GITHUB-ISSUES-2026-03-22-untrack-operator-files.md

Created: 2026-03-22 Purpose: Close incomplete PR #324, create replacement issue for corrected fix

Rules for Harley

Run gh label list before creating any issues — never create a label that already exists
Run operations one at a time in the order listed
Confirm each result (URL or success message) before moving to the next
Do not modify operation content
Report any failures to operator immediately
Stop after all operations are complete — no other work

Operations

Operation 1 — Close PR #324 with explanation

gh pr close 324 --comment "Closing — the gitignore-only approach is incomplete. Gitignore only protects untracked files. Since dev and staging still track the 4 operator root files, switching to those branches restores tracked versions and switching back deletes the local copies.

Replacement: a fix branch from dev that adds the gitignore rules AND runs git rm --cached on the same branch. Normal release flow (dev → staging → main) ensures all three branches get the untrack commit. See replacement issue."

Operation 2 — Create replacement issue

gh issue create --title "fix: untrack operator custom root files across all branches" --label "bug" --body "## Problem

PR #324 attempted to gitignore the 4 operator custom root files (CLAUDE.md, STANDARDS.md, PROJECT-INSTRUCTIONS.md, RELEASE-CHECKLIST.md) via a hotfix to main. Testing revealed this is incomplete:

- \`.gitignore\` only protects **untracked** files
- dev and staging still track these files
- Switching to dev restores tracked generic versions; switching back to main (untracked) deletes local copies
- Test result: operator custom files were destroyed during branch switch

Closes PR #324 (incomplete approach).

## Root cause

The files are tracked on all three long-lived branches (main, staging, dev). Adding them to \`.gitignore\` on one branch doesn't remove them from tracking — it only hides them from \`git status\` once they're already untracked.

## Correct fix

1. Branch \`fix/untrack-operator-root-files\` from dev
2. Update \`.gitignore\` to ignore the 4 files (same rules as PR #324)
3. \`git rm --cached CLAUDE.md STANDARDS.md PROJECT-INSTRUCTIONS.md RELEASE-CHECKLIST.md\`
4. Commit both changes together
5. Normal release flow: fix → dev (PR) → staging (PR) → main (PR)

This ensures all three branches get the untrack commit through the normal merge flow. Once all branches have it, the files become truly untracked everywhere and \`.gitignore\` protects them.

## Acceptance criteria

- [ ] All 4 files removed from git tracking on dev, staging, and main
- [ ] \`.gitignore\` includes all 4 files with explanatory comments
- [ ] Branch switches between main, staging, and dev do not touch operator custom root files
- [ ] \`git add -f\` still works for engine-root swap (force-staging gitignored files)
- [ ] Operator custom files survive full round-trip: main → dev → staging → main

## Notes

- This fix rolls into the v0.11.0 release (not a standalone hotfix)
- The .gitignore changes from PR #324 are correct — they just need to be paired with git rm --cached
- Engine-root swap instructions in CLAUDE.md already reference \`git add -f\` — no update needed"