Branches protected by GitHub's branch protection rules can't be deleted directly. Disable protection or ask an admin for permissions to modify it.

GitHub's branch protection settings are designed to safeguard important branches like 'main' or 'develop' from accidental deletion or changes. Protected branches cannot be deleted or force-pushed unless branch protection rules are disabled. To modify or delete a protected branch, go to the repository’s Settings > Branches, locate the branch in 'Branch protection rules,' and disable protection temporarily, if you have admin access. If not, contact a repository admin for assistance. After disabling protection, the branch can be deleted, ensuring these settings can be re-enabled post-deletion to maintain repository security.