edit-github-discussion

name	Edit GitHub Discussion
description	This skill should be used when the user asks to "edit a GitHub discussion", "update discussion content", "iterate on a discussion", "modify discussion body", or wants to make changes to an existing GitHub Discussion. Provides workflow for fetching, editing, and updating GitHub Discussions via GraphQL API.

Edit GitHub Discussion

Guide for editing GitHub Discussion content using the GitHub CLI's GraphQL API.

When to Use

This skill applies when:

• User wants to edit the body/content of a GitHub Discussion
• User mentions "update discussion" or "iterate on discussion"
• User provides a discussion URL like github.com/owner/repo/discussions/123
• User wants to incorporate feedback into a design document hosted as a Discussion

Workflow Overview

1. Fetch discussion content via GraphQL query
2. Save to temporary file for editing
3. Edit the markdown content
4. Get discussion node ID
5. Update via GraphQL mutation

Step 1: Fetch Discussion Content

Extract owner, repo, and discussion number from the URL, then fetch:

gh api graphql -f query='
  query {
    repository(owner: "OWNER", name: "REPO") {
      discussion(number: NUMBER) {
        id
        title
        body
      }
    }
  }
' --jq '.data.repository.discussion.body' > /tmp/discussion-NUMBER.md

The --jq flag extracts just the body content. Save the discussion ID for the update step.

Step 2: Edit the Content

Read the saved file with the Read tool, then use Edit tool to make changes:

# File is at /tmp/discussion-NUMBER.md

Make targeted edits using the Edit tool. For substantial rewrites, use Write tool to replace the entire content.

Step 3: Get Discussion Node ID

The node ID is needed for the update mutation. Fetch it if not already captured:

gh api graphql -f query='
  query {
    repository(owner: "OWNER", name: "REPO") {
      discussion(number: NUMBER) {
        id
      }
    }
  }
' --jq '.data.repository.discussion.id'

Returns an ID like D_kwDOM_QUS84Ajl4m.

Step 4: Update the Discussion

Use the GraphQL mutation with proper variable passing:

BODY=$(cat /tmp/discussion-NUMBER.md)
gh api graphql \
  -f discussionId="D_kwDO..." \
  -f body="$BODY" \
  -f query='
mutation($discussionId: ID!, $body: String!) {
  updateDiscussion(input: {
    discussionId: $discussionId,
    body: $body
  }) {
    discussion {
      url
    }
  }
}'

Key technique: Use -f flags to pass variables, not inline substitution. The body variable must be passed as a shell variable to handle special characters correctly.

Combined One-Liner (Fetch + Save)

gh api graphql -f query='
  query {
    repository(owner: "OWNER", name: "REPO") {
      discussion(number: NUMBER) {
        title
        body
      }
    }
  }
' --jq '.data.repository.discussion.body' > /tmp/discussion-NUMBER.md

Common Issues

Variable Parsing Errors

If the GraphQL mutation fails with "Expected VAR_SIGN" errors, ensure:

• Variables are passed via -f varName="value" flags
• The query uses $varName syntax in the mutation
• Special characters in body content are properly escaped (using shell variable)

Permission Errors

The user must have write access to the discussion. Check with:

gh api repos/OWNER/REPO --jq '.permissions.push'

Large Content

For very large discussions, the shell variable approach works but consider:

• Breaking content into sections if editing is complex
• Using a local file as the source of truth

Example Session

# 1. Fetch and save
gh api graphql -f query='query { repository(owner: "gyrinx-app", name: "gyrinx") { discussion(number: 1299) { id body } } }' --jq '.data.repository.discussion.body' > /tmp/discussion-1299.md

# 2. Edit with Claude's Edit tool
# [Make changes to /tmp/discussion-1299.md]

# 3. Update
BODY=$(cat /tmp/discussion-1299.md)
gh api graphql -f discussionId="D_kwDOM_QUS84Ajl4m" -f body="$BODY" -f query='mutation($discussionId: ID!, $body: String!) { updateDiscussion(input: { discussionId: $discussionId, body: $body }) { discussion { url } } }'

Related GitHub CLI Commands

Command	Purpose
gh api graphql	Execute GraphQL queries/mutations
gh discussion list	List discussions (REST, limited)
gh discussion view	View discussion (REST, limited)

Note: REST API support for discussions is limited. GraphQL is preferred for full read/write access.

Tips

• Always fetch fresh content before editing to avoid overwriting others' changes
• Keep a backup of the original content before major edits
• Use the discussion URL in responses so user can verify changes
• For design documents, consider asking user to confirm changes before updating