aiq-prepare-pr

name	aiq-prepare-pr
description	Use when preparing, opening, or updating an AI-Q pull request — scoping the branch, signing commits with DCO, filling the PR template with real validation evidence, and following the copy-pr-bot CI and merge flow.
license	Apache-2.0
compatibility	Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode, and Agent Skills-compatible tools.
metadata	{"version":"0.1.0","source-repo":"NVIDIA-AI-Blueprints/aiq","tags":"aiq pull-request dco contributing release-qa"}
allowed-tools	Read Bash Edit

Prepare an AI-Q Pull Request

Use this skill to take a finished AI-Q change from a working branch to a review-ready pull request: a focused branch off develop, DCO-signed commits, the PR template filled with real validation evidence, and the copy-pr-bot CI flow followed correctly.

Start Here

• Confirm the change is scoped: no unrelated files, no generated artifacts, no secrets, no environment-specific hostnames.
• Confirm validation already ran. This skill does not invent test commands — run aiq-release-qa first and reuse its exact output as evidence.
• Confirm every commit is signed off (DCO). Commits without a Signed-off-by trailer may be rejected.
• Target the develop branch unless a maintainer asked for a release branch.

Authoritative References

• CONTRIBUTING.md: the canonical PR workflow, Local Validation, DCO text, and the copy-pr-bot / /ok to test / /merge flow.
• .github/pull_request_template.md: the exact sections and checklist your PR description must fill.
• AGENTS.md: "Git and PR hygiene" and the validation commands aiq-release-qa runs.

For the step-by-step checklist and the bot command reference:

• references/pr-checklist.md

Workflow

1. Verify the branch is focused and based on develop; rebase or reset scope if unrelated files crept in.
2. Ensure every commit is signed: git commit -s (and git commit --amend -s or git rebase --signoff to fix unsigned commits already made).
3. Run the relevant checks via aiq-release-qa and keep the exact output.
4. Push the branch and open the PR into develop.
5. Fill the PR template: Overview, Validation (paste the commands and output), reviewer starting point, related issues, and tick every checklist box you can honestly tick.
6. Drive CI: a maintainer or vetter comments /ok to test, copy-pr-bot mirrors the PR to pull-request/<number>, and CI runs there.
7. Address review feedback until required checks and code-owner review pass.

Validation

This skill is about PR hygiene, not code execution; verify the contributor mechanics:

git log --pretty=full origin/develop..HEAD | grep -c "Signed-off-by:"  # every commit signed
git diff --name-only origin/develop..HEAD                              # only intended files
git status --porcelain                                                 # no stray artifacts

Expected: the sign-off count equals your commit count, the changed-file list contains only files relevant to this change, and the working tree is clean.

Common Mistakes

• Unsigned commits. Use git commit -s; fix existing ones with git rebase --signoff origin/develop before pushing.
• A vague Validation section. Paste the real commands and their output from aiq-release-qa; "ran tests" is not evidence.
• Scope creep: unrelated refactors, formatting churn on untouched files, or committed generated artifacts.
• Committing secrets or deploy/.env values. Resolve secrets at runtime; never paste them into the PR.
• Expecting CI to run on push alone — it runs on the copy-pr-bot mirror after /ok to test.
• Skipping the docs update for user-facing or contributor-facing changes.

Related Skills

• aiq-release-qa
• aiq-add-tool
• aiq-add-data-source