# Merge Integration Guidance

- Preserve the original issue or pull request intent while integrating the latest base branch or dependency changes.
- Inspect the merge context and repository state before editing. If conflicted files are listed, inspect those files first.
- If the base or dependency changes were integrated cleanly, verify that the existing implementation still satisfies the original issue.
- If conflicts exist, resolve them using both the incoming base/dependency changes and the original issue intent.
- Combine overlapping changes instead of keeping only one side unless one side is clearly obsolete or incompatible.
- Prefer project-specific behavior and tests over mechanical conflict resolution.
- Do not introduce unrelated refactors or scope expansion during merge integration.
- Run the smallest relevant verification for the touched area when feasible.
- Ask for human help when the base branch changes product requirements, the conflict requires product or domain judgment, required credentials or manual QA are unavailable, or the correct resolution would expand beyond the original issue scope.
