# Process Ship Finishing Development Branch

> Use when implementation is complete and tests pass and you need to decide how to finish a feature or bugfix branch - merge it, open a pull request, keep it, or discard it, and clean up any worktree

- Skill: `bitranox/process-ship-finishing-development-branch` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add bitranox/process-ship-finishing-development-branch`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/bitranox/process-ship-finishing-development-branch/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: bitranox (https://skillmd.com/u/bitranox)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/bitranox/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:**

```bash
# 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:**

```bash
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:

| State                                  | Menu                         | Cleanup                         |
|----------------------------------------|------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| `GIT_DIR == GIT_COMMON` (normal repo)  | Standard 4 options           | No worktree to clean up         |
| `GIT_DIR != GIT_COMMON`, named branch  | Standard 4 options           | Provenance-based (see Step 6)   |
| `GIT_DIR != GIT_COMMON`, detached HEAD | Reduced 3 options (no merge) | No cleanup (externally managed) |

### Step 3: Determine Base Branch

```bash
# 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

```bash
# 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:

```bash
git branch -d <feature-branch>
```

#### Option 2: Push and Create PR

```bash
# 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 <name>. Worktree preserved at <path>."

**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:
```bash
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:
```bash
git branch -D <feature-branch>
```

### Step 6: Cleanup Workspace

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

```bash
# 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.

```bash
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

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

## 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.