The operator merges by hand at the forge when the mesh's own path is stuck,
without changing a rule. The logins come from the trusted config value
main-mergers, merged into the runtime config both programs read.
The forge's required status was a second copy of the gate mesh-delivery and
the merge tool already keep; a stuck status writer held it too (issues 1886,
1891) and only a hand change at the forge let a fix merge. Main keeps no push,
the tools' merge whitelist and no administrator override. The merge tool
judges mesh/check whether or not the branch requires it, and on a branch that
requires none merges only a head the operator's Approve names. The protection
tool loses its status argument.
ADR 0447 §1 has main require mesh/check alone. The repositories program now
requires it in place of mesh/merge-gate and mesh/repo-check on every listed
repository and on every other one whose main requires mesh/merge-gate, so the
switch needs no hand-kept list (lead decisions L4, L11). A main requiring
mesh/repo-check alone (hq) keeps it until issue 1296 (ADR 0503 §5).
jschoubben