understand-pull-request

name	understand-pull-request
description	Analyze a pull request or merge request. Fetches PR metadata via git-pr-reader, identifies affected modules, analyzes changes in context, and produces a PR-ANALYSIS.md document with a brief repo overview and detailed change analysis.
argument-hint	<pr-number-or-url> [--repo <path>]
allowed-tools	Read, Write, Bash, Glob, Grep, Agent

Understand-Pull-Request — PR/MR Analysis

Fetches PR/MR metadata, identifies affected modules, analyzes changes in each module via fan-out agents, and produces a structured PR analysis document.

Usage

/docs-skills:understand-pull-request 42
/docs-skills:understand-pull-request 42 --repo /path/to/repo
/docs-skills:understand-pull-request https://github.com/org/repo/pull/42
/docs-skills:understand-pull-request https://gitlab.com/org/repo/-/merge_requests/42

Arguments

• $1 — PR/MR reference (required). Accepts:
  • A bare number: 42
  • A GitHub PR URL: https://github.com/org/repo/pull/42
  • A GitLab MR URL: https://gitlab.com/org/repo/-/merge_requests/42
• --repo <path> — Path to the local repository checkout (optional, defaults to current working directory)

Pre-flight

1. Parse and validate arguments

Extract the PR reference from the first positional argument. Extract optional --repo value.

If the argument is a URL:

• GitHub URL (contains /pull/): extract the PR number from the URL path. Set PLATFORM=github. If --repo is not provided, try to find the repo locally or warn the user.
• GitLab URL (contains /-/merge_requests/): extract the MR number from the URL path. Set PLATFORM=gitlab.

If the argument is a bare number:

• Use it as PR_NUMBER.
• Platform is detected automatically from the git remote URL (see step 3).

2. Resolve repository path

If --repo is provided:

Validate the path exists and is a directory. Resolve to an absolute path. Set REPO_PATH.

If --repo is NOT provided:

Use the current working directory. Verify it is a git repository by checking for .git/.

If neither yields a valid git repository, STOP and report: "No git repository found. Use --repo <path> to specify the repository.".

Derive REPO_NAME from the basename of the repo path.

3. Detect platform and construct PR URL

If PLATFORM and PR_URL were already set from a URL argument (step 1): use them directly.

Otherwise, detect from the git remote and construct the URL:

REMOTE_URL=$(git -C "${REPO_PATH}" remote get-url origin 2>/dev/null || echo "")

• If REMOTE_URL contains github.com: set PLATFORM=github. Extract <owner>/<repo> from the remote URL (strip protocol, host, and .git suffix). Set PR_URL="https://github.com/<owner>/<repo>/pull/${PR_NUMBER}".
• If REMOTE_URL contains gitlab: set PLATFORM=gitlab. Extract the host and project path from the remote URL. Set PR_URL="https://<host>/<project_path>/-/merge_requests/${PR_NUMBER}".
• Otherwise: STOP and report: "Cannot detect platform from git remote URL. Ensure the repository has a GitHub or GitLab origin remote.".

4. Validate authentication

The git-pr-reader script requires API tokens. Verify that the relevant token is set:

• GitHub: GITHUB_TOKEN must be set in environment, ~/.env, or .env
• GitLab: GITLAB_TOKEN must be set in environment, ~/.env, or .env

The script loads .env files automatically. If neither token is available, warn: "No API token found. Set GITHUB_TOKEN or GITLAB_TOKEN in ~/.env for authenticated access."

5. Set paths

GIT_ROOT="$(cd "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || pwd)" && pwd)"
BASE_PATH="${GIT_ROOT}/.agent_workspace/${REPO_NAME}"
PR_BASE="${BASE_PATH}/pr-${PR_NUMBER}"
mkdir -p "${PR_BASE}"

6. Check for existing progress (resume)

Look for an existing progress file:

${BASE_PATH}/workflow/understand-pr_${REPO_NAME}_${PR_NUMBER}.json

If found and status is in_progress:

• Read the progress file
• Log: "Resuming PR analysis from last checkpoint"
• Skip steps whose status is completed
• Start from the first step whose status is pending or in_progress

If found and status is completed:

• Ask the user: "Previous analysis found for PR #${PR_NUMBER}. Re-run from scratch?"
• If yes: reset all steps to pending, update updated_at
• If no: show the output file path and exit

If not found: create a new progress file (see below).

7. Create progress file

Write to ${BASE_PATH}/workflow/understand-pr_${REPO_NAME}_${PR_NUMBER}.json. Fields: workflow ("understand-pull-request"), target, pr_number, platform, repo_path, base_path, pr_base (all absolute paths), status ("in_progress"), created_at/updated_at (ISO 8601 UTC), step_order (["pr-metadata", "repo-context", "change-analysis", "synthesis"]), steps (each with status: "pending", output: null, result: null).

8. Show analysis plan

Log:

Understand-PR: Analyzing PR #<PR_NUMBER> in <REPO_NAME>
  Platform:   <github|gitlab>
  Repository: <absolute-path>
  Steps:      pr-metadata → repo-context → change-analysis → synthesis

---

Step 1 — PR Metadata

Fetch PR/MR metadata and diffs using the platform CLI tool.

1.1 Set output path

OUTPUT_DIR="${PR_BASE}/pr-metadata"
mkdir -p "$OUTPUT_DIR"

1.2 Fetch PR metadata

GIT_PR_READER="${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-pr-reader/scripts/git_pr_reader.py"

python3 "${GIT_PR_READER}" metadata "${PR_URL}" \
  --diff-output "${OUTPUT_DIR}/diff.patch"

Capture the JSON output. If it contains an error field, STOP and report the error.

1.3 Write metadata.json

Write the JSON output to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/metadata.json.

1.4 Write step-result.json

Write to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/step-result.json with: schema_version: 1, step: "pr-metadata", target, pr_number, completed_at (ISO 8601 UTC), title, author, state, files_changed, commits.

1.5 Update progress

Update the progress file: set steps.pr-metadata.status to completed, set steps.pr-metadata.output to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/. Update updated_at.

Log: "PR metadata fetched: '<title>' by <author> — <file_count> files changed, <commit_count> commits".

---

Step 2 — Repo Context

Detect language, build module map, and produce a brief repo overview.

2.1 Set output path

OUTPUT_DIR="${PR_BASE}/repo-context"
mkdir -p "$OUTPUT_DIR"

2.2 Detect language

Use the learn-code detection scripts (shared across skills):

LEARN_CODE_SCRIPTS="${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/learn-code/scripts"
python3 ${LEARN_CODE_SCRIPTS}/detect_language.py --repo "${REPO_PATH}"

Capture the JSON output. Extract primary_language.

2.3 Build module map

python3 ${LEARN_CODE_SCRIPTS}/build_module_map.py \
  --repo "${REPO_PATH}" \
  --lang "${PRIMARY_LANGUAGE}"

Capture the JSON output.

2.4 Read config files

From the module map result, read each file listed in config_files from the repo. Truncate each to 5000 characters.

2.5 Write detection.json

Combine detection and module map results into a single detection JSON (same format as learn-code's detection.json). Write to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/detection.json.

2.6 Produce repo overview

Check if a prior learn-code analysis exists:

ONBOARDING_FILE="${BASE_PATH}/synthesis/ONBOARDING.md"

If ${ONBOARDING_FILE} exists:

Read the file. Extract the content between ## Architecture Overview and the next ## heading. Write this section to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/repo-overview.md.

Log: "Reusing repo overview from existing learn-code analysis".

If ${ONBOARDING_FILE} does not exist:

Dispatch subagent_type: docs-skills:pr-repo-summarizer. Include in the prompt: DETECTION_DATA (primary_language, modules, module_count as JSON), CONFIG_CONTENTS (each config file with headers), REPO_PATH, and OUTPUT_FILE (<OUTPUT_DIR>/repo-overview.md). Request a 2-3 paragraph overview.

Verify ${OUTPUT_DIR}/repo-overview.md was written. If the agent failed, create a minimal overview:

Repository: <REPO_NAME>
Language: <primary_language>
Modules: <module_count>

No detailed overview available. Run /docs-skills:learn-code for a full analysis.

2.7 Write step-result.json

Write to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/step-result.json with: schema_version: 1, step: "repo-context", target, completed_at, primary_language, module_count, overview_source (one of "learn-code", "pr-repo-summarizer", "fallback").

2.8 Update progress

Update progress file for repo-context step. Log: "Repo context ready: <primary_language>, <module_count> modules, overview from <source>".

---

Step 3 — Change Analysis

Identify affected modules, then fan-out pr-change-analyzer agents.

3.1 Set paths

METADATA_FILE="${PR_BASE}/pr-metadata/metadata.json"
DETECTION_FILE="${PR_BASE}/repo-context/detection.json"
DIFF_FILE="${PR_BASE}/pr-metadata/diff.patch"
OUTPUT_DIR="${PR_BASE}/change-analysis"
mkdir -p "$OUTPUT_DIR"

3.2 Identify affected modules

python3 ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/identify_affected_modules.py \
  --metadata "${METADATA_FILE}" \
  --detection "${DETECTION_FILE}"

Capture the JSON output. Write to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/affected-modules.json.

If total_modules_affected is 0 and there are unmatched_files, log a note that all changes are outside detected modules (config/docs/CI changes).

Log: "Affected modules: <count> modules, <unmatched_count> files outside modules".

3.3 Prepare per-module data

For each module in affected_modules:

Load module source: Concatenate source files with ### FILE: headers. Use the file list from detection.modules.<module-name>.files. If the module has > 3000 total lines, run the appropriate API extraction script instead:

Python:

python3 ${LEARN_CODE_SCRIPTS}/extract_public_api.py \
  --files <file1> <file2> ... \
  --lang python --module <module-name>

Go, JavaScript, TypeScript:

uv run --script ${LEARN_CODE_SCRIPTS}/extract_public_api_treesitter.py \
  --files <file1> <file2> ... \
  --lang <lang> --module <module-name>

Extract module diffs: From the full diff file (diff.patch), extract only the hunks that affect files in this module. Read the diff file and filter sections matching the module's file paths.

Load PR metadata: Read metadata.json for title, description, and commit messages.

3.4 Batch dispatch pr-change-analyzer agents

Group affected modules into batches of max 10 agents per batch. Dispatch each batch as a single message for parallel execution. Wait for the batch to complete before dispatching the next.

Each agent uses subagent_type: docs-skills:pr-change-analyzer. Include in the prompt: MODULE name, LANGUAGE, SOURCE (concatenated with ### FILE: headers or API surface), DIFFS (filtered hunks), PR_METADATA (title, description, commits), a note to trust code changes over descriptions, REPO_PATH, and OUTPUT_FILE (<OUTPUT_DIR>/<safe-module-name>.json). For large modules (>3000 lines), note that source is API-only.

Critical: All Agent tool calls within a single batch MUST be in a single message for parallel execution.

3.5 Collect and merge results

After all batches complete, read each <OUTPUT_DIR>/<safe-module-name>.json file.

For modules where the agent failed or produced invalid JSON, create a fallback entry with module, change_purpose: "Analysis failed — review changes manually", empty arrays for files_analyzed, breaking_changes, depends_on_modules, impact: "Unknown", and risks: ["Automated analysis failed for this module"].

3.6 Write change-summary.json

Combine all module change results into a single JSON array. Write to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/change-summary.json.

3.7 Write step-result.json

Write to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/step-result.json with: schema_version: 1, step: "change-analysis", target, pr_number, completed_at, modules_analyzed, modules_failed, unmatched_files, total_risks, breaking_changes.

3.8 Update progress

Update progress file for change-analysis step. Log: "Change analysis complete: <analyzed> modules (failed: N), <risk_count> risks identified".

---

Step 4 — Synthesis

Combine all data and produce the final PR analysis document.

4.1 Set output path

OUTPUT_DIR="${PR_BASE}/synthesis"
mkdir -p "$OUTPUT_DIR"

4.2 Build synthesis context

python3 ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/build_pr_context.py \
  --pr-base "${PR_BASE}" \
  --max-size 80000 > "${OUTPUT_DIR}/context.json"

If the output contains an error field, STOP and report the error.

Log: "Synthesis context: <context_size_bytes> bytes (truncated: <yes|no>)".

4.3 Dispatch pr-synthesis-writer agent

Dispatch subagent_type: docs-skills:pr-synthesis-writer. The context is at ${OUTPUT_DIR}/context.json — the agent reads it from disk. Tell the agent to write PR-<PR_NUMBER>-ANALYSIS.md to OUTPUT_DIR, following ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/reference/pr-analysis-template.md.

4.4 Verify output

Confirm ${OUTPUT_DIR}/PR-${PR_NUMBER}-ANALYSIS.md exists. If it does not, STOP and report the synthesis agent failed.

4.5 Write step-result.json

Write to ${OUTPUT_DIR}/step-result.json with: schema_version: 1, step: "synthesis", target, pr_number, completed_at, output_file ("PR-<PR_NUMBER>-ANALYSIS.md"), context_size_bytes.

4.6 Update progress

Update progress file for synthesis step. Log: "Synthesis complete: PR-${PR_NUMBER}-ANALYSIS.md written".

---

Failure Handling

If any step fails (script error, agent failure, missing output):

• Set steps.<step-name>.status to failed in the progress file
• Log the error
• Ask the user: "Step <step-name> failed. Retry or skip?"
• If retry: reset to pending and re-run the step
• If skip: mark as failed and continue (downstream steps may also fail)

---

Completion

After all steps complete, set status to completed, update updated_at, write the progress file, and display the completion summary. See completion template for the exact output format and suggested next steps.