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 . 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:
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
| Option | Merge | Push | Keep Worktree | Cleanup 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