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+# PR Merge Checklist
+
+## 1. Branch Hygiene
+- [ ] Base branch is correct (main/release).
+- [ ] PR is up to date with base; no stale merge conflicts.
+- [ ] Squash/merge strategy selected and approved.
+- [ ] No merge commits from upstream that belong in a separate PR.
+
+## 2. CI & Automation
+- [ ] All CI checks are green.
+- [ ] Required status checks passed on the PR page.
+- [ ] Auto-merge enabled only after all gates pass.
+- [ ] No failing lint or type-check jobs.
+
+## 3. Review Readiness
+- [ ] At least one approval from a code owner.
+- [ ] All review comments resolved or acknowledged.
+- [ ] No unresolved conversations left open.
+- [ ] Security review completed for sensitive changes.
+
+## 4. Release Impact
+- [ ] CHANGELOG entry present and accurate.
+- [ ] Version bump applied if needed.
+- [ ] Migration guide added for breaking changes.
+- [ ] Feature flag documented for staged rollout.
+
+## 5. Final Verification
+- [ ] Diff reviewed one last time for accidental commits.
+- [ ] No credentials, keys, or tokens added.
+- [ ] Deploy preview tested if applicable.
+- [ ] Post-merge rollback plan noted.