---
name: closing-an-issue
description: The ersatztv task-completion protocol — the mandatory steps and the `## Closing record` comment template for closing a Gitea issue. Use when finishing a task that closes an issue, or when writing a closing comment. The `/done` command runs this automatically.
---

# Task Completion Protocol

Every task that closes a Gitea issue MUST complete ALL of these before it is considered done.
Use `/done <issue>` to run through this automatically.

Merge consent is a separate, hook-enforced concern — see the `## Done-when` convention in the
root `CLAUDE.md`, which stays always-loaded.

1. **Root cause** (bug fixes / incidents only): Document WHY the problem existed, not just what was changed. If root cause is unknown, say so explicitly and open a follow-up investigation issue. Fixing symptoms without understanding causes creates recurring problems.
2. **Comment on issues** as you work — what you found, what approach you're taking, any deviations from the suggested fix.
3. **Push changes**: `git push` all commits before closing. Use `fixes #N` in commit messages to auto-close where appropriate.
4. **Close comment**: Add a structured `## Closing record` comment on the issue (template below).
5. **Close the issue** via API or `fixes #N` commit. Leave open with a comment only if partially addressed.
6. **Update docs**: If the change affects operational behavior, update the relevant Obsidian docs (`~/homelab-docs/`), MEMORY.md, or CLAUDE.md inline — not as a follow-up.
7. **Reply to reviewer** (if from adversarial review): Summary of done/deferred/questions. This triggers the next review cycle.

## `## Closing record` template

Step 4 — this is both the human-readable summary and the per-issue unit MemPalace mines for
retrieval; see `docs/handoffs/chicorytv-issue-queue.md` → "Knowledge retrieval" for the retrieval
contract this feeds.

```markdown
## Closing record
**Outcome:** <what shipped / what didn't; PR link>
**Root cause:** <for bug fixes/incidents — why the problem existed, or "unknown, see follow-up #N">
**Decisions/conventions changed:** <keys added/superseded in docs/decisions.md, or "none">
**Reusable knowledge:** <a fact/gotcha worth surfacing to a future session or MemPalace search>
**Verification:** <tests run, live-E2E, CI status>
**Deferred:** <anything explicitly punted, with a follow-up issue link, or "none">
**Docs updated:** <which docs/*.md files changed in this PR, or "none required and why">
```
