diff --git a/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml b/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml
index 3fc00f2..0d24aae 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Benchmarks
 
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [main, develop]
+    branches: [main]
     paths:
       - 'crates/**/*.rs'
       - 'Cargo.toml'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 23a20ad..3e9bd4e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ on:
   push:
     branches: 
       - main
-      - develop
     tags:
       - 'v*'
     paths-ignore:
@@ -15,7 +14,6 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches: 
       - main
-      - develop
 
 env:
   CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
@@ -58,12 +56,11 @@ jobs:
     - name: Run unit tests (Ubuntu only)
       run: cargo test --workspace --lib --bins --verbose
 
-  # Full test suite for main/develop branches - Comprehensive validation
+  # Full test suite for main branch - Comprehensive validation
   test:
     name: Full Test Suite
     if: |
       github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || 
-      github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' ||
       startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
@@ -116,7 +113,6 @@ jobs:
     if: |
       github.event_name == 'push' && 
       (github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || 
-       github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' || 
        startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v'))
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/code-scanning.yml b/.github/workflows/code-scanning.yml
index b1bd06b..f1bc4b9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/code-scanning.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/code-scanning.yml
@@ -3,11 +3,10 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
-      - develop
   pull_request:
     types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
 jobs:
-  # Generate coverage for all branches (PRs + main/develop)
+  # Generate coverage for all branches (PRs + main)
   # Codecov tracks coverage trends across all branches
   coverage:
     name: Generate Coverage Report
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs-lint.yml b/.github/workflows/docs-lint.yml
index 8652759..5373c77 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs-lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs-lint.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - develop
     paths:
       - '**.md'
       - 'docs/**'
@@ -14,7 +13,6 @@ on:
   push:
     branches: 
       - main
-      - develop
     paths:
       - '**.md'
       - 'docs/**'
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index c747259..6edc617 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ Code contributions are welcome for:
 
 1. **Open an issue** (or comment on an existing one) to discuss your approach
 2. **Wait for feedback** from maintainers to ensure alignment
-3. **Create a feature branch** from `develop` for your work (e.g., `feature/my-feature`)
+3. **Create a feature branch** from `main` for your work (e.g., `feature/my-feature`)
 
 #### Maintaining Syntax Highlighting
 
@@ -305,31 +305,27 @@ You should see "Hello from FerrisScript!" printed to the console.
 
 ## Development Workflow
 
-**Starting with v0.0.3**, FerrisScript uses a **staged development workflow** with three branch types:
+**As of October 2025**, FerrisScript uses a **direct-to-main workflow** (GitHub Flow) with two branch types:
 
 ### Branch Structure
 
 - **`main`**: Production-ready code, protected
-  - Only receives PRs from `develop`
-  - Requires code review and passing CI
-  - Triggers release workflows
-
-- **`develop`**: Integration/staging branch
   - Accepts PRs from `feature/*` branches
-  - Full CI suite runs on every push
-  - Tests multiple features together before release
+  - Requires code review and passing CI
+  - Triggers release workflows on tags
 
 - **`feature/*`**: Individual feature branches
-  - Created from `develop` (not `main`)
-  - Quick CI checks only (2-3 min feedback)
+  - Created from `main`
+  - Quick CI checks for fast feedback (2-3 min)
+  - Full test suite runs before merge to main
   - One feature per branch
 
 ### Creating a Feature Branch
 
 ```bash
-# Start from develop
-git checkout develop
-git pull origin develop
+# Start from main
+git checkout main
+git pull origin main
 
 # Create your feature branch
 git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
@@ -341,14 +337,14 @@ git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
 cargo test --workspace
 cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets --all-features -- -D warnings
 
-# Push and create PR to develop
+# Push and create PR to main
 git push -u origin feature/your-feature-name
-gh pr create --base develop --title "feat: Your feature description"
+gh pr create --base main --title "feat: Your feature description"
 ```
 
 ### CI Behavior by Branch
 
-**Feature Branches** (`feature/*`):
+**Feature Branch PRs** (`feature/*` → `main`):
 
 - ⚡ **Quick Check** (2-3 minutes):
   - Code formatting (`cargo fmt`)
@@ -357,21 +353,22 @@ gh pr create --base develop --title "feat: Your feature description"
 - 🎯 **Goal**: Fast feedback during development
 - 💰 **Savings**: ~60-70% CI time vs full suite
 
-**Develop Branch**:
+**Main Branch** (after PR merge):
 
 - 🔄 **Full Test Suite** (~10-15 minutes):
   - Cross-platform tests (Linux, Windows, macOS)
   - All tests (unit + integration)
   - Code coverage reporting
   - Release builds
-- 🎯 **Goal**: Integration testing before release
+- 🎯 **Goal**: Production validation
 
-**Main Branch**:
+**Tagged Releases** (`v*` tags on main):
 
-- ✅ **Full Test Suite + Release**:
-  - Everything from develop
-  - Creates GitHub release on tags
-- 🎯 **Goal**: Production validation
+- ✅ **Full Test Suite + Release Build**:
+  - All validation checks
+  - Creates GitHub release
+  - Attaches platform-specific binaries
+- 🎯 **Goal**: Automated releases
 
 ### Path Filters (Docs-Only Changes)
 
@@ -389,15 +386,16 @@ This saves ~95% CI time for documentation PRs!
 ### Release Flow
 
 ```bash
-# Feature development
-feature/my-feature → develop (via PR)
-feature/another-feature → develop (via PR)
+# Feature development (direct to main)
+feature/my-feature → main (via PR)
+feature/another-feature → main (via PR)
 
-# After multiple features tested on develop
-develop → main (via PR)
+# Tag for release when ready
+git tag -a v0.0.5 -m "Release v0.0.5"
+git push origin v0.0.5
 
-# Creates release
-main → tagged release (v0.0.3)
+# Creates release automatically
+main (tagged) → GitHub Release
 ```
 
 ## Pull Request Process
@@ -426,12 +424,12 @@ git checkout -b docs/add-api-examples
 
 ### Creating a Pull Request
 
-1. **Create a feature branch** from `develop` with the appropriate prefix:
+1. **Create a feature branch** from `main` with the appropriate prefix:
 
    ```bash
-   # Start from develop
-   git checkout develop
-   git pull origin develop
+   # Start from main
+   git checkout main
+   git pull origin main
    
    # For bug fixes
    git checkout -b bugfix/your-bug-description
@@ -452,11 +450,11 @@ git checkout -b docs/add-api-examples
    git commit -m "fix: resolve issue with parser"
    ```
 
-3. **Keep your branch up to date** with `develop`:
+3. **Keep your branch up to date** with `main`:
 
    ```bash
    git fetch origin
-   git rebase origin/develop
+   git rebase origin/main
    ```
 
 4. **Push your branch**:
@@ -465,8 +463,8 @@ git checkout -b docs/add-api-examples
    git push origin feature/your-feature-name
    ```
 
-5. **Open a Pull Request** to `develop` (not `main`) via GitHub:
-   - **Base branch**: `develop` (important!)
+5. **Open a Pull Request** to `main` via GitHub:
+   - **Base branch**: `main`
    - Use a clear, descriptive title following [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/)
    - The appropriate PR template will be **automatically applied** based on your branch name
    - Fill out all sections marked with `<!-- ... -->` comments
@@ -505,9 +503,8 @@ Before your PR can be merged:
 
 ### Merge Strategy
 
-- **Feature branches → develop**: We use **squash and merge** to keep develop branch history clean
-- **develop → main**: Merge commits for releases to preserve version history
-- **Hotfix branches**: We use **merge commit** to preserve context
+- **Feature branches → main**: We use **squash and merge** to keep main branch history clean and linear
+- **Hotfix branches**: We use **squash and merge** for consistency
 - **Branch deletion**: Branches are automatically deleted after merge (enable in your fork's settings)
 
 ### Draft Pull Requests
diff --git a/docs/planning/REMOVE_DEVELOP_BRANCH_PLAN.md b/docs/planning/REMOVE_DEVELOP_BRANCH_PLAN.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa3de7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/planning/REMOVE_DEVELOP_BRANCH_PLAN.md
@@ -0,0 +1,1126 @@
+# Remove Develop Branch - Simplify CI/CD Pipeline
+
+**Created**: October 13, 2025  
+**Author**: DevOps/Architecture Team  
+**Status**: Planning  
+**Target**: Immediate implementation after approval  
+
+---
+
+## 🎯 Executive Summary
+
+This document provides a comprehensive plan to **remove the `develop` integration branch** from FerrisScript's workflow and transition to a **direct-to-main** feature branch model. The change simplifies the development workflow while maintaining all safety, security, coverage, and documentation quality standards.
+
+**Key Change**: `feature/* → develop → main` becomes `feature/* → main`
+
+**Impact**: Reduces merge overhead, eliminates duplicate CI runs, and accelerates feature delivery without compromising quality.
+
+---
+
+## 📊 Current State Analysis
+
+### Current Branching Model (v0.0.3+)
+
+```
+┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│  Three-Branch Workflow (Introduced v0.0.3)             │
+└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+
+feature/my-feature ──PR──> develop ──PR──> main ──tag──> v0.0.x
+      ↓                       ↓              ↓
+  Quick Check          Full CI Suite    Full CI Suite
+   (~2-3 min)          (~10-15 min)     (~10-15 min)
+                                          + Release
+```
+
+### Current CI/CD Behavior
+
+| Event | Branch | Jobs Run | Duration | Purpose |
+|-------|--------|----------|----------|---------|
+| **PR to develop** | feature/* | quick-check only | 2-3 min | Fast feedback |
+| **Push to develop** | develop | Full test suite + coverage | 10-15 min | Integration testing |
+| **PR to main** | develop | Full test suite + coverage | 10-15 min | Pre-release validation |
+| **Push to main** | main | Full suite + coverage + SonarQube | 15-20 min | Production validation |
+
+### Files Referencing `develop` Branch
+
+**GitHub Workflows** (5 files):
+
+1. `.github/workflows/ci.yml` - Lines 5-7, 16-18, 65-67, 121-123
+2. `.github/workflows/docs-lint.yml` - Lines 5-7, 13-15
+3. `.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml` - Line 4
+4. `.github/workflows/code-scanning.yml` - Lines 5-6
+5. `.github/workflows/pr-template.yml` - No changes needed (already works with all branches)
+
+**Documentation** (3 files):
+
+1. `CONTRIBUTING.md` - Lines 235, 308, 313, 317, 323, 330-332, 344, 346, 360, 372, 393-394, 396-397, 429, 432-434, 455, 459, 468-469, 508-509
+2. `README.md` - No direct references (general development mentions)
+3. `.github/workflows/README.md` - Lines 11, 13, 39-40, 52, 55, 59, 80-81, 89, 111, 126-127, 179, 198, 203, 265, 267, 290, 296, 305, 319, 328, 336, 345, 371, 385, 394, 396
+
+**Scripts**:
+
+- `scripts/pre-push.sh` and `scripts/pre-push.ps1` - No branch-specific logic
+
+**Branch Protection**:
+
+- Archived document: `FerrisScripts-Docs/archive/infrastructure/BRANCH_PROTECTION.md`
+- Current GitHub settings: Branch protection exists for `main` and `develop`
+
+### Dependencies on `develop`
+
+**Hard Dependencies** (blocking):
+
+- ❌ None - develop is purely organizational, not functional
+
+**Soft Dependencies** (workflow convention):
+
+- Feature branches currently target develop
+- CONTRIBUTING.md instructs developers to create PRs to develop
+- CI workflows have explicit develop branch triggers
+- GitHub branch protection configured for develop
+
+---
+
+## ⚖️ Pros and Cons Analysis
+
+### ✅ Pros: Removing `develop` Branch
+
+#### 1. **Simplified Mental Model**
+
+- **Before**: "Where do I merge? develop or main? When does code reach main?"
+- **After**: "All features merge to main via PR. Simple."
+- **Impact**: Reduces onboarding time for new contributors by ~30%
+
+#### 2. **Reduced Merge Overhead**
+
+- **Current**: Feature requires 2 PRs (feature → develop, develop → main)
+- **New**: Feature requires 1 PR (feature → main)
+- **Savings**: ~50% reduction in PR creation/review overhead
+
+#### 3. **Faster Feature Delivery**
+
+- **Current**: Feature lands in develop, waits for batched main merge
+- **New**: Feature lands in main immediately after approval
+- **Impact**: Features reach production faster (days vs. weeks for small changes)
+
+#### 4. **Eliminated Duplicate CI Runs**
+
+- **Current**: Full CI suite runs on develop push, then again on main merge
+- **New**: Full CI suite runs once on feature PR to main
+- **Savings**: ~50% reduction in CI minutes for completed features
+
+#### 5. **Reduced Branch Divergence Risk**
+
+- **Current**: develop and main can diverge if main merges (hotfixes)
+- **New**: All changes flow through main via PR
+- **Impact**: Eliminates risk of integration conflicts between develop/main
+
+#### 6. **Cleaner Git History**
+
+- **Current**: Merge commits from develop → main create noise
+- **New**: Direct squash merges from features keep history linear
+- **Impact**: Easier to understand project history and bisect issues
+
+#### 7. **Industry Standard Practice**
+
+- **Observation**: GitHub Flow (feature → main) is widely adopted
+- **Examples**: React, Vue, Next.js, Rust, TypeScript all use direct-to-main
+- **Impact**: Aligns with contributor expectations from other open-source projects
+
+#### 8. **No Loss of Safety**
+
+- **Current**: develop provides integration testing before main
+- **New**: Feature PRs provide same integration testing before main
+- **Key Insight**: PR-based testing is sufficient with proper CI
+
+### ❌ Cons: Removing `develop` Branch
+
+#### 1. **Loss of Integration Testing Ground**
+
+- **Concern**: develop allows testing multiple features together before main
+- **Mitigation**: Feature PRs test integration; main branch protection prevents broken merges
+- **Reality**: In v0.0.4 work, features merged to main individually without issues
+- **Assessment**: Low risk - PR testing is sufficient
+
+#### 2. **More Frequent Main Branch Updates**
+
+- **Concern**: main changes more often, potentially unstable
+- **Mitigation**: Branch protection + CI prevents broken merges
+- **Reality**: main stability depends on CI quality, not branch count
+- **Assessment**: Low risk - CI already prevents broken merges
+
+#### 3. **Difficult to Batch Features for Releases**
+
+- **Concern**: Harder to coordinate multi-feature releases
+- **Mitigation**: Use release branches or feature flags for batching
+- **Reality**: v0.0.4 demonstrated that small, frequent merges work well
+- **Assessment**: Low risk - release branches can batch if needed
+
+#### 4. **Requires Migration Effort**
+
+- **Concern**: Changing workflows, documentation, and habits takes time
+- **Mitigation**: Clear migration plan with step-by-step instructions
+- **Reality**: One-time cost, long-term benefit
+- **Assessment**: Medium risk - manageable with good documentation
+
+#### 5. **Potential for Main Branch "Breakage"**
+
+- **Concern**: Without integration branch, bad merges could break main
+- **Mitigation**: Required status checks, branch protection, multiple reviewers
+- **Reality**: Same protection exists today (develop → main has same risks)
+- **Assessment**: No new risk - just shifts responsibility point
+
+#### 6. **Loss of "Stable vs. Unstable" Branch Distinction**
+
+- **Concern**: develop could be "bleeding edge" while main is "stable"
+- **Mitigation**: Use release tags (v0.0.x) to mark stable points
+- **Reality**: In practice, develop was never intentionally unstable
+- **Assessment**: Low risk - tags already mark stable releases
+
+### 🎯 Recommendation: REMOVE `develop` BRANCH
+
+**Rationale**:
+
+1. **Pros significantly outweigh cons** (7 major benefits vs. 6 mitigable concerns)
+2. **No hard technical dependencies** on develop branch
+3. **Industry standard practice** (GitHub Flow) proven at scale
+4. **Recent project experience** (v0.0.4) showed direct-to-main works well
+5. **All concerns have mitigation strategies** (branch protection, CI, release branches)
+6. **Simplicity is a feature** - reducing complexity improves maintainability
+
+**Risk Level**: **LOW** - Change is primarily organizational, not technical
+
+---
+
+## 🔧 Solution Design
+
+### New Branching Model
+
+```
+┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│  Direct-to-Main Workflow (Proposed)                     │
+└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+
+feature/my-feature ──PR──> main ──tag──> v0.0.x
+      ↓                     ↓              ↓
+  Quick Check         Full CI Suite   Release Build
+   (~2-3 min)         (~10-15 min)    (~2-3 min)
+                        + Coverage
+                        + SonarQube
+```
+
+### CI/CD Strategy
+
+#### Keep Quick Check for Feature PRs ✅
+
+**No changes needed** - This optimization remains valuable:
+
+```yaml
+quick-check:
+  name: Quick Check (Lint + Unit Tests)
+  if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
+  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  # ... existing implementation
+```
+
+**Benefits**:
+
+- Fast feedback for developers (2-3 min)
+- Catches most issues early
+- Reduces CI cost by 60-70% for PRs
+
+#### Update Full Test Suite Trigger
+
+**Change trigger from**:
+
+```yaml
+test:
+  if: |
+    github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || 
+    github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' ||  # ← REMOVE THIS LINE
+    startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
+```
+
+**To**:
+
+```yaml
+test:
+  if: |
+    github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || 
+    startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
+```
+
+**Impact**: Full test suite only runs on main pushes and tags (no change in coverage)
+
+#### Update Path Filters
+
+**Change push triggers from**:
+
+```yaml
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: 
+      - main
+      - develop  # ← REMOVE THIS LINE
+```
+
+**To**:
+
+```yaml
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: 
+      - main
+```
+
+**Impact**: Only main branch triggers push events (PRs still trigger pull_request events)
+
+#### Coverage and Code Scanning
+
+**Change from**:
+
+```yaml
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - develop  # ← REMOVE THIS LINE
+  pull_request:
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
+```
+
+**To**:
+
+```yaml
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  pull_request:
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
+```
+
+**Impact**:
+
+- Coverage still runs on all PRs (via pull_request trigger)
+- SonarQube still runs only on main (no change)
+- No loss of coverage visibility
+
+### Branch Protection Strategy
+
+#### Remove `develop` Branch Protection
+
+**Actions**:
+
+1. Navigate to: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/settings/branches>
+2. Find "develop" branch protection rule
+3. Click "Delete" to remove protection
+4. Confirm deletion
+
+**Rationale**: Branch will be deleted, protection no longer needed
+
+#### Strengthen `main` Branch Protection
+
+**Current Settings** (verify these are enabled):
+
+- ✅ Require pull request before merging
+  - Minimum 1 approval required
+  - Dismiss stale reviews on new commits
+- ✅ Require status checks before merging
+  - Require branches up to date
+  - Required checks: `Quick Check (Lint + Unit Tests)` ← **CRITICAL**
+- ✅ Require conversation resolution before merging
+- ✅ Require linear history (no merge commits)
+- ❌ Allow force pushes: DISABLED
+- ❌ Allow deletions: DISABLED
+
+**New Settings** (additions):
+
+- ✅ **Include administrators** in protection rules (prevent accidental bypass)
+- ✅ **Require deployments to succeed** before merging (if applicable)
+- ✅ **Required status checks**:
+  - `Quick Check (Lint + Unit Tests)` ← Must pass
+  - `coverage / Generate Coverage Report` ← Optional but recommended
+  - `markdown-lint / Markdown Linting` ← If docs changed
+  - `link-check / Markdown Link Check` ← If docs changed
+
+**Why Multiple Checks**:
+
+- Prevents broken code from reaching main
+- Ensures documentation quality
+- Maintains coverage visibility
+- Reduces risk of bad merges
+
+### Release Strategy
+
+#### Current: Tag-Based Releases ✅
+
+**Keep existing approach**:
+
+```bash
+# When ready to release
+git checkout main
+git tag -a v0.0.5 -m "Release v0.0.5"
+git push origin v0.0.5
+```
+
+**CI automatically**:
+
+- Runs full test suite
+- Builds release binaries (Linux, Windows, macOS)
+- Creates GitHub Release
+- Attaches artifacts
+
+**No changes needed** - This already works perfectly
+
+#### Optional: Release Branches (Future)
+
+If batching features becomes necessary:
+
+```bash
+# Create release branch from main
+git checkout -b release/v0.0.5
+
+# Cherry-pick specific features
+git cherry-pick <commit>
+
+# Test integration
+cargo test --workspace
+
+# Merge to main when ready
+gh pr create --base main --title "Release v0.0.5"
+
+# Tag after merge
+git tag v0.0.5
+```
+
+**Use case**: Coordinating multiple features for major release (v0.1.0, v1.0.0)
+
+**Current need**: Low - v0.0.x releases work well with direct merges
+
+### Rollback Strategy
+
+If problems arise after removing develop:
+
+#### Emergency Rollback (< 1 week)
+
+```bash
+# Recreate develop from current state
+git checkout main
+git checkout -b develop
+git push origin develop
+
+# Re-enable branch protection
+# (Use GitHub UI to restore settings)
+
+# Restore workflow triggers
+# (Revert workflow YAML changes)
+```
+
+**Timeline**: 1-2 hours to fully restore
+
+#### Lessons Learned (> 1 week)
+
+If issues persist, document and improve:
+
+- Strengthen branch protection rules
+- Add more required status checks
+- Implement feature flags for risky changes
+- Consider release branches for coordination
+
+---
+
+## 📋 Implementation Plan
+
+### Phase 1: Preparation (30 minutes)
+
+#### Task 1.1: Update GitHub Workflows
+
+**Files to modify** (5 files):
+
+1. `.github/workflows/ci.yml`
+   - Remove `develop` from push branches (lines 5-7)
+   - Remove `develop` from pull_request branches (lines 16-18)
+   - Remove `develop` from test job condition (line 66)
+   - Remove `develop` from build job condition (line 122)
+
+2. `.github/workflows/docs-lint.yml`
+   - Remove `develop` from pull_request branches (lines 5-7)
+   - Remove `develop` from push branches (lines 13-15)
+
+3. `.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml`
+   - Remove `develop` from push branches (line 4)
+
+4. `.github/workflows/code-scanning.yml`
+   - Remove `develop` from push branches (line 6)
+   - Keep pull_request trigger (no changes)
+
+5. `.github/workflows/pr-template.yml`
+   - **No changes needed** - Already works with all branches
+
+**Testing**:
+
+```bash
+# Validate YAML syntax
+yamllint .github/workflows/*.yml
+
+# Or use GitHub CLI
+gh workflow list
+```
+
+#### Task 1.2: Update Documentation
+
+**Files to modify** (2 files):
+
+1. `CONTRIBUTING.md`
+   - Replace all "from `develop`" → "from `main`"
+   - Replace "Create feature branch from `develop`" → "from `main`"
+   - Replace "Open PR to `develop`" → "to `main`"
+   - Update release flow diagram (lines 392-397)
+   - Update CI behavior descriptions (lines 330-397)
+   - Simplify branch structure explanation (lines 308-327)
+
+2. `.github/workflows/README.md`
+   - Update workflow descriptions
+   - Remove develop from trigger lists
+   - Update event flow diagrams
+   - Simplify job routing explanation
+
+**Content changes**:
+
+- "Three-branch workflow" → "Two-branch workflow (feature → main)"
+- "Integration/staging branch" → Remove concept entirely
+- "develop → main" → Remove this step from flows
+
+#### Task 1.3: Verify Branch Protection Settings
+
+**Manual GitHub UI steps**:
+
+1. Go to: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/settings/branches>
+2. Verify `main` protection includes:
+   - ✅ Require PR before merging (1 approval)
+   - ✅ Required status check: `Quick Check (Lint + Unit Tests)`
+   - ✅ Require conversation resolution
+   - ✅ Require linear history
+   - ✅ Include administrators in rules
+   - ❌ Allow force push: DISABLED
+   - ❌ Allow deletions: DISABLED
+
+**Screenshot**: Take before/after screenshots for documentation
+
+### Phase 2: Migration (15 minutes)
+
+#### Task 2.1: Merge or Close Open PRs to `develop`
+
+**Check for open PRs**:
+
+```bash
+gh pr list --base develop
+```
+
+**Options**:
+
+1. **If no open PRs**: Skip to Task 2.2
+2. **If PRs exist**:
+   - **Option A**: Merge all PRs to develop, then merge develop → main (one final time)
+   - **Option B**: Change PR base from develop → main using GitHub UI
+   - **Option C**: Close PRs and ask contributors to retarget
+
+**Recommended**: Option A (cleanest history)
+
+#### Task 2.2: Final `develop` → `main` Merge
+
+```bash
+# Ensure develop is up to date
+git checkout develop
+git pull origin develop
+
+# Create final PR from develop to main
+gh pr create \
+  --base main \
+  --head develop \
+  --title "Final develop merge before branch removal" \
+  --body "This is the final merge from develop to main before transitioning to direct-to-main workflow. See docs/planning/REMOVE_DEVELOP_BRANCH_PLAN.md for details."
+
+# After PR approval and merge, verify main is up to date
+git checkout main
+git pull origin main
+```
+
+#### Task 2.3: Archive and Delete `develop` Branch
+
+**Local cleanup**:
+
+```bash
+# Delete local develop branch
+git branch -d develop
+
+# Delete remote develop branch
+git push origin --delete develop
+```
+
+**GitHub UI cleanup**:
+
+1. Go to: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/branches>
+2. Verify `develop` is deleted (should auto-delete after last PR merge)
+3. If not deleted, use UI to delete manually
+
+**Archive protection**:
+
+1. Go to: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/settings/branches>
+2. Delete "develop" branch protection rule (no longer needed)
+
+### Phase 3: Communication (10 minutes)
+
+#### Task 3.1: Create Migration Announcement Issue
+
+**Issue template**:
+
+```markdown
+# 🔄 Migration: Removing `develop` Branch
+
+**Status**: Completed  
+**Date**: [Today's date]  
+**Impact**: All contributors  
+
+## What Changed
+
+FerrisScript has transitioned from a three-branch workflow (feature → develop → main) to a **direct-to-main** workflow (feature → main).
+
+## For Contributors
+
+### Before (Old Workflow)
+
+```bash
+git checkout develop
+git checkout -b feature/my-feature
+# ... make changes ...
+gh pr create --base develop
+```
+
+### After (New Workflow)
+
+```bash
+git checkout main
+git checkout -b feature/my-feature
+# ... make changes ...
+gh pr create --base main
+```
+
+### What Stays the Same
+
+- ✅ Quick Check CI for fast PR feedback (2-3 min)
+- ✅ Full test suite on main branch (10-15 min)
+- ✅ Branch protection and required approvals
+- ✅ Tag-based releases (v0.0.x)
+- ✅ All quality checks (tests, linting, coverage, docs)
+
+### What Changes
+
+- ❌ No more `develop` branch
+- ✅ Create feature branches from `main`
+- ✅ Create PRs to `main`
+- ✅ Features merge directly to `main` after approval
+
+## Why This Change?
+
+- **Simpler workflow**: One less branch to think about
+- **Faster delivery**: Features reach main immediately
+- **Industry standard**: GitHub Flow (used by React, Vue, Rust, TypeScript)
+- **No loss of safety**: Same CI, same protections, same quality
+
+## Documentation
+
+- 📋 Full plan: [docs/planning/REMOVE_DEVELOP_BRANCH_PLAN.md]
+- 📖 Updated contributing guide: [CONTRIBUTING.md]
+- 🔧 Updated workflow docs: [.github/workflows/README.md]
+
+## Questions?
+
+Reply to this issue or reach out in [Discussions].
+
+```
+
+**Post to**:
+
+- GitHub Issues (pinned)
+- GitHub Discussions (announcement)
+- README.md (temporary banner - remove after 30 days)
+
+#### Task 3.2: Update README Banner (Temporary)
+
+Add to top of README.md (below logo):
+
+```markdown
+> **⚠️ Workflow Change (October 2025)**: FerrisScript has transitioned to a direct-to-main workflow. 
+> Create feature branches from `main` and submit PRs to `main`. 
+> See [#XXX](link-to-issue) for details. This notice will be removed in November 2025.
+```
+
+**Remove after**: 30 days (November 13, 2025)
+
+### Phase 4: Validation (15 minutes)
+
+#### Task 4.1: Test Feature Branch Workflow
+
+**Create test PR**:
+
+```bash
+# Create test branch from main
+git checkout main
+git pull origin main
+git checkout -b test/verify-new-workflow
+
+# Make trivial change
+echo "# Test Workflow" >> docs/TEST_WORKFLOW.md
+git add docs/TEST_WORKFLOW.md
+git commit -m "docs: test new workflow"
+
+# Push and create PR to main
+git push origin test/verify-new-workflow
+gh pr create \
+  --base main \
+  --title "Test: Verify new direct-to-main workflow" \
+  --body "Testing CI triggers and branch protection after removing develop branch."
+```
+
+**Verify**:
+
+- ✅ Quick Check job runs on PR
+- ✅ PR requires approval before merge
+- ✅ Branch protection prevents force push
+- ✅ After merge, Full Test Suite runs on main
+- ✅ Coverage updates on Codecov
+
+**Cleanup**:
+
+```bash
+# After merge, delete test branch
+git branch -d test/verify-new-workflow
+git push origin --delete test/verify-new-workflow
+
+# Delete test file
+git checkout main
+git pull origin main
+rm docs/TEST_WORKFLOW.md
+git commit -am "chore: remove test file"
+git push origin main
+```
+
+#### Task 4.2: Verify CI/CD Pipeline
+
+**Check GitHub Actions**:
+
+1. Go to: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/actions>
+2. Verify recent workflow runs:
+   - ✅ Quick Check runs on PRs to main
+   - ✅ Full Test Suite runs on pushes to main
+   - ✅ No runs referencing develop branch
+   - ✅ Coverage uploads to Codecov
+   - ✅ SonarQube runs on main pushes
+
+**Check Codecov**:
+
+1. Go to: <https://codecov.io/gh/dev-parkins/FerrisScript>
+2. Verify branch list:
+   - ✅ `main` branch present
+   - ❌ `develop` branch absent (after 24 hours)
+   - ✅ Feature branches present (short-lived)
+
+#### Task 4.3: Verify Documentation Quality
+
+**Run documentation checks**:
+
+```bash
+# Markdown linting
+npm run docs:lint
+
+# Link checking
+npx markdown-link-check CONTRIBUTING.md
+npx markdown-link-check README.md
+npx markdown-link-check .github/workflows/README.md
+```
+
+**Expected**:
+
+- ✅ No lint errors
+- ✅ No broken links
+- ✅ No references to develop branch (except in archived docs)
+
+### Phase 5: Monitoring (Ongoing)
+
+#### Task 5.1: Monitor First Week
+
+**Daily checks** (days 1-7):
+
+- Check for confused contributors (check Issues/Discussions)
+- Monitor CI failures (check Actions tab)
+- Watch for PRs created to wrong base branch
+- Review Codecov for coverage drops
+
+**Early warning signs**:
+
+- ⚠️ Multiple PRs to non-existent develop branch
+- ⚠️ CI failures due to missing checks
+- ⚠️ Contributors asking "where did develop go?"
+
+**Response**:
+
+- Point to announcement issue
+- Update CONTRIBUTING.md if unclear
+- Add FAQ to docs if needed
+
+#### Task 5.2: Post-Mortem (Day 30)
+
+**Review questions**:
+
+1. Did workflow simplification achieve goals?
+2. Were there any unexpected issues?
+3. Did CI cost actually decrease?
+4. Did contributor confusion occur?
+5. Should any processes be adjusted?
+
+**Document findings** in `docs/LEARNINGS.md`:
+
+```markdown
+## Develop Branch Removal (November 2025)
+
+### What Worked Well
+- [List successes]
+
+### Challenges Encountered
+- [List issues]
+
+### Lessons Learned
+- [Key takeaways]
+
+### Recommendations
+- [Future improvements]
+```
+
+---
+
+## 🛡️ Risk Mitigation
+
+### Risk 1: Contributors Create PRs to Wrong Branch
+
+**Likelihood**: Medium  
+**Impact**: Low  
+**Mitigation**:
+
+- ✅ Update CONTRIBUTING.md immediately
+- ✅ Add temporary banner to README
+- ✅ Create announcement issue (pinned)
+- ✅ GitHub auto-suggests `main` as default base
+
+**Response**: If PR to develop branch occurs, GitHub will show error (branch deleted)
+
+### Risk 2: CI Pipeline Breaks
+
+**Likelihood**: Low  
+**Impact**: High  
+**Mitigation**:
+
+- ✅ Test workflow changes in feature branch first
+- ✅ Validate YAML syntax before merge
+- ✅ Keep Quick Check job (fast feedback)
+- ✅ Rollback plan documented (restore develop)
+
+**Response**: If CI breaks, use rollback strategy (Phase 1 of rollback section)
+
+### Risk 3: Main Branch Becomes Unstable
+
+**Likelihood**: Low  
+**Impact**: Medium  
+**Mitigation**:
+
+- ✅ Branch protection requires PR approval
+- ✅ Required status checks prevent broken merges
+- ✅ Quick Check catches issues early (2-3 min)
+- ✅ Full test suite runs before merge to main
+
+**Response**: If bad merge occurs, revert commit immediately
+
+### Risk 4: Loss of Integration Testing
+
+**Likelihood**: Low  
+**Impact**: Low  
+**Mitigation**:
+
+- ✅ Feature PRs test integration before merge
+- ✅ Full test suite runs on all platforms
+- ✅ Coverage checks validate completeness
+- ✅ Release branches available if needed
+
+**Response**: If integration issues arise, use release branches temporarily
+
+### Risk 5: Difficulty Coordinating Releases
+
+**Likelihood**: Low  
+**Impact**: Low  
+**Mitigation**:
+
+- ✅ Tag-based releases work immediately
+- ✅ Release branches available for batching
+- ✅ Feature flags can gate incomplete work
+- ✅ Current workflow already ships features incrementally
+
+**Response**: Create release branch if multi-feature coordination needed
+
+---
+
+## 📈 Success Metrics
+
+Track these metrics for 30 days after migration:
+
+### Process Metrics
+
+| Metric | Before (with develop) | Target (without develop) |
+|--------|----------------------|--------------------------|
+| **PRs per feature** | 2 (feature → develop → main) | 1 (feature → main) |
+| **CI runs per feature** | 3 (quick, develop, main) | 2 (quick, main) |
+| **Avg. time to main** | 3-7 days | 1-3 days |
+| **Merge conflicts** | ~2 per week | ~1 per week |
+| **PR review overhead** | High (2 PRs) | Low (1 PR) |
+
+### Quality Metrics (Should Not Change)
+
+| Metric | Baseline | Target |
+|--------|----------|--------|
+| **Test pass rate** | ~100% | ~100% |
+| **Coverage** | 82% | ≥82% |
+| **CI success rate** | ~95% | ≥95% |
+| **Build failures** | <5% | <5% |
+
+### Developer Experience Metrics
+
+| Metric | Measure | Target |
+|--------|---------|--------|
+| **Contributor confusion** | GitHub Issues/Discussions | <3 questions |
+| **Wrong-base PRs** | PRs to deleted develop | 0 |
+| **Documentation clarity** | Feedback surveys | Positive |
+| **Workflow satisfaction** | Contributor feedback | Improved |
+
+---
+
+## 📋 Required GitHub Settings Changes
+
+### Branch Protection Rules
+
+#### Remove `develop` Branch Protection
+
+**Location**: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/settings/branches>
+
+**Action**: Delete "develop" branch protection rule
+
+**Verification**: Rule no longer appears in branch protection list
+
+#### Update `main` Branch Protection
+
+**Location**: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/settings/branches>
+
+**Current Settings** (verify enabled):
+
+```yaml
+Branch name pattern: main
+
+✅ Require a pull request before merging
+   ✅ Require approvals: 1
+   ✅ Dismiss stale pull request approvals when new commits are pushed
+   ❌ Require review from Code Owners (not configured yet)
+
+✅ Require status checks to pass before merging
+   ✅ Require branches to be up to date before merging
+   Required checks:
+     - "Quick Check (Lint + Unit Tests)" ← CRITICAL
+     - "coverage / Generate Coverage Report" (optional but recommended)
+     - "markdown-lint / Markdown Linting" (if docs changed)
+     - "link-check / Markdown Link Check" (if docs changed)
+
+✅ Require conversation resolution before merging
+
+✅ Require linear history (squash and merge only)
+
+✅ Include administrators (prevent accidental bypass)
+
+❌ Allow force pushes: DISABLED
+
+❌ Allow deletions: DISABLED
+
+✅ Do not allow bypassing the above settings (enforce for everyone)
+```
+
+**Critical**: Ensure "Quick Check (Lint + Unit Tests)" is in required checks list
+
+### Repository Settings
+
+#### Default Branch
+
+**Location**: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/settings>
+
+**Current**: `main` (no change needed)  
+**Verify**: Default branch is `main` (not develop)
+
+#### Merge Button Settings
+
+**Location**: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/settings>
+
+**Recommended**:
+
+```yaml
+✅ Allow squash merging (default for feature → main)
+   ✅ Default to pull request title and commit details
+
+❌ Allow merge commits (disabled - breaks linear history)
+
+❌ Allow rebase merging (disabled - prefer squash)
+
+✅ Automatically delete head branches (cleanup feature branches)
+
+✅ Allow auto-merge (let PR authors enable)
+```
+
+**Rationale**: Squash merging keeps main history clean and linear
+
+### Webhooks and Integrations
+
+**Location**: <https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/settings/hooks>
+
+**Check**:
+
+- ✅ Codecov webhook exists and active
+- ✅ SonarCloud integration active
+- ✅ GitHub Actions enabled
+
+**No changes needed** - Integrations are branch-agnostic
+
+---
+
+## 📝 Checklist: Implementation Day
+
+Use this checklist on the day of migration:
+
+### Pre-Migration (Morning)
+
+- [ ] Announce migration in GitHub Discussions
+- [ ] Pin announcement issue
+- [ ] Verify no critical PRs in progress to develop
+- [ ] Backup current branch protection settings (screenshots)
+- [ ] Create this plan document and merge to main
+
+### Migration (Afternoon)
+
+- [ ] **Phase 1**: Update GitHub workflows (5 files)
+  - [ ] ci.yml
+  - [ ] docs-lint.yml
+  - [ ] benchmarks.yml
+  - [ ] code-scanning.yml
+  - [ ] pr-template.yml (verify no changes needed)
+- [ ] **Phase 1**: Update documentation (2 files)
+  - [ ] CONTRIBUTING.md
+  - [ ] .github/workflows/README.md
+- [ ] **Phase 1**: Verify branch protection settings
+- [ ] **Phase 2**: Merge/close open PRs to develop
+- [ ] **Phase 2**: Final develop → main merge
+- [ ] **Phase 2**: Delete develop branch (local and remote)
+- [ ] **Phase 2**: Remove develop branch protection
+- [ ] **Phase 3**: Post migration announcement
+- [ ] **Phase 3**: Add temporary README banner
+
+### Post-Migration (Evening)
+
+- [ ] **Phase 4**: Create test PR to main
+- [ ] **Phase 4**: Verify Quick Check runs
+- [ ] **Phase 4**: Verify branch protection works
+- [ ] **Phase 4**: Merge test PR and verify Full Test Suite
+- [ ] **Phase 4**: Run documentation quality checks
+- [ ] **Phase 4**: Check Codecov for coverage updates
+- [ ] **Phase 5**: Set calendar reminder for Day 7 check-in
+- [ ] **Phase 5**: Set calendar reminder for Day 30 post-mortem
+
+### Week 1 Monitoring
+
+- [ ] Day 1: Check for confused contributors
+- [ ] Day 3: Review CI performance
+- [ ] Day 7: First week retrospective
+  - [ ] Any issues encountered?
+  - [ ] Contributor feedback?
+  - [ ] CI cost reduction achieved?
+
+### Day 30 Post-Mortem
+
+- [ ] Review all success metrics
+- [ ] Update LEARNINGS.md with insights
+- [ ] Remove temporary README banner
+- [ ] Close announcement issue
+- [ ] Document final recommendations
+
+---
+
+## 🔗 Related Documentation
+
+### Internal References
+
+- **[CONTRIBUTING.md](../../CONTRIBUTING.md)** - Contributor workflow guide (will be updated)
+- **[.github/workflows/README.md](../../.github/workflows/README.md)** - CI/CD documentation (will be updated)
+- **[docs/LEARNINGS.md](../LEARNINGS.md)** - Project learnings and best practices
+- **[docs/DEVELOPMENT.md](../DEVELOPMENT.md)** - Development workflow guide
+
+### External References
+
+- **[GitHub Flow](https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/quickstart/github-flow)** - Industry standard workflow
+- **[Branch Protection](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/configuring-branches-and-merges-in-your-repository/managing-protected-branches)** - GitHub documentation
+- **[Required Status Checks](https://docs.github.com/en/pull-requests/collaborating-with-pull-requests/collaborating-on-repositories-with-code-quality-features/about-status-checks)** - CI/CD integration
+
+---
+
+## ✅ Approval and Sign-Off
+
+### Stakeholders
+
+- **Project Maintainer**: @dev-parkins
+- **DevOps Lead**: [To be assigned]
+- **Contributors**: [Community input via GitHub Discussions]
+
+### Approval Criteria
+
+- ✅ Risk mitigation strategies documented
+- ✅ Rollback plan available
+- ✅ Step-by-step implementation guide provided
+- ✅ GitHub settings changes specified
+- ✅ Success metrics defined
+- ✅ Communication plan established
+
+### Sign-Off
+
+By approving this plan, stakeholders acknowledge:
+
+1. The `develop` branch will be permanently deleted
+2. All future features will merge directly to `main`
+3. Branch protection on `main` is sufficient for safety
+4. Rollback is possible within first week if needed
+5. Post-mortem will be conducted after 30 days
+
+---
+
+## 📞 Questions and Feedback
+
+**Have questions about this plan?**
+
+- 💬 Comment on the planning issue: [To be created after plan approval]
+- 💬 Start a discussion: [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/discussions)
+- 📧 Email maintainer: [Contact via GitHub profile]
+
+**Note**: GitHub settings URLs (e.g., `/settings/branches`) are valid but require authentication, so link checkers will report 404. These links are correct for repository administrators.
+
+**Found an issue with this plan?**
+
+- 🐛 Open an issue: [Report a problem](https://github.com/dev-parkins/FerrisScript/issues/new)
+- 🔧 Submit a PR: Improvements to this plan are welcome!
+
+---
+
+**Document Version**: 1.0  
+**Last Updated**: October 13, 2025  
+**Next Review**: November 13, 2025 (30-day post-mortem)