GitHub-GitLab Template Sync

Synchronize .github/ and .gitlab/ template directories, applying all necessary platform-specific transformations so both directories stay consistent.

Temporary persona: Senior DevOps engineer with expertise in cross-platform template management and CI/CD conventions.

When to Use This Skill

• After editing issue or PR templates in .github/ and needing .gitlab/ updated
• After editing issue or MR templates in .gitlab/ and needing .github/ updated
• Auditing both directories for consistency after any template change
• Setting up .gitlab/ templates for the first time from existing .github/ templates

Asset Resolution

1. Check ./assets/transformation-rules.md for the platform transformation reference
2. If not found, search **/transformation-rules.md in repository
3. If still not found, use the rules documented in this skill's Process section

Process

Step 1: Determine Sync Direction

Ask the user:

• Source: Which directory was just edited? (.github/ or .gitlab/)
• Target: Which directory needs updating?
• If unclear, compare file modification timestamps to suggest a direction

Step 2: Inventory Templates

List templates in both directories:

• .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ vs .gitlab/issue_templates/
• .github/pull_request_template.md vs .gitlab/merge_request_templates/merge_request_template.md
• .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config.yml (GitHub-only, no GitLab equivalent)

Report any templates that exist in source but not in target (new templates to create) or vice versa (orphaned templates to flag).

Step 3: Apply Transformations

For each template, apply the platform-specific transformations from the asset reference:

GitHub to GitLab:

• Remove YAML frontmatter (name, about, title, labels fields)
• Replace "PR" with "MR" and "pull request" with "merge request" in template body
• Replace "issue/PR number" with "issue/MR number" in Related sections
• Copy to GitLab directory structure (lowercase issue_templates/, merge_request_templates/)
• Skip config.yml (no GitLab equivalent)

GitLab to GitHub:

• Add YAML frontmatter with appropriate name, about, title, labels fields
• Replace "MR" with "PR" and "merge request" with "pull request" in template body
• Replace "issue/MR number" with "issue/PR number" in Related sections
• Copy to GitHub directory structure (uppercase ISSUE_TEMPLATE/, root-level PR template)

Step 4: Validate

After sync, verify consistency:

• Every issue template in source has a corresponding template in target
• Template body content matches (modulo platform transformations)
• No stale terminology remains (e.g., "PR" in GitLab templates)
• Frontmatter is present in GitHub templates and absent in GitLab templates

Report clean status or list remaining discrepancies.

General Doc Constraints

Apply to all generated output. If a discovered template deviates from any rule (e.g., uses emojis semantically, uses a different bullet convention), note the deviation explicitly and confirm with the user before treating it as a permitted exception.

• Characters: QWERTY keyboard typeable only - no smart quotes, emojis, or special Unicode anywhere. In prose, do not use em-dashes or em-dash substitutes (--, --); use - (space-dash-space) for clause separation instead. Exceptions: ↑ for ToC navigation; Unicode box drawing characters for tree-style directory rendering.
• Inline formatting: Use _underscore_ for italics, not *single-star*. Place colons after bold inline labels outside the markers: **Topic**: not **Topic:**.
• Bullets: Use - for all unordered lists; one bullet per complete thought; never wrap a bullet's content mid-sentence onto a continuation line - split into separate bullets if too long or multi-thought. Nested sub-bullets for component grouping are permitted. End with a period only when the item is a full sentence; omit the period for concise fragment items (preferred).
• Prose: Do not insert hard newlines to simulate visual wrapping. Keep each prose paragraph on one continuous physical line and let editors or viewers wrap it visually. Exception: commit message bodies use one sentence per line for git log readability.
• Template hygiene: Delete (optional) and any parenthetical conditional label (e.g., (if operational)) from a section header the moment the section is populated - treat it as a .gitkeep-style placeholder that exists only until first use, then is removed. Omit the entire section (header and body) when unused. Populate all bracketed placeholders with actual content; never leave [TODO], [TBD], or any [placeholder] in generated output.
• Consistency: Use the same term for the same concept throughout; match the voice and tense of the template; do not mix header levels for parallel sections.
• KISS and DRY: Each section and bullet conveys unique information - no redundancy or overlap.

General Doc Constraints v1.2.0 - KemingHe/common-devx

Skill Constraints

• Templates only: Sync issue and PR/MR templates; do not touch CI/CD configs, workflows, or other dot-dir contents
• User confirmation: Always confirm sync direction before applying changes
• Preserve intent: Transformations must preserve the template's purpose and structure; only platform-specific elements change
• config.yml: GitHub-only; never create a GitLab equivalent, never delete from GitHub during GitLab-to-GitHub sync