GitHub Issue and PR Workflow

GitHub Issue and PR Workflow

When working with GitHub issues and pull requests:

• Use github_list_repos (tool name may have a suffix if multiple GitHub servers exist) when owner/repo is unknown; then github_list_issues or github_list_prs with owner, repo, and state (open/closed/all).
• Use github_get_issue or github_get_pr for full details, review status, and merge state before summarizing.
• Use github_list_commits and github_get_commit for commit history and change stats.
• Always specify owner and repo; use state and sort/direction for focused lists.
• Summarize counts, titles, and key metadata; avoid dumping full bodies unless the user asks.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Resolve owner and repo: use github_list_repos if needed, or take from the user's question.
2. For "open issues" or "PRs in repo X": call github_list_issues or github_list_prs with owner, repo, state (e.g. open), and optional sort/direction.
3. For a specific issue or PR: call github_get_issue or github_get_pr with owner, repo, and issueNumber; summarize title, state, assignee, labels, and (for PRs) merge status and review state.
4. For commit history: use github_list_commits with owner, repo, and optional author/path/since/until; use github_get_commit for a single commit's details and stats.
5. When summarizing: report counts, key titles, and status; cite repo and filters used.

Examples of inputs and outputs

• Input: "What open PRs are in acme/api-server?"
  Output: Short list of PR numbers, titles, and state from github_list_prs (owner=acme, repo=api-server, state=open); optionally merge status per PR.

• Input: "Summarize PR #42 in acme/api-server."
  Output: Title, state, merge status, review state, and key changes (additions/deletions) from github_get_pr; mention assignee and labels if relevant.

Common edge cases

• Repo not found: Say "Repository [owner/repo] not found" and suggest checking name or permissions.
• Issue/PR not found: Say "Issue/PR [number] not found" and suggest checking the number or repo.
• Large list: Summarize count and a sample (e.g. first 5-10) with key fields; do not dump every item unless asked.
• API/OAuth error: Report that GitHub returned an error and suggest reconnecting or retrying.

Tool usage for specific purposes

• github_list_repos: Use when owner/repo is unknown; then use list_issues/list_prs with the chosen repo.
• github_list_issues: Use for "open issues", "backlog", or by state; filter by state, sort, direction.
• github_get_issue: Use for full issue details before summarizing or when the user asks for one issue.
• github_list_prs: Use for "open PRs", "merged this week", or by state; filter by state, sort, direction.
• github_get_pr: Use for full PR details, merge status, and review state.
• github_list_commits / github_get_commit: Use for commit history and change stats.