summarize-conversation-thread

name	summarize-conversation-thread
description	Use when catching up on a long GitHub issue or PR discussion thread, or asked to summarize a thread, extract key decisions, or list action items - produces a structured summary with TL;DR, decisions, action items, open questions, and next steps

Summarize Conversation Thread Skill

Read long GitHub issue or PR threads and produce concise summaries highlighting what matters.

When to Use

Activate when:

• Catching up on a lengthy discussion
• Preparing to contribute to an existing thread
• Extracting decisions from a closed issue
• Identifying action items from a discussion

When NOT to use: Skip for short threads (fewer than ~5 comments) — just read them directly.

Getting the Thread

First, obtain the full thread content:

• Issues: gh issue view <number> --comments (requires the gh CLI, authenticated)
• PRs: gh pr view <number> --comments
• No gh CLI or no repo access: Ask the user to paste the thread content

Output Structure

## Summary: [Issue/PR Title]

**Status**: [Open/Closed] | **Comments**: [X] | **Last Activity**: [date]

### TL;DR

[2-3 sentence summary of the core discussion]

### Key Decisions

- **[Decision]**: [context and who decided]

### Action Items

- [ ] [Action] — @[owner]

### Open Questions

- [Unresolved question needing input]

### Next Steps

[What should happen next]

Guidelines

What to Include

• Decisions made and who made them
• Action items with clear owners
• Unresolved questions or blockers
• Changes in direction or scope
• Links to key comments

What to Skip

• Redundant "+1" or "me too" comments
• Off-topic tangents
• Superseded proposals
• Resolved sub-discussions

Handling Edge Cases

• Stale threads (>30 days inactive): Note this and flag if decisions may be outdated
• Heated discussions: Present all perspectives neutrally
• No resolution: Clearly state "No decision reached" and summarize options discussed
• Long threads (50+ comments): Break into phases if discussion evolved significantly

Example

## Summary: Add dark mode support (#142)

**Status**: Open | **Comments**: 23 | **Last Activity**: 2 days ago

### TL;DR

Team agreed to implement dark mode using CSS variables. Debate on whether to auto-detect system preference or default to light mode resolved in favor of auto-detect.

### Key Decisions

- **Use CSS variables**: Easier to maintain than separate stylesheets — @sarah
- **Auto-detect system preference**: Better UX, users can override — @mike

### Action Items

- [ ] Create color token system — @sarah
- [ ] Add toggle to settings page — @alex

### Next Steps

Sarah to submit initial PR with color variables by Friday.