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I-OnlabsI-Onlabs/claude-code-skills/finishing-a-development-branch/SKILL.md

finishing-a-development-branch

Skill4 starsChanged 15 days agoMITView on GitHub

Use when implementation is complete, all tests pass, and you need to decide how to integrate the work - guides completion of development work by presenting structured options for merge, PR, or cleanup

  • Commits and pushes

We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

11 rules. 1 is common, 10 are distinctive, and 0 are very specific to this project.

  • 1

    Common

    Most of the 123 edited versions we read keep these.

  • 10

    Distinctive

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 0

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Common:

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

    line 12
  2. Distinctive:

    Stop. Don't proceed to Step 2.

    line 36
  3. Distinctive:

    Don't add explanation: - keep options concise.

    line 64
  4. Distinctive:

    Wait for exact confirmation.

    line 126
  5. Distinctive:

    Check if in worktree:

    line 140
  6. Distinctive:

    For Option 3: Keep worktree.

    line 150
  7. Distinctive:

    Fix: Always verify tests before offering options

    line 165
  8. Distinctive:

    Problem: Remove worktree when might need it (Option 2, 3)

    line 172
  9. Distinctive:

    Fix: Only cleanup for Options 1 and 4

    line 173
  10. Distinctive:

    Delete work without confirmation

    line 184
  11. Distinctive:

    Verify tests before offering options

    line 188

“Common” is measured: kept by at least 6 in 10 of the 123 edited versions of this file we could read. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
SKILL.md

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

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: 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 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

Option 1: Merge Locally

# Switch to base branch
git checkout <base-branch>

# Pull latest
git pull

# Merge feature branch
git merge <feature-branch>

# Verify tests on merged result
<test command>

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

Then: Cleanup worktree (Step 5)

Option 2: Push and Create PR

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

# Create PR
gh pr create --title "<title>" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
## Summary
<2-3 bullets of what changed>

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

Then: Cleanup worktree (Step 5)

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:

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

Then: Cleanup worktree (Step 5)

Step 5: Cleanup Worktree

For Options 1, 2, 4:

Check if in worktree:

git worktree list | grep $(git branch --show-current)

If yes:

git worktree remove <worktree-path>

For Option 3: Keep worktree.

Quick Reference

OptionMergePushKeep WorktreeCleanup Branch
1. Merge locally✓--✓
2. Create PR-✓✓-
3. Keep as-is--✓-
4. Discard---✓ (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?" → ambiguous
  • Fix: Present exactly 4 structured options

Automatic worktree cleanup

  • Problem: Remove worktree when might need it (Option 2, 3)
  • Fix: Only cleanup for Options 1 and 4

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

Always:

  • Verify tests before offering options
  • Present exactly 4 options
  • Get typed confirmation for Option 4
  • Clean up worktree for Options 1 & 4 only

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

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