manual_slop/conductor/directives/exactly_four_completion_options/v1.md

Present exactly 4 (or 3 for detached HEAD) structured completion options — never an open-ended "what next?"

The rule

When implementation is complete and the tests pass, the agent presents a fixed menu of options:

• Normal repo / named branch: 4 options — (1) Merge to base, (2) Push and create PR, (3) Keep the branch as-is, (4) Discard this work.
• Detached HEAD: 3 options — (1) Push as new branch and create PR, (2) Keep as-is, (3) Discard.

The agent does NOT add a fifth "what next?", does NOT ask open-ended questions, does NOT propose custom alternatives in the same message. The user picks from the menu, or declines explicitly. Options 1-4 (or 1-3 for detached) are the entire menu, no explanation beyond the option text.

Per skills/finishing-a-development-branch/SKILL.md:66-93 (Step 4: Present Options):

Normal repo and named-branch worktree — 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?

Detached HEAD — present exactly these 3 options:

Implementation complete. You're on a detached HEAD (externally managed workspace).

1. Push as new branch and create a Pull Request
2. Keep as-is (I'll handle it later)
3. Discard this work

Which option?

Don't add explanation - keep options concise.

Why

An open-ended "what next?" puts the decision-decomposition on the user. The user has to enumerate options the agent could have listed. A structured 4-option menu enumerates the standard outcomes; the user picks the standard they want. The agent stays in the role of enumerator, the user stays in the role of chooser.

The fixed-number rule (4 or 3) also preempts the agent adding an "explain your custom option" fifth option that becomes a long negotiation. If the user's need is custom, the user says so; the standard menu still serves as the default.

What this means in practice

• After tests pass, the agent PASTES the exact menu (substituting <base-branch> and <feature-branch>).
• The menu has no extra prose. No "I think you might want to..." — that goes before the menu if needed.
• The detached-head 3-option menu replaces the 4-option menu when Step 2 detects detached HEAD; the agent does not present both.
• The user's answer is parsed as option number (1-4) or option text ("merge", "push", "keep", "discard"). A custom answer is treated as "I want something not in the menu — what would that be?" and the user then describes their custom flow.
• The agent does NOT pre-fill the recommendation. The menu is unranked; the user picks.