| name | merge-dependabot |
| description | Process, review, and merge open Dependabot PRs. Use when the user mentions Dependabot, dependency updates, version bumps, or wants to triage open bot PRs. |
| user-invocable | true |
Merge Dependabot PRs
Process open Dependabot PRs one at a time. Merge if safe, skip if uncertain, report at the end.
Repository context
bash "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/detect-context.sh"
Use these values wherever <placeholder> appears below. If package-manager or default-branch is unknown, or the PR list errored, stop and ask the user.
Phase 1 — Discover
If there are no open Dependabot PRs, exit.
Phase 2 — For each PR
The work tree is shared, so PRs must run serially. Each PR is otherwise independent — delegate the per-PR work to a fresh general-purpose sub-agent so its install logs, rebase output, and browser transcripts don't bloat this main context.
For each open PR, the orchestrator (main thread):
-
Resets the work tree to a known-clean state on the default branch:
git fetch origin <default-branch> && git checkout origin/<default-branch>
-
Spawns a general-purpose sub-agent with this exact prompt — substitute the four values from the detected context and the current PR, but otherwise pass it verbatim and add nothing else:
You are a sub-agent in a larger orchestration that I am coordinating. Your only task is to process Dependabot PR #<number> by reading and following the instructions in ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/process-pr.md.
Use these values throughout that file:
- PR number:
<number>
- Head branch:
<head-branch>
- Default branch:
<default-branch>
- Package manager:
<package-manager>
Read only that instructions file. Do not read SKILL.md or browse other files in the skill directory — the instructions file is self-contained for this task. When done, report back briefly: whether the PR was merged, skipped (and why), or stopped pending human attention (and what's blocking).
-
When the sub-agent finishes, note its outcome — merged, skipped with reason, or stopped pending human attention — along with the PR's title and URL from the detected context, for the Phase 3 report.
-
Moves to the next PR.
Phase 3 — Report
Produce a markdown table with one row per PR processed: a clickable link ([#NNNN](url)), the PR's title, and the final status. Status is one of Merged, Skipped — <reason>, or Needs attention — <what's blocking>. If any rows need attention, surface them as bullets above the table so they aren't missed.
## Dependabot PR Summary
**Needs attention:**
- [#NNNN](url) — <what's blocking>
| PR | Title | Status |
|----|-------|--------|
| [#NNNN](url) | <title> | Merged |
| [#NNNN](url) | <title> | Skipped — <reason> |
| [#NNNN](url) | <title> | Needs attention — <what's blocking> |
Omit the Needs attention callout entirely if no rows need it.