feat(polyrepo): stage task packets and fix orchestrator branch handling

bin/taskplane.mjs

@@ -212,7 +212,6 @@ orchestrator:
   max_lanes: ${vars.max_lanes}
   worktree_location: "subdirectory"
   worktree_prefix: "${vars.worktree_prefix}"
-  integration_branch: "${vars.integration_branch}"
   batch_id_format: "timestamp"
   spawn_mode: "subprocess"
   tmux_prefix: "${vars.tmux_prefix}"
@@ -707,7 +706,6 @@ function getPresetVars(preset, projectRoot, tasksRootOverride = null) {
 	const { test: test_cmd, build: build_cmd } = detectStack(projectRoot);
 	return {
 		project_name: dirName,
-		integration_branch: "main",
 		max_lanes: 3,
 		worktree_prefix: `${slug}-wt`,
 		tmux_prefix: `${slug}-orch`,
@@ -725,7 +723,6 @@ async function getInteractiveVars(projectRoot, tasksRootOverride = null) {
 	const detected = detectStack(projectRoot);
 
 	const project_name = await ask("Project name", dirName);
-	const integration_branch = await ask("Default branch (fallback — orchestrator uses your current branch at runtime)", "main");
 	const max_lanes = parseInt(await ask("Max parallel lanes", "3")) || 3;
 	const tasks_root = tasksRootOverride || await ask("Tasks directory", "taskplane-tasks");
 	const default_area = await ask("Default area name", "general");
@@ -736,7 +733,6 @@ async function getInteractiveVars(projectRoot, tasksRootOverride = null) {
 	const slug = slugify(project_name);
 	return {
 		project_name,
-		integration_branch,
 		max_lanes,
 		worktree_prefix: `${slug}-wt`,
 		tmux_prefix: `${slug}-orch`,

docs/how-to/configure-task-orchestrator.md

@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ orchestrator:
   max_lanes: 3
   worktree_location: "subdirectory"
   worktree_prefix: "taskplane-wt"
-  integration_branch: "main"
   batch_id_format: "timestamp"
   spawn_mode: "subprocess"
   tmux_prefix: "orch"
@@ -34,7 +33,6 @@ orchestrator:
 - `worktree_location`:
   - `subdirectory` → `.worktrees/<prefix>-N`
   - `sibling` → `../<prefix>-N`
-- `integration_branch`: branch merges target
 - `spawn_mode`:
   - `subprocess`: headless, no tmux dependency
   - `tmux`: attachable sessions for deep visibility
@@ -132,7 +130,6 @@ Polling interval (seconds) for orchestrator monitoring loop.
 orchestrator:
   max_lanes: 3
   spawn_mode: "subprocess"
-  integration_branch: "main"
 
 failure:
   on_task_failure: "skip-dependents"

docs/reference/configuration/task-orchestrator.yaml.md

@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ monitoring:
 | `orchestrator.max_lanes` | number | `3` | Maximum parallel execution lanes/worktrees. |
 | `orchestrator.worktree_location` | `"sibling"` \| `"subdirectory"` | `"subdirectory"` | Where lane worktree directories are created. |
 | `orchestrator.worktree_prefix` | string | `"taskplane-wt"` | Prefix used for worktree directory names and lane branch naming. |
-| `orchestrator.integration_branch` | string | `"main"` | Branch that lane changes merge into. |
 | `orchestrator.batch_id_format` | `"timestamp"` \| `"sequential"` | `"timestamp"` | Batch ID format used in logs/branch naming. |
 | `orchestrator.spawn_mode` | `"tmux"` \| `"subprocess"` | `"subprocess"` | How lane sessions are spawned. |
 | `orchestrator.tmux_prefix` | string | `"orch"` | Prefix for orchestrator tmux sessions (tmux mode). |

extensions/taskplane/engine.ts

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { join } from "path";
 import { formatDiscoveryResults, runDiscovery } from "./discovery.ts";
 import { execLog, executeWave, tmuxKillSession } from "./execution.ts";
 import type { MonitorUpdateCallback } from "./execution.ts";
-import { runGit } from "./git.ts";
+import { getCurrentBranch, runGit } from "./git.ts";
 import { mergeWave } from "./merge.ts";
 import { ORCH_MESSAGES } from "./messages.ts";
 import { deleteBatchState, loadBatchHistory, persistRuntimeState, saveBatchHistory, seedPendingOutcomesForAllocatedLanes, syncTaskOutcomesFromMonitor, upsertTaskOutcome } from "./persistence.ts";
@@ -51,6 +51,17 @@ export async function executeOrchBatch(
 	batchState.pauseSignal = { paused: false };
 	batchState.mergeResults = [];
 
+	// Capture the current branch as the base for worktrees and merge target
+	const detectedBranch = getCurrentBranch(repoRoot);
+	if (!detectedBranch) {
+		batchState.phase = "failed";
+		batchState.endedAt = Date.now();
+		batchState.errors.push("Cannot determine current branch (detached HEAD or not a git repo)");
+		onNotify("❌ Cannot determine current branch. Ensure HEAD is on a branch (not detached).", "error");
+		return;
+	}
+	batchState.baseBranch = detectedBranch;
+
 	// When true, final cleanup is skipped so failed merge state is preserved
 	// for manual intervention and TS-009 resume flow.
 	let preserveWorktreesForResume = false;
@@ -215,6 +226,7 @@ export async function executeOrchBatch(
 			batchState.batchId,
 			batchState.pauseSignal,
 			depGraph,
+			batchState.baseBranch,
 			handleWaveMonitorUpdate,
 			(lanes) => {
 				latestAllocatedLanes = lanes;
@@ -321,6 +333,7 @@ export async function executeOrchBatch(
 					orchConfig,
 					repoRoot,
 					batchState.batchId,
+					batchState.baseBranch,
 				);
 				allMergeResults.push(mergeResult);
 				batchState.mergeResults.push(mergeResult);
@@ -474,7 +487,7 @@ export async function executeOrchBatch(
 					"info",
 				);
 
-				const targetBranch = orchConfig.orchestrator.integration_branch;
+				const targetBranch = batchState.baseBranch;
 				for (const wt of existingWorktrees) {
 					const resetResult = safeResetWorktree(wt, targetBranch, repoRoot);
 					if (!resetResult.success) {
@@ -653,8 +666,8 @@ export async function executeOrchBatch(
 			}
 		} catch { /* .pi dir may not exist */ }
 
-		// Clean up worktrees — pass integration branch to protect unmerged work
-		const targetBranch = orchConfig.orchestrator.integration_branch;
+		// Clean up worktrees — pass base branch to protect unmerged work
+		const targetBranch = batchState.baseBranch;
 		execLog("batch", batchState.batchId, "cleaning up worktrees");
 		const removeResult = removeAllWorktrees(prefix, repoRoot, targetBranch);
 

extensions/taskplane/execution.ts

@@ -1403,7 +1403,7 @@ export function computeTransitiveDependents(
  *
  * This function checks each wave task's folder for untracked or modified files,
  * stages them, and creates a commit on the current branch. This must run BEFORE
- * allocateLanes() so that worktrees (which are based on the integration branch)
+ * allocateLanes() so that worktrees (which are based on the batch's base branch)
  * include the task files.
  *
  * Only task-specific folders are staged — no other working tree changes are touched.
@@ -1522,6 +1522,7 @@ export function ensureTaskFilesCommitted(
  * @param batchId           - Batch ID for naming
  * @param pauseSignal       - Shared pause signal (mutated by stop-wave policy)
  * @param dependencyGraph   - Dependency graph for computing transitive dependents
+ * @param baseBranch        - Branch to base worktrees on (captured at batch start)
  * @param onMonitorUpdate   - Optional callback for dashboard updates during monitoring
  * @param onLanesAllocated  - Optional callback fired after lane allocation succeeds
  * @returns WaveExecutionResult with outcomes and blocked task IDs
@@ -1535,6 +1536,7 @@ export async function executeWave(
 	batchId: string,
 	pauseSignal: { paused: boolean },
 	dependencyGraph: DependencyGraph,
+	baseBranch: string,
 	onMonitorUpdate?: MonitorUpdateCallback,
 	onLanesAllocated?: (lanes: AllocatedLane[]) => void,
 ): Promise<WaveExecutionResult> {
@@ -1576,7 +1578,7 @@ export async function executeWave(
 	}
 
 	// ── Stage 1: Allocate lanes ──────────────────────────────────
-	const allocResult = allocateLanes(waveTasks, pending, config, repoRoot, batchId);
+	const allocResult = allocateLanes(waveTasks, pending, config, repoRoot, batchId, baseBranch);
 
 	if (!allocResult.success) {
 		const errMsg = allocResult.error?.message || "Unknown allocation failure";

extensions/taskplane/git.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,24 @@
 import { execFileSync } from "child_process";
 
 
+// ── Branch Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/**
+ * Get the current branch name (the branch checked out in the given directory).
+ *
+ * Uses `git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD`. Returns the branch name or null
+ * if HEAD is detached or git fails.
+ *
+ * @param cwd - Working directory (defaults to process.cwd())
+ */
+export function getCurrentBranch(cwd?: string): string | null {
+	const result = runGit(["rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD"], cwd);
+	if (!result.ok || !result.stdout.trim() || result.stdout.trim() === "HEAD") {
+		return null;
+	}
+	return result.stdout.trim();
+}
+
 // ── Git Command Runner ───────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 /**

extensions/taskplane/merge.ts

@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ export function waitForMergeResult(
 }
 
 /**
- * Merge a completed wave's lane branches into the integration branch.
+ * Merge a completed wave's lane branches into the base branch.
  *
  * Orchestration flow:
  * 1. Filter to only succeeded lanes (failed lanes are not merged)
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ export function waitForMergeResult(
  *    e. Handle result (continue, log, or pause)
  * 4. Return MergeWaveResult
  *
- * Sequential execution is mandatory — the integration branch is a shared
+ * Sequential execution is mandatory — the base branch is a shared
  * resource, and each merge must see the prior merge's result.
  *
  * On CONFLICT_UNRESOLVED or BUILD_FAILURE: stops merging remaining lanes
@@ -479,6 +479,7 @@ export function waitForMergeResult(
  * @param config           - Orchestrator configuration
  * @param repoRoot         - Main repository root
  * @param batchId          - Batch ID for session naming
+ * @param baseBranch       - Branch to merge into (captured at batch start)
  * @returns MergeWaveResult with per-lane outcomes
  */
 export function mergeWave(
@@ -488,10 +489,11 @@ export function mergeWave(
 	config: OrchestratorConfig,
 	repoRoot: string,
 	batchId: string,
+	baseBranch: string,
 ): MergeWaveResult {
 	const startTime = Date.now();
 	const tmuxPrefix = config.orchestrator.tmux_prefix;
-	const targetBranch = config.orchestrator.integration_branch;
+	const targetBranch = baseBranch;
 	const laneResults: MergeLaneResult[] = [];
 
 	// Build lane outcome lookup for merge eligibility checks.

extensions/taskplane/persistence.ts

@@ -319,6 +319,15 @@ export function validatePersistedState(data: unknown): PersistedBatchState {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// ── Optional string fields (backward-compatible) ─────────────
+	// baseBranch was added after schema v1; default to empty string if missing
+	if (obj.baseBranch !== undefined && typeof obj.baseBranch !== "string") {
+		throw new StateFileError(
+			"STATE_SCHEMA_INVALID",
+			`Invalid "baseBranch" field (expected string, got ${typeof obj.baseBranch})`,
+		);
+	}
+
 	// ── Phase enum validation ────────────────────────────────────
 	if (!VALID_BATCH_PHASES.has(obj.phase as string)) {
 		throw new StateFileError(
@@ -520,6 +529,11 @@ export function validatePersistedState(data: unknown): PersistedBatchState {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Default baseBranch for backward compatibility with older state files
+	if (!obj.baseBranch) {
+		(obj as any).baseBranch = "";
+	}
+
 	return obj as unknown as PersistedBatchState;
 }
 
@@ -612,6 +626,7 @@ export function serializeBatchState(
 		schemaVersion: BATCH_STATE_SCHEMA_VERSION,
 		phase: state.phase,
 		batchId: state.batchId,
+		baseBranch: state.baseBranch,
 		startedAt: state.startedAt,
 		updatedAt: now,
 		endedAt: state.endedAt,

extensions/taskplane/resume.ts

@@ -442,6 +442,7 @@ export async function resumeOrchBatch(
 	// ── 6. Reconstruct runtime state ─────────────────────────────
 	batchState.phase = "executing";
 	batchState.batchId = persistedState.batchId;
+	batchState.baseBranch = persistedState.baseBranch || "";
 	batchState.startedAt = persistedState.startedAt;
 	batchState.pauseSignal = { paused: false };
 	batchState.totalWaves = persistedState.totalWaves;
@@ -684,6 +685,7 @@ export async function resumeOrchBatch(
 				orchConfig,
 				repoRoot,
 				batchState.batchId,
+				batchState.baseBranch,
 			);
 
 			if (reExecMergeResult.status === "succeeded") {
@@ -693,7 +695,7 @@ export async function resumeOrchBatch(
 				);
 
 				// Clean up merged branches
-				const targetBranch = orchConfig.orchestrator.integration_branch;
+				const targetBranch = batchState.baseBranch;
 				for (const lr of reExecMergeResult.laneResults) {
 					if (lr.result?.status === "SUCCESS" || lr.result?.status === "CONFLICT_RESOLVED") {
 						deleteBranchBestEffort(lr.sourceBranch, repoRoot);
@@ -809,6 +811,7 @@ export async function resumeOrchBatch(
 			batchState.batchId,
 			batchState.pauseSignal,
 			depGraph,
+			batchState.baseBranch,
 			handleResumeMonitorUpdate,
 			(lanes) => {
 				latestAllocatedLanes = lanes;
@@ -918,6 +921,7 @@ export async function resumeOrchBatch(
 					orchConfig,
 					repoRoot,
 					batchState.batchId,
+					batchState.baseBranch,
 				);
 				batchState.mergeResults.push(mergeResult);
 
@@ -1018,7 +1022,7 @@ export async function resumeOrchBatch(
 
 		// Post-merge: reset worktrees for next wave
 		if (mergeResult && mergeResult.status === "succeeded") {
-			const targetBranch = orchConfig.orchestrator.integration_branch;
+			const targetBranch = batchState.baseBranch;
 			for (const lr of mergeResult.laneResults) {
 				if (lr.result?.status === "SUCCESS" || lr.result?.status === "CONFLICT_RESOLVED") {
 					const ancestorCheck = runGit(["merge-base", "--is-ancestor", lr.sourceBranch, targetBranch], repoRoot);
@@ -1033,7 +1037,7 @@ export async function resumeOrchBatch(
 			const wtPrefix = orchConfig.orchestrator.worktree_prefix;
 			const existingWorktrees = listWorktrees(wtPrefix, repoRoot);
 			if (existingWorktrees.length > 0) {
-				const targetBranch = orchConfig.orchestrator.integration_branch;
+				const targetBranch = batchState.baseBranch;
 				for (const wt of existingWorktrees) {
 					const resetResult = safeResetWorktree(wt, targetBranch, repoRoot);
 					if (!resetResult.success) {
@@ -1047,7 +1051,7 @@ export async function resumeOrchBatch(
 	// ── 11. Cleanup and terminal state ───────────────────────────
 	if (!preserveWorktreesForResume) {
 		const wtPrefix = orchConfig.orchestrator.worktree_prefix;
-		const targetBranch = orchConfig.orchestrator.integration_branch;
+		const targetBranch = batchState.baseBranch;
 		removeAllWorktrees(wtPrefix, repoRoot, targetBranch);
 	}
 

extensions/taskplane/types.ts

@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ export interface OrchestratorConfig {
 		max_lanes: number;
 		worktree_location: "sibling" | "subdirectory";
 		worktree_prefix: string;
-		integration_branch: string;
 		batch_id_format: "timestamp" | "sequential";
 		spawn_mode: "tmux" | "subprocess";
 		tmux_prefix: string;
@@ -136,7 +135,6 @@ export const DEFAULT_ORCHESTRATOR_CONFIG: OrchestratorConfig = {
 		max_lanes: 3,
 		worktree_location: "subdirectory",
 		worktree_prefix: "taskplane-wt",
-		integration_branch: "main",
 		batch_id_format: "timestamp",
 		spawn_mode: "subprocess",
 		tmux_prefix: "orch",
@@ -790,6 +788,8 @@ export interface OrchBatchRuntimeState {
 	phase: OrchBatchPhase;
 	/** Unique batch identifier (timestamp format, e.g., "20260308T214300") */
 	batchId: string;
+	/** Branch that was active when /orch started — used as base for worktrees and merge target */
+	baseBranch: string;
 	/** Shared pause signal — set by /orch-pause, read by executeLane/executeWave */
 	pauseSignal: { paused: boolean };
 	/** All wave results in order (grows as waves complete) */
@@ -866,6 +866,7 @@ export function freshOrchBatchState(): OrchBatchRuntimeState {
 	return {
 		phase: "idle",
 		batchId: "",
+		baseBranch: "",
 		pauseSignal: { paused: false },
 		waveResults: [],
 		currentWaveIndex: -1,
@@ -1208,6 +1209,8 @@ export interface PersistedBatchState {
 	phase: OrchBatchPhase;
 	/** Unique batch identifier (timestamp format) */
 	batchId: string;
+	/** Branch that was active when /orch started — used as base for worktrees and merge target */
+	baseBranch: string;
 	/** Epoch ms when batch started */
 	startedAt: number;
 	/** Epoch ms when state was last written */