branch-cleaner

To prune stale git branches safely, sync remotes with git fetch --prune, identify merged branches using git branch --merged, and execute explicit delete commands while respecting protected base branches and user-specified keepers.

You can find merged git branches by running git branch --merged <base> for local branches and git branch -r --merged <base> for remote branches, identifying candidates for safe cleanup based on your base branch.

Yes, accidental deletions are prevented by defining safety rules that protect the base branch, current branch, and user-specified patterns, ensuring only explicitly confirmed branches are pruned.

The best way to clean up feature and release branches is to fetch remote updates, identify merged local and remote branches excluding protected patterns, and run confirmable delete commands for a clear audit trail.

Running git fetch --prune syncs with remotes and removes stale remote tracking references, but you still need to manually identify and delete local branches using safe, reversible steps.

You audit git branch hygiene during release cycles by inspecting merged and unmerged local branches, identifying stale remote branches, and reviewing protected patterns before executing any deletions.