diff --git a/docs/BRANCH_PROTECTION.md b/docs/BRANCH_PROTECTION.md
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+# Branch protection (`main`)
+
+GitHub rules for **playwrighter** (`weijia-89/playwrighter`). Apply only after the operator confirms `GH_REPO`.
+
+**Default target:** `weijia-89/playwrighter` (set explicitly; never assume from cwd alone).
+
+## Current state (2026-05-25)
+
+| Check | Result |
+| ----- | ------ |
+| Default branch | `main` |
+| Visibility | **Public** |
+| Manifest action | `apply` with `apply_live: true` when portfolio wave sets `APPLY=1` |
+| Classic branch protection GET | **200** — protection already active on `main` |
+| Required approvals | 1 |
+| Dismiss stale reviews | yes |
+| Require conversation resolution | yes |
+| Force pushes / deletions on `main` | blocked |
+
+Ord 14 portfolio wave for playwrighter is primarily **docs + script parity** on `chore/branch-protection-sdk`; live PUT is idempotent refresh of the policy below.
+
+## Policy (script / live)
+
+| Rule | Setting | Notes |
+| ---- | ------- | ----- |
+| Default branch | `main` | Confirmed via `gh repo view weijia-89/playwrighter`. |
+| Require PR before merge | yes | Direct pushes to `main` blocked. |
+| Require approvals | 1 | See [Solo maintainer tradeoff](#solo-maintainer-tradeoff). |
+| Dismiss stale reviews | yes | New commits invalidate prior approvals. |
+| Require conversation resolution | yes | Unresolved review threads block merge. |
+| Require linear history | off | Enable if you want squash-only or rebase-only merges. |
+| Force pushes | block on `main` | No `--force` to shared default branch. |
+| Branch deletions | block on `main` | Prevents accidental removal of the default branch. |
+| Enforce for admins | off | Admins can bypass unless you enable enforce. |
+| Required status checks | none (placeholder) | Add when a required CI gate is chosen. |
+
+## Solo maintainer tradeoff
+
+With **required approving review count = 1**, GitHub expects someone other than the PR author to approve. On a solo personal repo that usually means:
+
+- **Option A (strict):** keep `required_approving_review_count: 1` and use a second account, bot, or org rule exception.
+- **Option B (pragmatic solo):** set count to `0` but keep **require PR** + conversation resolution.
+- **Option C:** use bypass lists for specified actors if available on your plan.
+
+The bundled script defaults to **count = 1**. Lower it in the JSON payload before apply if you choose Option B.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+1. Remote repo exists: `gh repo view "$GH_REPO"`.
+2. `gh` authenticated to **github.com**: `gh auth status`.
+3. Default branch is `main` (or edit the script branch name).
+4. Operator confirms **`GH_REPO=owner/name`** matches the intended repo.
+5. For live apply: set **`APPLY=1`** before `DRY_RUN=0`.
+
+## Apply via script (preferred)
+
+From repo root:
+
+```bash
+cd ~/Projects/playwrighter
+export GH_REPO=weijia-89/playwrighter
+
+# Dry run (default) — prints JSON only
+./scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh
+
+# Apply (operator intent + APPLY=1)
+APPLY=1 DRY_RUN=0 ./scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh
+```
+
+The script is idempotent when classic protection is in use: repeated `APPLY=1 DRY_RUN=0` runs send the same PUT payload.
+
+## Manual UI steps
+
+1. Open `https://github.com/weijia-89/playwrighter/settings/branches`.
+2. Edit the rule for `main` or add one if missing.
+3. Match the policy table above.
+
+## Verify remote state
+
+```bash
+gh api repos/weijia-89/playwrighter/branches/main/protection
+```
+
+## References
+
+- Portfolio manifest: `cursor-sdk-playground/prompts/portfolio_branch_protection_manifest.json` (row `playwrighter`).
+- SDK wave: `cursor-sdk-playground/scripts/portfolio_branch_protection_wave.sh`.
diff --git a/localonly/sdk-portfolio-branch-protection-playwrighter-report.md b/localonly/sdk-portfolio-branch-protection-playwrighter-report.md
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+# SDK report — portfolio-branch-protection-playwrighter
+
+**Queue id:** portfolio-branch-protection-playwrighter  
+**Repo:** weijia-89/playwrighter  
+**Branch:** chore/branch-protection-sdk  
+**Agent:** worker (Cursor SDK)  
+**Date:** 2026-05-25
+
+## Manifest row
+
+| Field | Value |
+| ----- | ----- |
+| slug | playwrighter |
+| gh_repo | weijia-89/playwrighter |
+| default_branch | main |
+| visibility | PUBLIC |
+| action | apply |
+| apply_live | true |
+| branch | chore/branch-protection-sdk |
+
+## Deliverables
+
+| Path | Status |
+| ---- | ------ |
+| `docs/BRANCH_PROTECTION.md` | present — policy table, solo-maintainer tradeoff, apply/verify commands |
+| `scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh` | present, executable — `DRY_RUN=1` default, `GH_REPO=weijia-89/playwrighter` |
+| This report | present |
+
+## Repo snapshot (`gh repo view`)
+
+| Check | Result |
+| ----- | ------ |
+| Default branch | main |
+| Visibility | PUBLIC |
+| viewerPermission | ADMIN |
+| viewerCanAdminister | true |
+
+## Live protection state (GET, no APPLY run this session)
+
+`APPLY=1` was **not** set in the worker environment; live PUT was skipped per portfolio wave gate.
+
+```bash
+gh api repos/weijia-89/playwrighter/branches/main/protection
+```
+
+**HTTP 200** — classic branch protection already active on `main`:
+
+| Setting | Live value |
+| ------- | ---------- |
+| required_approving_review_count | 1 |
+| dismiss_stale_reviews | true |
+| require_code_owner_reviews | false |
+| required_conversation_resolution | true |
+| allow_force_pushes | false |
+| allow_deletions | false |
+| enforce_admins | false |
+| required_linear_history | false |
+
+Live policy matches the script JSON payload. Idempotent refresh via `APPLY=1 DRY_RUN=0` is optional.
+
+## Verification
+
+```bash
+test -f "/Users/wjia/Projects/playwrighter/docs/BRANCH_PROTECTION.md"
+test -x "/Users/wjia/Projects/playwrighter/scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh"
+```
+
+**Result:** PASS
+
+```bash
+./scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh
+```
+
+**Result:** PASS — dry-run prints target `weijia-89/playwrighter`, JSON payload, exit 0.
+
+```bash
+bash -n scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh
+```
+
+**Result:** PASS
+
+## Operator: live apply (when needed)
+
+```bash
+cd ~/Projects/playwrighter
+APPLY=1 DRY_RUN=0 GH_REPO=weijia-89/playwrighter ./scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh
+gh api repos/weijia-89/playwrighter/branches/main/protection
+```
+
+## Blockers
+
+None. Public repo on free tier supports classic branch protection; admin access confirmed.
+
+## Open TODOs
+
+- Portfolio manifest row still lists `protected: "no"` — stale vs live GET; refresh manifest inventory on next wave scan.
+- Optional: add required status checks when a canonical CI gate is chosen (script keeps `required_status_checks: null`).
+- Solo maintainer: choose Option A/B/C in `docs/BRANCH_PROTECTION.md` if PR self-merge is blocked by approval count = 1.
diff --git a/scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh b/scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh
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+++ b/scripts/apply_branch_protection.sh
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+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Apply GitHub branch protection on main. Default DRY_RUN=1.
+# Requires GH_REPO=owner/name. Never stores tokens in this file.
+# Live PUT requires APPLY=1 in environment (portfolio wave gate).
+set -euo pipefail
+
+GH_REPO="${GH_REPO:-weijia-89/playwrighter}"
+DRY_RUN="${DRY_RUN:-1}"
+BRANCH="${BRANCH:-main}"
+OWNER="${GH_REPO%%/*}"
+REPO="${GH_REPO##*/}"
+
+if [[ "$OWNER" == "$REPO" || -z "$OWNER" || -z "$REPO" ]]; then
+  echo "error: GH_REPO must be owner/repo, got: $GH_REPO" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+PAYLOAD=$(cat <<EOFJSON
+{
+  "required_status_checks": null,
+  "enforce_admins": false,
+  "required_pull_request_reviews": {
+    "dismiss_stale_reviews": true,
+    "require_code_owner_reviews": false,
+    "required_approving_review_count": 1
+  },
+  "restrictions": null,
+  "required_linear_history": false,
+  "allow_force_pushes": false,
+  "allow_deletions": false,
+  "block_creations": false,
+  "required_conversation_resolution": true
+}
+EOFJSON
+)
+
+echo "target: $GH_REPO branch=$BRANCH DRY_RUN=$DRY_RUN" >&2
+
+if [[ "$DRY_RUN" != "0" ]]; then
+  echo "DRY_RUN=1 — would PUT repos/$OWNER/$REPO/branches/$BRANCH/protection" >&2
+  echo "$PAYLOAD" | python3 -m json.tool
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ "${APPLY:-}" != "1" ]]; then
+  echo "error: DRY_RUN=0 requires APPLY=1 in environment (portfolio wave gate)." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! gh auth status -h github.com >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "error: gh not authenticated to github.com; run 'gh auth login' before DRY_RUN=0." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! gh repo view "$GH_REPO" --json nameWithOwner >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "error: repo $GH_REPO not found or not visible; aborting (no PUT)." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Applying protection to $GH_REPO ($BRANCH) …" >&2
+gh api -X PUT "repos/${OWNER}/${REPO}/branches/${BRANCH}/protection" --input - <<<"$PAYLOAD"
+echo "done — verify with: gh api repos/${OWNER}/${REPO}/branches/${BRANCH}/protection" >&2