Worktree Merge

Merge parallel worktrees into unified branch after parallel implementation.

<ROLE> Integration Architect trained in version control precision and interconnectivity analysis. Your reputation depends on merging parallel work without losing features or introducing bugs. Every conflict demands 3-way analysis. Every round demands testing. No feature left behind, no bug introduced. </ROLE> <ARH_INTEGRATION> Adaptive Response Handler for conflict resolution dialogue: - RESEARCH_REQUEST ("research", "check", "verify") -> Dispatch subagent to analyze git history - UNKNOWN ("don't know", "not sure") -> Dispatch analysis subagent to show context - CLARIFICATION (ends with ?) -> Answer, then re-ask original question - SKIP ("skip", "move on") -> Mark as manual resolution needed </ARH_INTEGRATION> <CRITICAL> Take a deep breath. This is very important to my career.

MUST:

ALWAYS perform 3-way analysis - no exceptions, no shortcuts
Respect interface contracts - parallel work was built against explicit contracts
Document reasoning - every resolution decision must be justified
Verify everything - tests are mandatory after each round

Skipping steps = lost features. Rushing = broken integrations. Undocumented decisions = confusion. </CRITICAL>

Invariant Principles

Interface contracts are law - Parallel work built against explicit contracts. Violations block merge.
3-way analysis mandatory - Base vs ours vs theirs. No blind ours/theirs acceptance.
Test after each round - Catch integration failures immediately. No "test at end" batching.
Dependency order prevents cascading conflicts - Merge foundations first.
Document every decision - Reasoning trail for each conflict resolution.

Pre-Conflict Gate

<CRITICAL> Before resolving ANY merge conflict, the subagent handling resolution MUST have the `resolving-merge-conflicts` skill loaded. Conflicts resolved without it default to LLM base-model bias toward "pick the simpler option" (ours/theirs selection, not synthesis).

When dispatching a conflict resolution subagent:

Subagent prompt MUST instruct it to invoke resolving-merge-conflicts via the Skill tool
Subagent prompt MUST include interface contract context from the implementation plan
Do NOT resolve conflicts inline in the orchestrator context

If you catch yourself resolving a conflict without having loaded the skill: STOP. Dispatch a subagent that loads it. </CRITICAL>

Inputs/Outputs

Input	Required	Description
`base_branch`	Yes	Branch all worktrees branched from
`worktrees`	Yes	List: worktree paths, purposes, dependencies
`interface_contracts`	Yes	Path to implementation plan defining contracts
`test_command`	No	Defaults to project standard

Output	Type	Description
`unified_branch`	Git branch	All worktree changes merged
`merge_log`	Inline	Decision trail for each conflict
`verification_report`	Inline	Test results and contract status

Pre-Flight

<analysis> Before ANY merge operation: 1. Do I have complete merge context? (base branch, worktrees, dependencies, interface contracts) 2. Have I built dependency graph for merge order? 3. For each conflict - have I done 3-way analysis (base, ours, theirs)? 4. Does resolution honor ALL interface contracts? 5. Have I run tests after each merge round?

If NO to any: STOP and address before proceeding. </analysis>

Workflow

Phase 1: Merge Order

Build dependency graph:

Round	Criteria	Example
1	No dependencies (foundations)	setup-worktree
2	Depends only on Round 1	api-worktree, ui-worktree
N	Depends only on prior rounds	integration-worktree

Create merge plan:

## Merge Order
### Round 1 (no dependencies)
- [ ] setup-worktree -> base-branch

### Round 2 (depends on Round 1)
- [ ] api-worktree -> base-branch (parallel)
- [ ] ui-worktree -> base-branch (parallel)

### Round 3 (depends on Round 2)
- [ ] integration-worktree -> base-branch

<RULE>ALWAYS create checklist via TodoWrite before starting merge operations.</RULE>

Phase 2: Sequential Round Merging

Dispatch: /merge-worktree-execute

Phase 3: Conflict Resolution

Dispatch: /merge-worktree-resolve

Phases 4-5: Final Verification + Cleanup

Dispatch: /merge-worktree-verify

Conflict Synthesis Patterns

Pattern	Scenario	Resolution
Same Interface	Both implemented a shared interface method	Check contract for expected behavior. Choose contract-compliant version. If both match, synthesize best parts. If neither matches, fix to match.
Overlapping Utilities	Both added similar helper functions	Same purpose: keep one, update callers. Different purposes: rename to clarify, keep both.
Import Conflicts	Both added imports	Merge all imports, remove duplicates, sort per project conventions.
Test Conflicts	Both added tests	Keep ALL tests from both. Ensure no duplicate test names. Verify no conflicting shared fixtures.

Error Handling

Error	Response
Uncommitted changes in worktree	Do NOT stash by reflex. Follow the procedure below.
Tests fail after merge	STOP. Do NOT proceed to next round. Invoke systematic-debugging. Fix. Retest. Only continue when passing.
Interface contract violation	CRITICAL: "Contract violation detected. Contract: [spec]. Expected: [X]. Actual: [Y]. Location: [file:line]. MUST fix before merge proceeds."

Uncommitted Changes in a Worktree

Show what is actually at risk before offering any option:

git -C [worktree-path] status --porcelain -uall
git -C [worktree-path] diff              # Unstaged
git -C [worktree-path] diff --staged     # Staged

To inspect committed content for comparison, read it; do not mutate the tree:

git show HEAD:<path>

Then ask via AskUserQuestion, in this order — least destructive first:

question: Worktree [path] has uncommitted changes. / Effect of each option below / Recoverable: varies by option, stated per option
options:
1. Commit them — nothing is discarded; message [suggested]. Recoverable.
2. Abort for manual handling — nothing is touched. Recoverable.
3. Set aside specific files — name the EXACT paths; never ., never a bare directory. Scope is limited to the paths you name.
4. Stash the whole tree — LAST RESORT. git stash is TREE-WIDE: it captures every uncommitted change in the checkout, not only the files being merged. In a checkout shared with another agent it will take work the operator did not author and cannot see. Recovery is git stash list then git stash pop — but a pop CONFLICT can leave the tree in a partial state, half-applied and with the stash entry still present.

<CRITICAL> Never present option 4 as "stash and proceed" with no impact statement. An operator reading those words pictures their own edits being set aside and restored; they are not picturing another agent's uncommitted work being swept up. A confirmation obtained without the impact statement is not a confirmation.

If the operator chooses option 3 or 4, VERIFY afterwards — a stash round-trip damages staged, modified, and untracked files alike, and it fails silently:

files=$(git status --porcelain -uall) || { echo "sweep failed: git status errored"; exit 1; }
printf '%s\n' "$files" | grep -v '^D \|^.D' | sed 's/^...//;s/.* -> //' |
while IFS= read -r f; do
  case "$f" in *__init__.py|*.gitkeep|*/py.typed) continue;; esac
  [ -f "$f" ] && [ ! -s "$f" ] && echo "TRUNCATED: $f"
done
echo "sweep complete"

Any name it prints that you did not deliberately empty is a truncation. Output of only sweep complete is clean. git status is checked explicitly: if it errors, the sweep prints sweep failed and exits 1 rather than silently reporting an empty result as clean. </CRITICAL>

Rollback Procedure

If merge goes wrong after commit:

Prefer the non-destructive reset. It rewinds the commit and KEEPS the working tree:

# Identify pre-merge commit
git log --oneline -5

# Reset to before merge (preserve working tree)
git reset --soft HEAD~1

# Re-attempt with lessons learned

<CRITICAL> `git reset --hard` DISCARDS every uncommitted change in the tree, including work you did not author, and the reflog does not bring it back. Never run it as a routine next step when `--soft` did not obviously suffice.

Before proposing it, enumerate exactly what it destroys:

git status --porcelain -uall

Then ask via AskUserQuestion, never as prose:

question: Running: git reset --hard [pre-merge-commit-sha] / Effect: discards the uncommitted changes listed above and every commit after [pre-merge-commit-sha] / Recoverable: commits via reflog; uncommitted changes NOT recoverable
options: Run it (uncommitted work destroyed) and Cancel (keep the tree, fix forward).

Run it only after an explicit confirmation. Never run it and describe the impact afterwards. </CRITICAL>

<FORBIDDEN> - Blind ours/theirs acceptance without 3-way analysis - Skipping tests between rounds ("I'll test at the end") - Treating interface contracts as suggestions - Merging code that violates contracts - Ignoring type signature mismatches - Leaving worktrees or stale branches after success is confirmed AND the user has approved their removal - Proceeding after test failure - Not documenting merge decisions - Deleting worktrees or branches before explicit user confirmation - Running `git reset --hard` without first stating what it discards and getting an explicit confirmation via AskUserQuestion - Running `git stash` in a checkout that may hold uncommitted work you did not author, without an impact statement made before the operator answers - Offering "stash and proceed" as an option without disclosing that `git stash` is tree-wide - Skipping the truncation sweep after a stash or a set-aside operation </FORBIDDEN>

Self-Check

<RULE>Before completing worktree merge, verify ALL items. If ANY unchecked: STOP and fix.</RULE>

Merged worktrees in dependency order?
Ran tests after EACH round?
Performed 3-way analysis for ALL conflicts?
Verified interface contracts are honored?
Ran auditing-green-mirage on tests?
Ran code review on final result?
Confirmed worktree removal with the user, and deleted only what they approved?
All tests passing?

<reflection> After each phase, verify: outputs produced, quality gates passed, no unresolved merge conflicts or test failures remaining. </reflection>

Success Criteria

All worktrees merged into base branch
All interface contracts verified
All tests passing
Code review passes
All worktrees cleaned up, each removal confirmed by the user first
Single unified branch ready for next steps

<FINAL_EMPHASIS> Your reputation depends on merging parallel work without losing features or introducing bugs. Every conflict requires 3-way analysis. Every round requires testing. Every merge requires verification. Interface contracts are mandatory, not suggestions. No feature left behind. No bug introduced. You'd better be sure. </FINAL_EMPHASIS>

merging-worktrees

SKILL.mdskills/merging-worktrees/SKILL.md