Owner-requested branch cleanup and master protection

Start by reviewing the current branch references, repository ruleset, and the issue’s discussion receipts. The issue names no specific files or tests; first verify each candidate branch’s head and prove its unique changes are preserved or superseded before considering deletion. Done means recording verified before and after branch counts and retained or deleted refs, with the protection criteria checked when authorized permissions and a supported capability are available.

Owner request and remaining scope

The owner requested removal of unnecessary branches and protection of master on 2026-09-30, followed by repository cleanup on 2026-10-18. This is scoped maintenance, not a blocker for analyzer/Reader delivery. Do not change the hourly scheduler.

Current verified state — 2026-10-18

• Authenticated connector login andy-zen-dev; repository reports push=true, admin=false, maintain=false.
• Master has active ruleset 24273338 (Protect master): PR required, deletion and non-fast-forward updates prohibited, zero mandatory approvals. No administration/protection mutation was made in this cleanup.
• The observed ruleset does not require named CI checks or resolved review threads. Those requirements and automatic merged-branch deletion remain separate owner/admin settings.
• #264/#266 were already merged. #268/#272 are now merged; current verified master is 9412ee54ab1a56c7c81f6ff4d290e39d83f49630.
• New #276 reuses scrip-site-two-full-work-gallery and preserves its unique module/tests plus the Reader integration; no new branch or branch deletion in this cleanup. #270/#274 are retained as superseded drafts pending successor acceptance.

The September body observations protected=false / empty rulesets are historical, not current blockers. Their original execution receipts remain in this issue's discussion.

Safe completion criteria

• Preserve master/default/protected refs, all open PR heads/bases and every active dependency or unique/unproven change.
• Before supported authorized deletion, produce an exact branch/head allow-list with fresh content/merge preservation evidence. Squash/rebase merges require content/supersession proof rather than ancestry alone. Re-read current PR references, protection and SHA, use expected-SHA deletion leases, and abort on drift or denial.
• Preserve the earlier flagged Bulgakov/Klim branches until their unique content is reconciled against landed code; do not resurrect or delete stale versions blindly.
• Record actual deleted/retained refs and before/after count. Never simulate deletion by updating refs, force-push shared branches, or bypass a rejected cleanup operation through another endpoint/workflow/account.
• A future required-check rule needs an always-reporting verification check; do not make a path-filtered workflow globally mandatory and strand unrelated PRs. No self-approval requirement for the sole working account.

Scoped blockers and reopening triggers

MISSING_TOOL: the discovered connector actions expose no branch-deletion or administration-setting mutation. Permission boundary: current identity has no repository admin permission. No new cleanup/deletion write was attempted here, and no new safety denial is inferred from successful interactive source writes.

Resume those mutations only when a legitimate supported capability and its necessary owner authorization/permissions exist. Keep this issue open until the remaining deletion/protection criteria are actually verified; independent product work continues through #276 and the compact queue.