try-pr

name	try-pr
description	Check out a GitHub PR locally, build the rust CLI in packages/rust, and print the command to run the resulting binary in one step. Use when the user wants to try, test, or run a PR's version of the darkfactory CLI. Invoke as `/try-pr <PR#> [-- <cli args>...]`.

try-pr

Fetch a PR branch, build the rust CLI, and print out how to run it — in one shot.

Usage

/try-pr <PR#> [-- <cli args>...]

Examples:

• /try-pr 42 — checkout PR 42, build, print out how to run with no args

Workflow

Run these steps in order. Use a TodoWrite list so the user can see progress.

1. Parse args

From the skill args string, extract:

• PR_NUMBER: the first token, must be a positive integer
• CLI_ARGS: everything after the first -- token (may be empty)

If PR_NUMBER is missing or non-numeric, stop and ask the user for a PR number.

2. Stash uncommitted work

Before switching branches, check git status --porcelain. If the tree is dirty, ask the user whether to:

• stash changes (git stash push -u -m "try-pr <PR#>"), or
• abort

Never discard uncommitted work without explicit confirmation.

3. Fetch and check out the PR

Use git directly (no gh CLI is available):

git fetch origin "pull/<PR#>/head:pr-<PR#>"
git checkout "pr-<PR#>"

If the local branch pr-<PR#> already exists, force-update it:

git fetch origin "pull/<PR#>/head"
git checkout -B "pr-<PR#>" FETCH_HEAD

If the fetch fails (network error), retry up to 4 times with exponential backoff (2s, 4s, 8s, 16s). If it still fails, surface the error to the user and stop.

4. Build the CLI

cargo build --manifest-path packages/rust/Cargo.toml --release

If the build fails, show the cargo error output to the user and stop — do not try to "fix" the PR's code.

5. Print out how to run the binary & remind the user how to get back

echo './packages/rust/target/release/darkfactory'

Also include:

• which branch they're now on (pr-<PR#>)
• how to return to their previous branch (git checkout - or the branch name you recorded in step 2)
• if a stash was created, how to restore it (git stash pop)

Notes

• This skill is read-only with respect to the PR: it never pushes, comments, or modifies the PR.
• Use --release so repeated runs are fast after the first build; cargo caches incremental artifacts.