Create a Structured GitHub PR

VerifiedCaution

Complete GitHub PR workflow guide: branch creation, implementation, testing, formatting, spell-checking, and submission with comprehensive descriptions.

Sby Skills Guide Bot
DevelopmentIntermediate
9/10/2026
Claude CodeCursorCodex
#pull-request#git-workflow#github#code-review#testing

Recommended for

Automated summary

Walks an agent through the entire GitHub pull request lifecycle, from branching off main to opening the PR, including tests, formatting, spell checking, and coverage review.

Strengths

  • Enforces an explicit ordered checklist from pulling main through opening the pull request
  • Requires writing tests and reviewing annotated coverage files before committing
  • Mirrors CI gates locally (codespell, formatters) so failures are caught before pushing
  • Gives concrete branch-naming and conventional-commit conventions to follow

Limitations

  • Commands are hard-coded to one Python repo (sleap_nn, uv, black/ruff, codespell) and need adapting elsewhere
  • The document is cut off partway through the commit type list, so the tail of the workflow is undefined
  • Assumes the gh CLI and an origin remote with a main branch
When to use it

Use when the user explicitly asks to create, open, or submit a pull request for code changes.

When not to use it

Avoid it for plain local commits, for reviewing existing PRs, or for projects not hosted on GitHub.

Security analysis

Caution
Quality score88/100

The skill guides the agent through a standard PR workflow using powerful development tools such as git, gh, uv, and code formatters. These actions are legitimate and non-destructive, but they involve remote interactions and automated code modifications, so caution is warranted.

Findings
  • •Uses shell commands including git push and gh pr create, which modify remote state.
  • •Includes code formatting/linting commands (black, ruff --fix) that can modify source files automatically.
  • •Declared allowed-tools is empty but the skill instructs use of bash, git, gh, uv, etc.
How this analysis is made

Examples

Open a PR for a bug fix
Create a PR that fixes the crash when the config file is missing the optimizer key.
Feature branch and pull request
I added multi-GPU support in these files. Make a PR with tests and a proper description.
PR with CI checks passing
Open a pull request for the new data loader and make sure formatting, codespell, and coverage are all clean before you push.

name: pr description: > Create a well-structured GitHub PR with proper branching, testing, formatting, and documentation. Use when the user says "create a PR", "make a PR", "open a pull request", or wants to submit changes for review. Handles the full workflow: branch creation, implementation, testing, formatting, committing, and PR creation with comprehensive descriptions.

Create a GitHub Pull Request

Overview

This skill guides the complete PR workflow from branch creation to PR submission. Follow all steps in order to ensure high-quality, well-documented contributions.

Step 1: Branch Setup

Pull latest main

git checkout main
git pull origin main

Create feature branch

Use a descriptive branch name following the pattern: {type}/{description}

Types:

  • feature/ - New functionality
  • fix/ - Bug fixes
  • refactor/ - Code restructuring
  • docs/ - Documentation updates
  • test/ - Test additions/improvements
git checkout -b feature/descriptive-name

Step 2: Understand the Problem

Before coding, clearly identify:

  1. Core problem: What issue are we solving?
  2. Scope: What files/modules will be affected?
  3. Approach: What's the implementation strategy?
  4. Edge cases: What scenarios need special handling?

If there's an associated GitHub issue, fetch it for context:

gh issue view <issue-number>

Step 3: Implement Changes

  • Make focused, incremental changes
  • Follow existing code patterns and style
  • Add docstrings and comments for complex logic
  • Consider backwards compatibility

Step 4: Write Tests

Location

Tests go in the tests/ directory, mirroring the source structure.

Requirements

  • Cover all new functionality
  • Test edge cases and error conditions
  • Test both success and failure paths
  • Aim for high coverage of changed code

Test file naming

  • test_{module_name}.py for module tests
  • Place in corresponding tests/ subdirectory

Step 5: Format Code

Check GitHub workflows for the project's formatting commands:

# Check .github/workflows/ for exact commands
# Typical formatting for this project:
uv run black sleap_nn tests
uv run ruff check sleap_nn/ --fix

Step 6: Check Spelling

This repo runs codespell in CI (.github/workflows/codespell.yml) against the whole tree (config in pyproject.toml's [tool.codespell]), and it blocks merge on any hit — including in test docstrings/comments, not just source. Check it locally before pushing so it isn't caught only after CI runs:

uvx codespell sleap_nn tests docs *.md pyproject.toml

Fix any reported typos (codespell prints word ==> suggestion) and re-run until clean. Don't run bare uvx codespell . — it will also scan .venv/scratch if present locally and drown real hits in unrelated noise from vendored/third-party files that CI never sees.

Step 7: Run Tests with Coverage

Run the full test suite with coverage:

uv run pytest -q --maxfail=1 --cov --cov-branch && rm -f .coverage.* && uv run coverage annotate

Check coverage for changed files

The coverage annotate command creates {module_name.py},cover files next to each module.

To find which files changed:

git diff --name-only $(git merge-base origin/main HEAD)

Review the ,cover files for your changed modules to ensure adequate coverage.

Coverage markers in annotated files

| Marker | Meaning | |--------|---------| | > | Line was executed | | ! | Line was NOT executed (needs test coverage) | | - | Line is not executable (comments, blank lines) |

Step 8: Commit Changes

Commit structure

Make well-structured, atomic commits:

  • Each commit should be a logical unit of work
  • Write clear, descriptive commit messages
  • Use conventional commit format when appropriate

Commit message format

<type>: <short description>

<optional longer description>

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Types: feat, fix, refactor, test, docs, chore

Step 9: Push to GitHub

git push -u origin <branch-name>

Step 10: Create Pull Request

Create the PR

gh pr create --title "<descriptive title>" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
## Summary
<1-3 bullet points describing the changes>

## Changes Made
- <detailed list of changes>

## Example Usage
```python
# For enhancements, show how to use the new functionality

API Changes

  • <list any API changes, new parameters, removed functionality>

Testing

  • <describe test coverage>
  • <note any manual testing done>

Design Decisions

  • <explain key architectural choices>
  • <note trade-offs considered>

Future Considerations

  • <potential improvements not in scope>
  • <known limitations>

Related Issues

Closes #<issue-number> (if applicable)


🤖 Generated with Claude Code EOF )"


### If updating an existing PR

Fetch current PR description:
```bash
gh pr view <pr-number> --json body -q '.body'

Update PR description:

gh pr edit <pr-number> --body "<new body>"

Fetch associated issue for context

If an issue is linked:

gh issue view <issue-number>

Use issue context to ensure PR description addresses all requirements.

PR Description Checklist

  • [ ] Summary clearly explains the "what" and "why"
  • [ ] All significant changes are documented
  • [ ] Example usage provided for new features
  • [ ] API changes explicitly listed
  • [ ] Breaking changes highlighted
  • [ ] Test coverage described
  • [ ] Design decisions explained with reasoning
  • [ ] Related issues linked

Quick Reference Commands

# Branch setup
git checkout main && git pull origin main
git checkout -b feature/my-feature

# Format and lint
uv run black sleap_nn tests
uv run ruff check sleap_nn/ --fix

# Spelling (CI runs this on the whole tree, incl. tests/docs -- scope it locally to match)
uvx codespell sleap_nn tests docs *.md pyproject.toml

# Test with coverage
uv run pytest -q --maxfail=1 --cov --cov-branch && rm -f .coverage.* && uv run coverage annotate

# Find changed files
git diff --name-only $(git merge-base origin/main HEAD)

# Commit
git add <files>
git commit -m "feat: description"

# Push and create PR
git push -u origin <branch>
gh pr create --title "Title" --body "Description"

# View/edit existing PR
gh pr view <number>
gh pr edit <number> --body "New description"

# View linked issue
gh issue view <number>

From the file to a first result

The download contains exactly the content displayed on this page. This copy may differ from the latest version in the source repository.

View the source and supporting files

This download contains SKILL.md only. Any scripts, references, templates and dependencies are not included. Get the required files from the source, preserving their directory structure, before continuing.

1. Download the file

Download SKILL.md

From the root of a test project, save the file as .skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md, or use the command below. This folder is for inspecting the skill before installation.

Command for macOS/Linux or WSL: requires a POSIX shell and curl. On Windows without WSL, use the download button and create the folder manually.

mkdir -p '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob' && curl --fail --show-error --location 'https://skills-guides.com/api/skills/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/download' --output '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md.part' && mv '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md.part' '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md'

2. Check prerequisites

Read SKILL.md before using it. If it references scripts or external services, inspect them and prepare the required access in your test environment.

Original excerpt: Requirements
  • Cover all new functionality
  • Test edge cases and error conditions
  • Test both success and failure paths
  • Aim for high coverage of changed code

The platforms on this page are catalog indications. The paths below follow tool documentation; they do not prove this skill has been run in those tools. No minimum tool version is confirmed for this listing.

3. Load the skill

After inspection, copy the complete folder into your project using one of the commands below, then open a new tool session. The command stops if a folder with the same name already exists: compare the files before replacing it.

Claude Code
test -f '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md' && test -s '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md' && mkdir -p '.claude/skills' && test ! -e '.claude/skills/pr' && cp -R '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob' '.claude/skills/pr'

Cursor
test -f '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md' && test -s '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md' && mkdir -p '.cursor/skills' && test ! -e '.cursor/skills/pr' && cp -R '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob' '.cursor/skills/pr'

Codex
test -f '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md' && test -s '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md' && mkdir -p '.agents/skills' && test ! -e '.agents/skills/pr' && cp -R '.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob' '.agents/skills/pr'

OpenSkills

OpenSkills must already be installed. The local install/read procedure is checked with OpenSkills 1.5.0, which requires Node.js ≥ 20.6.0. Catalog slugs are not resolved automatically.

Official OpenSkills installation
openskills install './.skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob'

openskills read 'create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob'

Reading should display the installed file content and its base directory. It does not run the skill or install its dependencies.

For an agent that reads AGENTS.md, then sync the index. This command changes AGENTS.md: review the diff before using it.

openskills sync

Manual method or another tool: attach SKILL.md to a conversation, or open it in an agent that can read files. Include any required supporting resources. No universal folder is recognized by every tool.

4. Try a first task

Use a short, synthetic input: an API endpoint, a small document or an interface brief. In a new conversation, attach the file or give the agent its path, then adapt this request:

Read .skill-downloads/create-a-structured-github-pr-mtv18bob/SKILL.md and apply its instructions to this example: [describe a test input]. Identify any missing files, dependencies or access. Produce the result requested by the skill without inventing data or running unreviewed scripts.

Expected result: output matching the skill instructions, or a precise list of missing prerequisites. A read confirmation alone does not validate a first use. If an external resource is unavailable, that path remains untested.

Related skills