Babysit Pr

---
name: babysit-pr
description: Monitor a GitHub PR and handle CI or review blockers until ready or blocked. Use when asked to watch, babysit, or manage PR feedback.
---

# PR Babysitter

## Objective
Monitor one PR until exactly one terminal outcome happens:

- PR is merged or closed.
- PR is ready to merge: CI green, review feedback handled, required approval not blocking, no merge conflict risk.
- User help is required: permissions/auth failure, exhausted flaky retries, ambiguous review request, unsafe local state.

## Quick Start

```bash
python3 <skill-dir>/scripts/gh_pr_watch.py --pr auto --watch
```

`--watch` is agent-first: it blocks silently, emits one compact JSON event, then exits. Reuse the returned `cursor` on the next invocation; no state file is needed.

```bash
python3 <skill-dir>/scripts/gh_pr_watch.py --pr auto --watch --cursor '<cursor>'
```

## Agent Loop

1. Run `--watch` with the latest cursor, if any.
2. Read the single JSON event.
3. Act on `actions` and `event`.
4. After any fix, commit, push, or retry, run `--watch` again with returned cursor.
5. Stop only on terminal event or user-help blocker.

## Event Handling

| Event | Action |
| --- | --- |
| `review_feedback` | Inspect `review_items`; patch only correct/actionable feedback. |
| `ci_failed` | Inspect `failed_runs`/`failed_checks`; diagnose logs before retry/fix. |
| `sha_changed` | Note new SHA; continue watching with cursor. |
| `mergeability_changed` | Re-check merge conflict/review state; continue or stop if blocked. |
| `ci_green` | Report concise progress; keep watching for review/mergeability changes. |
| `heartbeat` | No useful change before max wait; continue watching with cursor. |
| `ready` | Final success summary; stop. |
| `closed` | Final closed/merged summary; stop. |
| `blocked` | Explain blocker; stop and ask user. |

Retry flaky failures only when `actions` includes `retry_failed_checks`:

```bash
python3 <skill-dir>/scripts/gh_pr_watch.py --pr auto --retry-failed-now --cursor '<cursor>'
```

## CI Failure Rules

- Treat compile/typecheck/lint/test failures in touched areas as branch-related; fix, commit, push.
- Treat runner/network/registry/GitHub infra failures as likely flaky; retry only when watcher allows it.
- If ambiguous, inspect logs once before deciding.

Commands:

```bash
gh run view <run-id> --json jobs,name,workflowName,conclusion,status,url,headSha
gh run view <run-id> --log-failed
```

## Review Rules

- Watcher surfaces trusted human/bot review activity once per cursor.
- Address only technically correct, actionable feedback that fits user intent.
- If feedback is ambiguous, product-level, or conflicts with instructions, stop and ask.

## Git Safety

- Work only on the PR head branch.
- Before edits, stop if unrelated uncommitted changes exist.
- Avoid destructive git commands and unnecessary branch switches.
- After each fix: commit, push, then resume `--watch` with cursor.

## Final Summary

Include PR SHA, CI summary, mergeability/review state, fixes pushed, retry cycles used, and remaining blockers.

## References

- Event schema: `./references/watcher-events.md`
- CI/review heuristics: `./references/heuristics.md`
- GitHub CLI/API notes: `./references/github-api-notes.md`