post-merge

Post-Merge Workflow

Three phases: sync and clean the working tree, tidy up the issues the PR addressed, then recommend what to do next.

Phase 0: Sync and Clean the Working Tree

Do this first. Most post-merge rework comes from the next task starting against a stale base branch or a leftover feature branch/worktree — clean it up now while you have the context.

1. Find the base and head branches

Don't assume main. Read what the PR actually merged into:

gh pr view [NUMBER] --json number,title,baseRefName,headRefName,mergedAt

baseRefName is the branch to sync (often develop or main); headRefName is the merged feature branch to delete.

2. Sync the base branch

git fetch --prune
git checkout [BASE_BRANCH]
git pull --ff-only

If your current checkout is a worktree pinned to the merged feature branch, you can't switch it to the base — leave it and handle the worktree in step 3.

3. Delete the merged branch and its worktree

git worktree list                    # find any worktree holding the feature branch
git worktree remove [WORKTREE_PATH]  # only if it lives in a worktree
git branch -d [HEAD_BRANCH]          # safe delete — refuses if not actually merged

Use lowercase git branch -d; it only deletes branches that are fully merged. Don't reach for -D unless you've confirmed the work really landed. git worktree remove refuses to drop a worktree with uncommitted changes — don't --force past that without checking what's there first. If the project has a prune-merged-branches helper, use it (dry-run, then apply); those scripts typically skip develop/main/release/* and worktree-held branches.

4. Confirm clean state

git status
git branch --show-current

You want to be on the synced base branch, working tree clean, with the feature branch gone. Now move to Phase 1.

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Phase 1: Issue Cleanup

Updating and closing the linked issues is the default, automatic outcome of this phase — do it without pausing to ask permission. The only judgment call is whether an issue is fully addressed (check its boxes and close it) or only partially (check boxes, comment, leave open). When the user says "the PRs are merged" with no numbers, first confirm which ones actually merged — a "they're all in" claim is often only partly true — and act only on the ones that did.