The parallel-cycle sync-back (sync-next-cycle.mjs) is the one write path to the
release branch with no CI gate — a red merged tree pushed there turns every PR
in the cycle's queue red (G1). The script now runs validate-release-green
--quick on the merged tree between the commit and the push; on HARD failure the
commit stays local in the sync worktree for inspection. --skip-green-gate is
the documented emergency hatch for reds verified pre-existing on the tip.
TDD: greenGateArgs() flag contract + source guard asserting the gate call sits
between main() and the push.
Two defects found live in the v3.8.45 Phase 5 run (2026-07-06):
- execFileSync default 1 MiB maxBuffer crashed on git show origin/main:CHANGELOG.md
- the i18n resync only synced the [NEXT] (TBD) section, leaving the just-shipped
finalized section as '— TBD' in all 42 mirrors; now also syncs [prevVersion]
bounded by the heading below it (new pure helper versionAfter, unit-tested)
