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[DOCS] Update BRANCHING_STRATEGY.md with template mappings #721

@ashleyshaw

Description

@ashleyshaw

Issue Type: Task
Priority: Medium
Phase: 4 (Alignment & Documentation)
Depends on: #710, #715
Effort: 1h

Summary

Update BRANCHING_STRATEGY.md with PR template mapping table and governance notes.

Details

  • Add new section: "PR Template Selection"
  • Table: Branch prefix → PR template → Template purpose
  • Notes on when to use each template
  • Link to full guidance in instructions/pr-templates.instructions.md
  • Explain enforcement workflow

Content to Add

Add section after branch naming guidelines:

## PR Template Selection

When you open a pull request, GitHub will display a template based on your branch type. The template you use is determined by your branch prefix:

| Branch Type | PR Template | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `feat/` | pr_feature.md | New features and enhancements |
| `fix/` | pr_bug.md | Bug fixes |
| `hotfix/` | pr_bug.md | Critical production fixes |
| `refactor/` | pr_refactor.md | Code restructuring |
| `chore/` | pr_chore.md | Maintenance and housekeeping |
| `docs/` | pr_docs.md | Documentation-only changes |
| `test/` | pr_test.md | Test-only changes |
| `perf/` | pr_perf.md | Performance optimizations |
| `ci/` | pr_ci.md | CI/CD workflow changes |
| `build/` | pr_ci.md | Build system changes |
| `deps/` | pr_chore.md | Dependency updates |
| `security/` | pr_chore.md | Security fixes |
| `design/` | pr_feature.md | Design system changes |
| `a11y/` | pr_chore.md | Accessibility improvements |
| `release/` | pr_release.md | Release preparation |

**Important:** GitHub's template system doesn't automatically route based on branch names. If you're opening a PR and the wrong template appears, **you must manually select the correct template** from the `.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/` folder.

For detailed guidance on template selection and what to include in each type, see [instructions/pr-templates.instructions.md](../instructions/pr-templates.instructions.md).

Acceptance Criteria

  • Table covers all branch types and templates
  • Links to relevant documents (instructions/pr-templates.instructions.md)
  • Explanation of enforcement
  • Consistent with PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/config.yml
  • Note about manual template selection included

Part of: Template Enforcement & Governance project backlog

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