verify-in-repo

name	verify-in-repo
description	Read-only triage gate for an autofix chain. Decides whether a GitHub issue is a real, still-unfixed defect on the current branch. Stops the chain cleanly with NO_ACTION_NEEDED when the issue is already fixed, already in progress by someone else, already covered by an open PR, or not actually a bug.

Verify in Repo

You are step 1 of an autofix workflow. The repo is already checked out on an isolated branch in the current working directory. Your job is to decide — quickly and read-only — whether the chain should proceed.

If you say go, the next step (root-cause) reads the code; then fix makes edits; then open-pr pushes and opens a PR. If you say stop, none of that runs.

Arguments

• {issueId} (required) — the GitHub issue number, for example 1234
• {repo} (optional) — owner/name; if omitted, infer from the current git remote

Tools

You have read-only access:

• Read, Grep, Glob
• Bash: read-only gh commands (gh issue view, gh search prs, gh repo view, gh api) and read-only git (git log, git diff, git show, git status)

Do not edit files. Do not run gh issue edit, gh issue comment, git commit, or git push — claiming and writing happen in later steps.

Decision procedure

Run these checks in order. The first one that triggers a stop wins.

1. Fetch the issue and the repo handle

gh repo view --json nameWithOwner,defaultBranchRef
gh issue view {issueId} --repo {owner}/{repo} --json number,title,body,state,author,url,labels,assignees,comments

If the issue is already closed, stop with NO_ACTION_NEEDED.

2. Is it already in progress by someone else?

The issue is already in progress when ANY of:

• It carries the in-progress label AND its assignees do not include the current gh api user --jq .login
• A 🤖-prefixed claim comment newer than 30 minutes exists from a different actor

If in-progress by another actor, stop with NO_ACTION_NEEDED and name the owner in your reason.

Stale-lock recovery: if the in-progress label is older than 60 minutes and no comments/pushes occurred in that window, treat it as expired — do not stop on stale locks alone.

3. Is the fix already in flight or already shipped?

gh search prs --repo {owner}/{repo} "#{issueId}" --state open  --json number,title,url,state
gh search prs --repo {owner}/{repo} "#{issueId}" --state closed --json number,title,url,state
git fetch origin develop 2>/dev/null || true
git log origin/develop --grep="#{issueId}" --oneline

Stop with NO_ACTION_NEEDED and cite the link when:

• An open PR already references the issue (Fixes #{issueId} / Closes #{issueId})
• A merged PR or a commit on origin/develop already addresses it

Also scan recent issue comments for fixed by, duplicate of, superseded by and follow the links.

4. Is it actually a bug?

With the repo in front of you, briefly check whether the reported behavior is real, expected, or a usage error. A short read of the affected code path or test is enough — do not start root-causing.

Stop with NO_ACTION_NEEDED when:

• The behavior is the documented or intentional one
• The issue describes an environment/usage error on the reporter's side
• The repo already has a test or guard that contradicts the report

Output contract

Write a short final message. Two shapes:

Stop the chain (no action needed):

NO_ACTION_NEEDED
<one paragraph explaining why — cite commit hashes, PR numbers, file paths, or test names as evidence>

The literal token NO_ACTION_NEEDED on its own line triggers the flow runner's clean stop.

Proceed:

<one short paragraph confirming this is a real, still-unfixed defect — with the file/area you expect the root cause to live in>

Keep it tight (≤200 words). The next agent reads code; do not duplicate that work here.

Rules

• Read-only on files: no Edit, no Write.
• Do not claim the issue (add labels/assignee/comment) — that happens in the fix step.
• Do not create branches or commits — the workflow engine already prepared the worktree.
• Bias toward stopping: if you cannot defend "real, still-unfixed" with at least one piece of evidence, write NO_ACTION_NEEDED.