ or worktrees/

No confirmation for discard

• Problem: Accidentally delete work
• Fix: Require typed "discard" confirmation

Red Flags

Never:

• Proceed with failing tests
• Merge without verifying tests on result
• Delete work without confirmation
• Force-push without explicit request
• Remove a worktree before confirming merge success
• Clean up worktrees you didn't create (provenance check)
• Run git worktree remove from inside the worktree

Always:

• Verify tests before offering options
• Detect environment before presenting menu
• Present exactly 4 options (or 3 for detached HEAD)
• Get typed confirmation for Option 4
• Clean up worktree for Options 1 & 4 only
• cd to main repo root before worktree removal
• Run git worktree prune after removal

Finishing a branch is the last moment its judgment calls are cheap to revisit. Before the merge or the PR, run bitranox:process-review-uncertain-decisions: the choices with no trace in the diff - a default, a version tier, a scope cut - are invisible to whoever reviews the branch.