diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 8da2a45..69312df 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ updates:
     directory: /
     schedule:
       interval: daily
+    target-branch: "main"
     allow:
       - dependency-type: direct
     versioning-strategy: increase-if-necessary
diff --git a/.github/settings.yml b/.github/settings.yml
index adbef7e..c742871 100644
--- a/.github/settings.yml
+++ b/.github/settings.yml
@@ -15,32 +15,7 @@ branches:
     protection:
       required_status_checks: null
       enforce_admins: true
-      required_pull_request_reviews:
-        required_approving_review_count: 1
-        require_code_owner_reviews: true
-        require_last_push_approval: true
-        dismiss_stale_reviews: true
-      restrictions:
-        apps: []
-        users: []
-        teams: [ "cli-team" ]
-  - name: latest
-    protection:
-      required_status_checks: null
-      enforce_admins: true
-      required_pull_request_reviews:
-        required_approving_review_count: 1
-        require_code_owner_reviews: true
-        require_last_push_approval: true
-        dismiss_stale_reviews: true
-      restrictions:
-        apps: []
-        users: []
-        teams: [ "cli-team" ]
-  - name: release/v*
-    protection:
-      required_status_checks: null
-      enforce_admins: true
+      block_creations: true
       required_pull_request_reviews:
         required_approving_review_count: 1
         require_code_owner_reviews: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 5762610..4b8d4a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
-      - latest
-      - release/v*
   schedule:
     # "At 09:00 UTC (02:00 PT) on Monday" https://crontab.guru/#0_9_*_*_1
     - cron: "0 9 * * 1"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
index 2124487..f7e691d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
@@ -6,13 +6,9 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
-      - latest
-      - release/v*
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
-      - latest
-      - release/v*
   schedule:
     # "At 10:00 UTC (03:00 PT) on Monday" https://crontab.guru/#0_10_*_*_1
     - cron: "0 10 * * 1"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
index 721ea3c..b2c2479 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
@@ -47,4 +47,4 @@ jobs:
         env:
           PR_TITLE: ${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}
         run: |
-          echo '$PR_TITLE' | npx --offline commitlint -V
+          echo "$PR_TITLE" | npx --offline commitlint -V
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 1710109..3978bb1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
-      - latest
-      - release/v*
 
 permissions:
   contents: write
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index bd32d38..611f7e6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
   },
   "templateOSS": {
     "//@npmcli/template-oss": "This file is partially managed by @npmcli/template-oss. Edits may be overwritten.",
-    "version": "4.17.0",
+    "version": "4.18.0",
     "publish": "true"
   },
   "tap": {