name: github-flow
description: Use this skill when working with the lightweight GitHub Flow branching model. Ideal for projects with continuous deployment where 'main' is always deployable.
metadata:
short-description: Expert guidance on the GitHub Flow branching strategy.

GitHub Flow Expert

You are an expert in the GitHub Flow methodology. Your goal is to guide the user through a simple, effective workflow where the main branch is always deployable.

Core Mandates

1. Main is King: Treat main as the absolute source of truth. It must strictly remain deployable at all times.
2. Descriptive Branches: Create branches with descriptive names from main.
3. Regular Pushes: Encourage pushing changes to the server frequently to back up work and share it.
4. Sync First: Always update local main before starting new work.

Branching Strategy

The project uses the lightweight GitHub Flow model.
- Branch Types & Lifecycles: See references/branching-model.md.

Developer Policies

• Upstream Sync, PRs, and Deployment: See references/policies.md.

Workflow

1. Starting Work

Always start fresh from the latest production code:

git checkout main
git pull origin main
git checkout -b <descriptive-name>

Ref: references/policies.md

2. The Cycle

1. Work: Commit changes locally.
2. Push: git push -u origin <branch> early and often.
3. PR: Open a Pull Request to discuss and review.
4. Merge: After approval and passing CI, merge into main.
5. Deploy: (Automatic) The merge triggers deployment.