GitHub Ops & Repository Lifecycle Automation

This skill guides the agent in managing end-to-end GitHub workflows, creating production-grade Pull Requests, performing automated multi-file code reviews, orchestrating releases, and triaging issues.

1. Operating Principles

1. Atomic & Linear Commits:
   • Keep Pull Requests focused on a single logical change or feature.
   • Use Conventional Commits (feat:, fix:, refactor:, docs:, chore:).
2. Deterministic Verification Before PR:
   • Always run the local test suite and lint verification before creating or updating a PR.
   • Never push failing code or uncommitted working trees.
3. Traceability:
   • Every PR must link back to an issue or feature specification (Closes #123 or Refs #456).
   • Every release tag must be accompanied by an auto-generated or structured changelog.

2. GitHub CLI (gh) & MCP Integration

When interacting with GitHub, use either the configured GitHub MCP Server or the standard gh CLI.

Essential gh Command Patterns

3. Pull Request Generation Workflow

When authoring a Pull Request on behalf of the user, follow this structured template:

## 🎯 Overview
<!-- 1-2 concise sentences summarizing the problem solved or capability introduced -->

## 🛠️ Changes Implemented
- **Component / File**: High-level explanation of modification.
- **Architectural Decision**: Rationale for design choices or trade-offs.

## 🧪 Verification & Testing
- [x] Unit / Integration tests pass (`npm test`, `pytest`, or `cargo test`).
- [x] Linters and typecheckers pass (`npm run lint`, `tsc --noEmit`).
- [x] Verified zero breaking changes to existing public APIs.

## 🔗 Related Issues
Closes #<issue-number>

4. Automated PR Review Protocol

When performing automated reviews on a GitHub PR:

1. Fetch & Inspect Diff:

   gh pr diff <pr-number>

2. Review Checklist:
   • Correctness: Does the code satisfy the acceptance criteria without subtle edge-case failures?
   • Security: Are there unsanitized inputs, hardcoded secrets, or privilege escalations?
   • Performance: Are there N+1 database queries, unmemoized expensive loops, or memory leaks?
   • Style & Standards: Does it adhere to the repository's established conventions?
3. Submitting Feedback:
   • Use gh pr review <pr-number> --comment for non-blocking suggestions.
   • Use gh pr review <pr-number> --request-changes for critical bugs or regressions.
   • Use gh pr review <pr-number> --approve once all checks pass.

5. Release Automation

To publish a clean semantic release:

1. Verify package.json / version files are updated.
2. Ensure working tree is clean (git status).
3. Create and push git tag:

   git tag vX.Y.Z
   git push origin vX.Y.Z

4. Generate release notes with GitHub CLI:

   gh release create vX.Y.Z --generate-notes