PR Operations Skill

Core Rule

CRITICAL: Use ONLY erk exec Commands for PR Thread Operations

• ❌ DO NOT use raw gh api calls for thread operations
• ❌ DO NOT use gh pr commands directly for thread resolution
• ✅ ONLY use erk exec commands listed below

The erk exec commands handle thread resolution correctly. Raw API calls only reply without resolving.

Quick Reference

Command	Purpose	Key Point
get-pr-review-comments	Fetch unresolved review threads	Returns threads with line info
get-pr-discussion-comments	Fetch PR discussion comments	Returns top-level comments
resolve-review-thread	Reply AND resolve a thread	Does both in one operation
reply-to-discussion-comment	Reply to discussion comment	For non-code feedback
post-pr-inline-comment	Post new inline comment	Creates new review thread

When to Use Each Command

Fetching Comments

# Get all unresolved review threads (code comments)
erk exec get-pr-review-comments

# Get all discussion comments (top-level PR comments)
erk exec get-pr-discussion-comments

# Include resolved threads (for reference)
erk exec get-pr-review-comments --all

Resolving Review Threads

# Always use this to resolve review threads - it replies AND resolves
erk exec resolve-review-thread --thread-id "PRRT_abc123" --comment "Fixed in commit abc1234"

Replying to Discussion Comments

# For PR discussion comments (not code review threads)
erk exec reply-to-discussion-comment --comment-id 12345 --reply "**Action taken:** Updated the docs as requested."

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Why It's Wrong	Correct Approach
Using gh api repos/.../comments/{id}/replies	Only replies, doesn't resolve	Use erk exec resolve-review-thread
Using gh pr comment	Doesn't resolve threads	Use erk exec resolve-review-thread
Skipping resolution for outdated threads	Threads stay open in PR	Always resolve, even if already fixed
Generic replies like "Noted"	Not useful for PR history	Include investigation findings

Replying vs Resolving

IMPORTANT: Replying ≠ Resolving

• Replying (via raw gh api .../replies): Adds a comment but thread stays OPEN
• Resolving (via erk exec resolve-review-thread): Adds a comment AND marks thread as RESOLVED

Always use erk exec resolve-review-thread - it does both in one operation.

Comment Classification Model

When analyzing PR feedback, classify comments by complexity and group into batches.

Complexity Categories

• Local fix: Single comment → single location change (e.g., "Fix typo", "Add type annotation")
• Multi-location: Single comment → changes in multiple spots in one file
• Cross-cutting: Single comment → changes across multiple files
• Related: Multiple comments that inform a single unified change

Batch Ordering

Process batches from simplest to most complex:

Batch	Complexity	Description	Example
1	Local fixes	One file, one location per comment	"Use LBYL pattern at line 42"
2	Single-file multi-location	One file, multiple locations	"Rename this variable everywhere in this file"
3	Cross-cutting	Multiple files affected	"Update all callers of this function"
4	Complex/Related	Multiple comments inform one change	"Fold validate into prepare" + "Use union types for this"

Note: Discussion comments requiring doc updates go in Batch 3 (cross-cutting).

Batch Confirmation Flow

• Batch 1-2 (simple): Auto-proceed without confirmation
• Batch 3-4 (complex): Show plan and wait for user approval

Detailed Documentation

For complete command documentation including JSON output formats, options, and examples:

@references/commands.md