chore: remove all browserTarget references from codebase

Author: JohannesHoppe

CLAUDE.md

@@ -127,21 +127,13 @@ actions.ts (deploy function)
 
 ### Build Target Resolution
 
-**Internal Implementation Precedence (what the code actually does):**
+**Precedence:**
 1. `prerenderTarget` - For SSG/prerendering builds (if specified, overrides all others)
-2. `browserTarget` - **DEPRECATED** legacy option (if specified, takes precedence over buildTarget for backward compatibility)
-3. `buildTarget` - Standard build target (if specified)
-4. Default - `${project}:build:production`
-
-**User-Facing Precedence (what we tell users in README.md):**
-1. `prerenderTarget` (if specified) — highest priority
-2. `buildTarget`
-3. Default: `${project}:build:production` if none specified
-
-**Note:** `browserTarget` is deliberately HIDDEN from user-facing documentation per deprecation policy, even though it still works internally for backward compatibility.
+2. `buildTarget` - Standard build target (if specified)
+3. Default - `${project}:build:production`
 
 **Implementation details:**
-- Static build target: `browserTarget || buildTarget || default` (see `src/deploy/builder.ts`)
+- Static build target: `buildTarget || default` (see `src/deploy/builder.ts`)
 - Final target: `prerenderTarget || staticBuildTarget` (see `src/deploy/builder.ts`)
 
 Output directory resolution:
@@ -191,20 +183,10 @@ The engine appends CI metadata to commit messages when running on:
 ## Deprecated Options (Maintainers Only)
 
 **Current deprecated options:**
-- `browserTarget` - Replaced by `buildTarget`, still works for compatibility
 - `noSilent` - Ignored with warning
 
-**Policy:** DO NOT promote deprecated options in user-facing docs (README.md). Hide `browserTarget` from precedence explanations and configuration examples.
-
-**Schema deprecation format:**
-```json
-"browserTarget": {
-  "type": "string",
-  "deprecated": true,
-  "x-deprecated": "Use buildTarget instead. Kept for backwards compatibility.",
-  "description": "DEPRECATED: Use buildTarget instead. Legacy alias kept for backwards compatibility only."
-}
-```
+**Removed options (v2.1+):**
+- `browserTarget` - Removed entirely, use `buildTarget` instead
 
 ## Testing
 

README.md

@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ This can be very useful because it outputs what would happen without doing anyth
 
 To avoid all these command-line cmd options, you can write down your configuration in the `angular.json` file in the `options` attribute of your deploy project's architect. Just change the kebab-case to lower camel case. Commonly used options in lower camel case (see `src/deploy/schema.json` for the complete list including deprecated options):
 
-<!-- deprecated options (browserTarget, noSilent) hidden per deprecation policy -->
+<!-- deprecated options (noSilent) hidden per deprecation policy -->
 - baseHref
 - buildTarget
 - prerenderTarget

docs/README_standalone.md

@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ npx angular-cli-ghpages --dir=www
 The following parameters are **only available** when using `ng deploy` (Angular Builder integration) and are **not supported** by the standalone CLI:
 
 - `--build-target` / `buildTarget`
-- `--browser-target` / `browserTarget`
 - `--prerender-target` / `prerenderTarget`
 - `--no-build` / `noBuild`
 - `--base-href` / `baseHref` (only as a build option; use `ng build --base-href` instead)

src/deploy/schema.d.ts

@@ -17,11 +17,6 @@ export interface Schema {
    * A named build target, as specified in the `configurations` section of angular.json. Each named target is accompanied by a configuration of option defaults for that target. This is equivalent to calling the command `ng build --configuration=XXX`.
    */
   buildTarget?: string;
-  /**
-   * @deprecated
-   * DEPRECATED: Use buildTarget instead. Legacy alias kept for backwards compatibility only.
-   */
-  browserTarget?: string;
   /**
    * Architect target for prerendering/SSG. Takes precedence over buildTarget when specified. Requires a prerender target configured in angular.json.
    */

src/parameter-tests/build-target.spec.ts

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import { Schema } from '../deploy/schema';
  *
  * Tests for Angular Builder-specific target parameters:
  * - buildTarget: Standard build target
- * - browserTarget: Legacy/alternative build target
  * - prerenderTarget: SSG/prerender build target
  * - noBuild: Skip build process
  *
@@ -109,65 +108,6 @@ describe('Build Target Resolution', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('browserTarget parameter (legacy)', () => {
-    it('should use browserTarget when specified', async () => {
-      const browserTarget = `${PROJECT}:build:staging`;
-      const expectedBuildTarget: BuildTarget = { name: browserTarget };
-      const options: Schema = { browserTarget, noBuild: false };
-
-      await deploy(mockEngine, context, expectedBuildTarget, options);
-
-      expect(scheduleTargetSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-      expect(scheduleTargetSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        {
-          project: PROJECT,
-          target: 'build',
-          configuration: 'staging'
-        },
-        {}
-      );
-    });
-
-    it('should parse browserTarget with project:target:configuration format', async () => {
-      const browserTarget = 'legacy-app:build:development';
-      const expectedBuildTarget: BuildTarget = { name: browserTarget };
-      const options: Schema = { browserTarget, noBuild: false };
-
-      await deploy(mockEngine, context, expectedBuildTarget, options);
-
-      expect(scheduleTargetSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        {
-          project: 'legacy-app',
-          target: 'build',
-          configuration: 'development'
-        },
-        {}
-      );
-    });
-  });
-
-  describe('buildTarget vs browserTarget precedence', () => {
-    it('should prefer browserTarget over buildTarget when both specified', async () => {
-      // Note: In builder.ts line 25, browserTarget comes BEFORE buildTarget in the OR chain
-      const browserTarget = `${PROJECT}:build:staging`;
-      const buildTarget = `${PROJECT}:build:production`;
-      const expectedBuildTarget: BuildTarget = { name: browserTarget };
-      const options: Schema = { browserTarget, buildTarget, noBuild: false };
-
-      await deploy(mockEngine, context, expectedBuildTarget, options);
-
-      // Should use browserTarget (comes first in OR chain)
-      expect(scheduleTargetSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        {
-          project: PROJECT,
-          target: 'build',
-          configuration: 'staging'
-        },
-        {}
-      );
-    });
-  });
-
   describe('prerenderTarget parameter', () => {
     it('should use prerenderTarget for SSG builds', async () => {
       const prerenderTarget = `${PROJECT}:prerender:production`;
@@ -224,45 +164,6 @@ describe('Build Target Resolution', () => {
       );
     });
 
-    it('should prefer prerenderTarget over browserTarget when both specified', async () => {
-      const prerenderTarget = `${PROJECT}:prerender:production`;
-      const browserTarget = `${PROJECT}:build:staging`;
-      const expectedPrerenderTarget: BuildTarget = { name: prerenderTarget };
-      const options: Schema = { prerenderTarget, browserTarget, noBuild: false };
-
-      await deploy(mockEngine, context, expectedPrerenderTarget, options);
-
-      // Should use prerenderTarget (highest precedence)
-      expect(scheduleTargetSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        {
-          project: PROJECT,
-          target: 'prerender',
-          configuration: 'production'
-        },
-        {}
-      );
-    });
-
-    it('should handle all three target types specified simultaneously', async () => {
-      // Precedence: prerenderTarget > browserTarget > buildTarget > default
-      const prerenderTarget = `${PROJECT}:prerender:production`;
-      const browserTarget = `${PROJECT}:build:staging`;
-      const buildTarget = `${PROJECT}:build:development`;
-      const expectedPrerenderTarget: BuildTarget = { name: prerenderTarget };
-      const options: Schema = { prerenderTarget, browserTarget, buildTarget, noBuild: false };
-
-      await deploy(mockEngine, context, expectedPrerenderTarget, options);
-
-      // Should use prerenderTarget (highest priority)
-      expect(scheduleTargetSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        {
-          project: PROJECT,
-          target: 'prerender',
-          configuration: 'production'
-        },
-        {}
-      );
-    });
   });
 
   describe('noBuild parameter', () => {