sloth-ship

name	sloth-ship
description	Use when a Maycrest engagement branch is complete and tests pass — gating the handoff: verify the suite first, then choose merge, PR, keep, or discard, and produce a short client handoff package.

Sloth Ship — The Handoff Gate 🦥

Overview

Finishing a branch is a deliberate handoff, not a git merge reflex. The test gate comes first — nothing merges or PRs until the suite is green. Then a structured choice, then a short client handoff package so the work is reproducible by whoever runs it next.

Core principle: Verify tests → Detect environment → Present options → Execute choice → Hand off → Clean up.

Announce at start: "Using sloth-ship to complete this work."

Step 1: Verify Tests (the gate)

Before any option, run the project's suite (npm test / cargo test / pytest / go test ./...).

Tests failing (<N> failures). Must fix before completing:
[show failures]
Cannot merge or PR until tests pass.

Tests fail → stop. Do not proceed to Step 2. Tests pass → continue.

Step 2: Detect Environment

GIT_DIR=$(cd "$(git rev-parse --git-dir)" 2>/dev/null && pwd -P)
GIT_COMMON=$(cd "$(git rev-parse --git-common-dir)" 2>/dev/null && pwd -P)

State	Menu	Cleanup
GIT_DIR == GIT_COMMON (normal repo)	Standard 4 options	No worktree to clean up
GIT_DIR != GIT_COMMON, named branch	Standard 4 options	Provenance-based (Step 6)
GIT_DIR != GIT_COMMON, detached HEAD	Reduced 3 options (no merge)	None (externally managed)

Step 3: Determine Base Branch

git merge-base HEAD main 2>/dev/null || git merge-base HEAD master 2>/dev/null

Or ask: "This branch split from main — correct?"

Step 4: Present Options

Normal repo / named-branch worktree — exactly these 4:

Implementation complete and tests pass. 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?

Detached HEAD — drop merge, present exactly 3: (1) push as new branch + PR, (2) keep as-is, (3) discard.

Don't add explanation — keep options concise.

Step 5: Execute Choice

Option 1 — Merge locally. Merge first, verify, then clean up:

MAIN_ROOT=$(git -C "$(git rev-parse --git-common-dir)/.." rev-parse --show-toplevel)
cd "$MAIN_ROOT"
git checkout <base-branch> && git pull && git merge <feature-branch>
<test command>                       # verify tests on the merged result
# Only after merge succeeds: cleanup worktree (Step 6), then: git branch -d <feature-branch>

Option 2 — Push and create PR.

git push -u origin <feature-branch>
gh pr create --title "<title>" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
## Summary
<2-3 bullets of what changed>

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

Do NOT clean up the worktree — Corey needs it alive to iterate on PR feedback.

Option 3 — Keep as-is. "Keeping branch . Worktree preserved at ." No cleanup.

Option 4 — Discard. Confirm first:

This permanently deletes:
- Branch <name>   - Commits: <list>   - Worktree at <path>
Type 'discard' to confirm.

Wait for the exact word. Then cd to MAIN_ROOT, cleanup worktree (Step 6), then git branch -D <feature-branch>.

Step 6: Cleanup Workspace

Only for Options 1 and 4. Options 2 and 3 always preserve the worktree.

WORKTREE_PATH=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)

• GIT_DIR == GIT_COMMON: normal repo, nothing to clean up.
• Worktree under .worktrees/, worktrees/, or ~/.config/superpowers/worktrees/: we own it.

  MAIN_ROOT=$(git -C "$(git rev-parse --git-common-dir)/.." rev-parse --show-toplevel)
  cd "$MAIN_ROOT"
  git worktree remove "$WORKTREE_PATH"
  git worktree prune
  

• Otherwise: the harness owns this workspace. Do NOT remove it — use its exit tool if provided, else leave it.

Step 7: Client Handoff Package (Options 1 & 2)

A merge or PR is not done until the next person can run it. Produce a short package:

HANDOFF — <engagement / branch>
- WHAT CHANGED: 2-4 bullets, plain language (features, fixes, schema/RLS changes)
- HOW TO RUN:   exact commands, e.g. `npm install && npm run dev`; env vars needed (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL…)
- WHAT WAS VERIFIED: test count + result, manual checks performed, platforms covered
- FOLLOW-UPS: known gaps or anything deferred

Keep it tight — the package IS the deliverable record. For a PR, this doubles as the body.

Example: AOS Sober Living booking app

Branch aos-booking-intake. Suite → "Tests passing (38 tests, 0 failures)." Corey picks Option 2 (PR); push, open it, and the handoff package becomes the PR body: Changed — booking intake form + Supabase persistence + email-required guard. Run — npm install && npm run dev, needs NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL + anon key. Verified — 38 Vitest cases green, manual intake submit on iOS Safari + Chrome. Follow-ups — SMS confirmation deferred.

Red Flags

Never: proceed with failing tests · merge without verifying tests on the result · delete work without typed confirmation · force-push without an explicit request · remove a worktree before confirming merge success · clean up worktrees you didn't create · run git worktree remove from inside the worktree.

Always: verify tests first · detect environment before the menu · present exactly 4 options (or 3 for detached HEAD) · get typed "discard" confirmation · clean up worktree for Options 1 & 4 only · cd to main root before removal, then git worktree prune · ship the handoff package on merge/PR.

Integration with the Maycrest roster

• The branch shipped here is the one sloth-worktree isolated per engagement.
• Run sloth-verify before Step 1 so the gate isn't your first look at the suite.
• Hand the package to maycrest-ops:reality-checker for the production-readiness verdict before it reaches the client.

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Adapted from the MIT-licensed obra/superpowers project (© 2025 Jesse Vincent). See NOTICE.