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ADR-014: Environment promotion-chain branch model (SUPERSEDED)

  • Status: Superseded by epic #316 (agnostic local↔cloud env/deploy model)
  • Date: 2026-06-19 (superseded 2026-06-19)
  • Superseded-by: ADR-015 (env/deploy model) — see PLAN.md

Why this was superseded

ADR-014 introduced opt-in branch-per-environment promotion chains (dev → test → main, etc.) for scaffolded projects. Subsequent research (5 tracks, summarized in PLAN.md / PLAN-REVIEW-LOG.md) found branch-per-env to be a deprecated pattern for both humans and AI agents: environments differ by config and deploy target, not by branch. The modern model is single-trunk + build-once + promote the immutable artifact through deployment environments, with deploy/IaC as opt-in overlays.

Epic #316 therefore removes the promotion-chain feature entirely (the wizard --branch-model option, the promotion_chain config block, promote_env.sh, setup_env_branches.sh, and the multi-branch presets). The only pieces retained are the generic single-trunk base_branch abstraction (feature PRs target the default branch) and the base-branch protection + merge-policy logic, now folded into setup_github.sh --protect.

This file is kept as a tombstone so historical references resolve. For the current environment/deployment design, see ADR-015 and PLAN.md.