hjewkes Finishing a Development Branch
Overview
Guide completion of development work by presenting clear options and handling chosen workflow.
Core principle: Verify tests -> Present options -> Execute choice -> Clean up.
Announce at start: "I'm using the finishing-a-development-branch skill to complete this work."
The Process
Step 1: Verify Tests
Run project's test suite using scripts/run-tests for auto-detection. If tests fail: show failures, stop — cannot proceed until tests pass. If tests pass: continue.
Step 2: Determine Base Branch
git merge-base HEAD main 2>/dev/null || git merge-base HEAD master 2>/dev/null
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?
Don't add explanation — keep options concise.
Step 4: Execute Choice
See references/option-details.md for detailed execution steps for each option.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Skipping test verification | Always verify tests before offering options |
| Open-ended questions | Present exactly 4 structured options |
| Automatic worktree cleanup | Only cleanup for Options 1 and 4 |
| No confirmation for discard | 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.
Always: Verify tests first, present exactly 4 options, get typed confirmation for Option 4, clean up worktree for Options 1 & 4 only.
Integration
Called by: plan-execution Pairs with: using-git-worktrees (cleans up worktree created by that skill)