---
phase: 13-switch-github-pages-deploy-to-actions-artifact-eliminate-gh-pages-branch
verified: 2026-03-20T21:00:00Z
status: human_needed
score: 5/7 must-haves verified
human_verification:
  - test: "Change GitHub Pages source to GitHub Actions"
    expected: "Repo settings at https://github.com/ThatDevStudio/ztlctl/settings/pages show Source = GitHub Actions (not Deploy from a branch)"
    why_human: "GitHub repository settings are not inspectable via git or filesystem; no API call is made from this verifier"
  - test: "Docs site is live and correct after merge"
    expected: "The Deploy Docs workflow runs green on develop, the Deploy to GitHub Pages step outputs a live URL, and the docs site loads correctly at that URL"
    why_human: "Live deployment requires the PR to be merged and the Actions workflow to run — cannot be verified before merge or without a browser"
---

# Phase 13: Switch GitHub Pages Deploy to Actions Artifact — Verification Report

**Phase Goal:** Eliminate gh-pages branch by switching GitHub Pages deploy from mkdocs gh-deploy to Actions artifact deployment, aligning with trunk-based workflow
**Verified:** 2026-03-20
**Status:** human_needed — all automated checks pass; two items require human confirmation
**Re-verification:** No — initial verification

---

## Goal Achievement

### Observable Truths

| # | Truth | Status | Evidence |
|---|-------|--------|----------|
| 1 | Docs deploy workflow uses `actions/upload-pages-artifact` + `actions/deploy-pages` (not `mkdocs gh-deploy`) | VERIFIED | Line 41: `uses: actions/upload-pages-artifact@v3`; line 46: `uses: actions/deploy-pages@v4`; grep for `gh-deploy` returns no match |
| 2 | Workflow permissions are `pages: write` and `id-token: write` (not `contents: write`) | VERIFIED | Lines 13-14 of docs.yml; grep for `contents: write` returns no match |
| 3 | Workflow has an `environment` block for `github-pages` with a `page_url` output | VERIFIED | Lines 21-22: `name: github-pages`, `url: ${{ steps.deployment.outputs.page_url }}`; `id: deployment` on line 46 |
| 4 | GitHub Pages source is set to GitHub Actions in repo settings | ? NEEDS HUMAN | Cannot be verified programmatically — requires checking https://github.com/ThatDevStudio/ztlctl/settings/pages |
| 5 | `gh-pages` remote branch no longer exists | VERIFIED | `git ls-remote --heads origin gh-pages` returns empty output |
| 6 | `concurrency` group prevents overlapping deploys | VERIFIED | Lines 8-10: `group: pages`, `cancel-in-progress: false` |
| 7 | Docs site is live and correct after deploy | ? NEEDS HUMAN | Requires PR to be merged and workflow to run successfully |

**Score:** 5/7 truths verified (2 need human confirmation)

---

### Required Artifacts

| Artifact | Expected | Status | Details |
|----------|----------|--------|---------|
| `.github/workflows/docs.yml` | Updated Pages artifact deployment workflow | VERIFIED | 48-line file; contains all required patterns; commit e411ce4 |

**Artifact — three-level check:**

- Level 1 (exists): `.github/workflows/docs.yml` — present
- Level 2 (substantive): 48 lines, complete workflow with all required steps — not a stub
- Level 3 (wired): Triggered by push to `develop` and `workflow_dispatch`; deploy step has `id: deployment` matching the `page_url` output reference in the `environment` block

---

### Key Link Verification

| From | To | Via | Status | Details |
|------|----|-----|--------|---------|
| `.github/workflows/docs.yml` | GitHub Pages | `actions/deploy-pages@v4` | VERIFIED | Line 47: `uses: actions/deploy-pages@v4`; step has `id: deployment`; environment block references `steps.deployment.outputs.page_url` |

---

### Requirements Coverage

No requirement IDs were declared for this phase (cleanup phase). Goal verified against CONTEXT.md decisions:

| Decision | Status | Evidence |
|----------|--------|---------|
| Replace `mkdocs gh-deploy --force` with `upload-pages-artifact` + `deploy-pages` | VERIFIED | Both actions present in docs.yml; `gh-deploy` absent |
| Remove `git config` identity step | VERIFIED | No `git config user` in docs.yml |
| Change `permissions: contents: write` to `pages: write` + `id-token: write` | VERIFIED | Lines 13-14 of docs.yml |
| Add `environment: github-pages` with `page_url` output | VERIFIED | Lines 21-22 of docs.yml |
| Keep trigger: push to `develop` + `workflow_dispatch` | VERIFIED | Lines 4-7 of docs.yml |
| Delete `gh-pages` remote branch | VERIFIED | `git ls-remote --heads origin gh-pages` — empty |
| Add `concurrency` group | VERIFIED (bonus) | Lines 8-10 of docs.yml (discretionary item from CONTEXT.md, correctly implemented) |

---

### Anti-Patterns Found

None. No TODOs, placeholders, stub returns, or legacy patterns found in `.github/workflows/docs.yml`.

---

### Human Verification Required

#### 1. GitHub Pages source setting

**Test:** Navigate to https://github.com/ThatDevStudio/ztlctl/settings/pages and inspect the "Build and deployment" > "Source" setting.
**Expected:** Source is set to "GitHub Actions" (not "Deploy from a branch").
**Why human:** Repository settings cannot be read from the filesystem or via git. This is a one-time manual change that must have been made before or after the PR was merged. If it was not changed, the `deploy-pages` action will fail with a permissions error when the workflow runs.

#### 2. Docs site live and correct

**Test:** After the PR containing commit e411ce4 is merged to `develop`, watch the "Deploy Docs" workflow run at https://github.com/ThatDevStudio/ztlctl/actions. Confirm the "Deploy to GitHub Pages" step completes with a live URL output. Visit the URL and confirm the docs site loads correctly.
**Expected:** Green workflow run; live docs URL visible in the Actions summary; docs site renders without errors.
**Why human:** Live deployment requires the workflow to actually run in GitHub Actions after merge. Cannot be verified before merge or without a browser.

---

### Gaps Summary

No gaps — all automated checks pass. The two human verification items are confirmations of external state (GitHub settings, live deployment), not defects in the codebase. The workflow file itself is complete, correct, and wired properly.

The only risk is the GitHub Pages source setting (Truth 4): if the user has not changed it from "Deploy from a branch" to "GitHub Actions", the workflow will fail on first run. This is a blocking prerequisite that must be done before or immediately after merging.

---

_Verified: 2026-03-20T21:00:00Z_
_Verifier: Claude (gsd-verifier)_
