github-pr-workflow

name	github-pr-workflow
description	Run a disciplined GitHub pull request workflow from branch creation through merge. Use when opening a PR, updating a PR after review, preparing review-ready diffs, managing draft versus ready states, or landing changes with clear validation and risk notes.
version	0.1.0
author	OpenAI Codex
license	MIT
metadata	{"category":"github","ported_from":"NousResearch Hermes Agent","tags":["github","pull-request","workflow","collaboration"],"tools":["git","github","shell"],"maturity":"beta"}

GitHub PR Workflow

Purpose

• Keep pull requests reviewable and easy to merge safely.
• Separate implementation from presentation and merge hygiene.
• Make reviewer intent clear through titles, descriptions, and test plans.
• Reduce merge friction by handling updates systematically.
• Preserve traceability between issue, code, and validation.

Activation Signals

• Use this skill when opening a new branch for changes.
• Use this skill when preparing a PR for review.
• Use this skill when updating a PR after feedback.
• Use this skill when turning a draft into a merge-ready PR.
• Use this skill when planning labels, reviewers, and merge strategy.

Core Workflow

1. Start from the correct base branch.
2. Keep the branch scope tight.
3. Make coherent commits.
4. Validate before opening the PR.
5. Open a draft PR if the implementation is not review-ready.
6. Write a useful PR title and description.
7. Address review comments with focused follow-up commits.
8. Re-validate before merge.
9. Merge with the right strategy.

Branch Rules

• Branch from the intended base, not a stale local branch.
• Name the branch after the work, not the date.
• Keep unrelated changes out of the branch.
• Avoid force-push unless the team allows it and history cleanup is worth it.

Commit Rules

• One logical change per commit when practical.
• Use commit messages that explain intent, not just files touched.
• Avoid mixing refactor and bug fix unless inseparable.
• Keep WIP commits local when possible.

Pre-PR Validation

• run targeted tests
• run lint if relevant
• check formatting if the repo enforces it
• read the diff yourself before asking others to do it
• note any unverified areas explicitly

PR Title Rules

• Lead with the user-visible or system-visible change.
• Keep it specific.
• Avoid "misc fixes".
• Prefer imperative summaries such as "Fix auth redirect loop during token refresh".

PR Description Template

## Summary
- ...

## Why
- ...

## Testing
- `pytest tests/test_auth.py::test_login_redirect_does_not_loop_when_session_is_hydrated -vv`

## Risks
- ...

Draft Versus Ready

• Open as draft when the implementation is incomplete.
• Open as draft when feedback on direction is needed before polishing.
• Convert to ready only after validation and self-review.
• Do not ask for full review while the branch still contains known broken paths.

Review Update Procedure

1. Group comments by theme.
2. Resolve the highest-risk comments first.
3. Make focused follow-up commits.
4. Reply with what changed and where.
5. Re-run the relevant validation.
6. Avoid "fixed" with no evidence.

Merge Strategy

• Use merge commit when preserving branch history matters.
• Use squash when the branch contains several noisy intermediate commits.
• Use rebase when the repository prefers linear history and the branch is clean.
• Follow repo policy when it is explicit.

Useful Commands

git checkout -b fix-auth-redirect-loop
git status --short
git diff --stat
gh pr create --draft --title "Fix auth redirect loop during token refresh" --body-file PR_BODY.md
gh pr view --web

Reviewer Experience Rules

• Keep the diff small enough to review in one sitting.
• Explain why the change exists.
• State how you validated it.
• Admit unknowns.
• Link related issues or incidents.

Anti-Patterns

• giant PRs with mixed concerns
• vague PR titles
• empty descriptions
• no testing notes
• force-pushing away reviewer context without warning
• mixing comment resolution with unrelated cleanup

Output Contract

When reporting PR progress, include:

• branch name
• PR state: draft or ready
• summary of changes
• validation performed
• remaining risks or blockers

Example Status Block

PR workflow status:
- Branch: fix-auth-redirect-loop
- State: draft
- Summary: auth middleware now waits for hydrated session token before redirecting
- Validation: targeted auth regression test passed
- Remaining blocker: reviewer input needed on fallback behavior during refresh timeout

Decision Rules

• If the diff is large, split before asking for review when possible.
• If the PR changes behavior, tests should usually change too.
• If validation is partial, state the gap explicitly.
• If the branch drifted from base, rebase or merge base before final review.

Recovery Moves

• If review comments are scattered, create a comment-response checklist.
• If the branch became messy, squash or reorder before final merge if policy allows.
• If new scope appears, consider a follow-up PR instead of growing the current one.
• If CI fails, fix CI before asking for another full review pass.

Checklist

1. Start from the correct base branch.
2. Keep scope tight.
3. Self-review the diff.
4. Validate locally.
5. Open draft or ready appropriately.
6. Write a strong title and description.
7. Address feedback in focused updates.
8. Re-validate before merge.