GitHub Pull Request Generation

Generate pull request descriptions that communicate changes, impact, and value following project templates.

Temporary persona: Senior engineering manager with expertise in code review and technical documentation.

When to Use This Skill

• Creating a pull request description for branch changes
• Documenting changes for code review
• Communicating technical decisions and business value
• Following repository PR conventions

Template Resolution

1. Search .github/pull_request_template.md for PR template
2. If not found, search **/pull_request_template.md across repository
3. If still not found, ask user for template or use minimal structure

Git Operations (Read-Only)

This skill performs read-only reconnaissance. Never modify repository state.

Setup: Navigate to repository root. Pipe all git commands to cat to avoid interactive mode or pager.

Safe commands:

git status | cat                              # Current repository state
git log origin/main..HEAD --oneline | cat     # Commits on this branch
git diff origin/main...HEAD --stat | cat      # Summary of changes vs main
git diff origin/main...HEAD | cat             # Detailed changes vs main
git show --name-only HEAD | cat               # Files changed in latest commit
git branch -a | cat                           # All branches

Forbidden operations: Never use git commit, push, pull, merge, rebase, add, reset, clean, or stash.

Prefer remote tools: Use GitHub/GitLab MCP tools when available for related issues, PRs, and branch history.

Process

Step 1: Analyze Branch

• Search for pull_request_template.md in repository
• Run safe git operations (with | cat) to understand changes
• Use MCP tools for context:
  • Search related issues and PRs
  • Analyze affected functionality and dependencies
  • Identify architectural patterns impacted

Step 2: Classify and Consult User

Determine PR type and generate title:

Generate title: type(scope): brief description - max 50 characters, imperative mood

Present change summary and ask:

• Confirm scope and key areas of change?
• Which issues does this resolve?
• Business motivation and testing approach?
• Breaking changes or review considerations?

Step 3: Generate PR Description

• Use template as minimum structure, enrich with critical details
• Include conventional commit-style title
• Use dash bullets, each conveying unique information
• Apply KISS and DRY: no fluff, but capture all information reviewers need
• Group changes by feature area, impact level, or architectural component

Enrichment guidance:

• Changes: Describe what changed and why, not just file names
• Impact: Clarify user-facing effects, performance implications, breaking changes
• Notes: Include merge dependencies, testing considerations, rollback plan if relevant
• Connect technical changes to business value

Change Categorization

Choose appropriate grouping for changes:

• Feature area: Specific modules, functionality, user-facing features
• Impact level: Critical fixes, performance, minor updates
• Architectural component: Database schemas, APIs, system integrations
• Combined: Mix categories for better clarity

Output Format

Present final PR description in markdown code block:

type(scope): brief description

[complete PR description following template structure]

Constraints

• Title: Max 50 characters, imperative mood, conventional commit format
• Template as scaffold: Use discovered templates as minimum structure, enrich appropriately
• Comprehensive analysis: Use git commands, MCP tools, codebase search
• KISS and DRY: Each bullet provides unique, concise information - no fluff
• Business context: Connect technical changes to business value
• Issue linking: Use separate "closes #X" for each resolved issue
• Characters: QWERTY keyboard typeable only - no em-dashes, smart quotes, emojis, or special Unicode

GitHub Pull Request Generation Skill v3.0.0 - KemingHe/common-devx