Create a GitHub Pull Request

Overview

This skill guides the complete PR workflow from branch creation to PR submission. Follow all steps in order to ensure high-quality, well-documented contributions.

Step 1: Branch Setup

Pull latest main

git checkout main
git pull origin main

Create feature branch

Use a descriptive branch name following the pattern: {type}/{description}

Types:

• feature/ - New functionality
• fix/ - Bug fixes
• refactor/ - Code restructuring
• docs/ - Documentation updates
• test/ - Test additions/improvements

git checkout -b feature/descriptive-name

Step 2: Understand the Problem

Before coding, clearly identify:

1. Core problem: What issue are we solving?
2. Scope: What files/modules will be affected?
3. Approach: What's the implementation strategy?
4. Edge cases: What scenarios need special handling?

If there's an associated GitHub issue, fetch it for context:

gh issue view <issue-number>

Step 3: Implement Changes

• Make focused, incremental changes
• Follow existing code patterns and style
• Add docstrings and comments for complex logic
• Consider backwards compatibility

Step 4: Write Tests

Location

Tests go in the tests/ directory, mirroring the source structure.

Requirements

• Cover all new functionality
• Test edge cases and error conditions
• Test both success and failure paths
• Aim for high coverage of changed code

Test file naming

• test_{module_name}.py for module tests
• Place in corresponding tests/ subdirectory

Step 5: Format Code

Check GitHub workflows for the project's formatting commands:

# Check .github/workflows/ for exact commands
# Typical formatting for this project:
uv run black sleap_nn tests
uv run ruff check sleap_nn/ --fix

Step 6: Check Spelling

This repo runs codespell in CI (.github/workflows/codespell.yml) against the whole tree (config in pyproject.toml's [tool.codespell]), and it blocks merge on any hit — including in test docstrings/comments, not just source. Check it locally before pushing so it isn't caught only after CI runs:

uvx codespell sleap_nn tests docs *.md pyproject.toml

Fix any reported typos (codespell prints word ==> suggestion) and re-run until clean. Don't run bare uvx codespell . — it will also scan .venv/scratch if present locally and drown real hits in unrelated noise from vendored/third-party files that CI never sees.

Step 7: Run Tests with Coverage

Run the full test suite with coverage:

uv run pytest -q --maxfail=1 --cov --cov-branch && rm -f .coverage.* && uv run coverage annotate

Check coverage for changed files

The coverage annotate command creates {module_name.py},cover files next to each module.

To find which files changed:

git diff --name-only $(git merge-base origin/main HEAD)

Review the ,cover files for your changed modules to ensure adequate coverage.

Coverage markers in annotated files

Marker	Meaning
>	Line was executed
!	Line was NOT executed (needs test coverage)
-	Line is not executable (comments, blank lines)

Step 8: Commit Changes

Commit structure

Make well-structured, atomic commits:

• Each commit should be a logical unit of work
• Write clear, descriptive commit messages
• Use conventional commit format when appropriate

Commit message format

<type>: <short description>

<optional longer description>

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Types: feat, fix, refactor, test, docs, chore

Step 9: Push to GitHub

git push -u origin <branch-name>

Step 10: Create Pull Request

Create the PR

gh pr create --title "<descriptive title>" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
## Summary
<1-3 bullet points describing the changes>

## Changes Made
- <detailed list of changes>

## Example Usage
```python
# For enhancements, show how to use the new functionality

API Changes

• <list any API changes, new parameters, removed functionality>

Testing

Design Decisions

Future Considerations

Related Issues

Closes # (if applicable)

---

🤖 Generated with Claude Code EOF )"

### If updating an existing PR

Fetch current PR description:
```bash
gh pr view <pr-number> --json body -q '.body'

Update PR description:

gh pr edit <pr-number> --body "<new body>"

Fetch associated issue for context

If an issue is linked:

gh issue view <issue-number>

Use issue context to ensure PR description addresses all requirements.

PR Description Checklist

• Summary clearly explains the "what" and "why"
• All significant changes are documented
• Example usage provided for new features
• API changes explicitly listed
• Breaking changes highlighted
• Test coverage described
• Design decisions explained with reasoning
• Related issues linked

Quick Reference Commands

# Branch setup
git checkout main && git pull origin main
git checkout -b feature/my-feature

# Format and lint
uv run black sleap_nn tests
uv run ruff check sleap_nn/ --fix

# Spelling (CI runs this on the whole tree, incl. tests/docs -- scope it locally to match)
uvx codespell sleap_nn tests docs *.md pyproject.toml

# Test with coverage
uv run pytest -q --maxfail=1 --cov --cov-branch && rm -f .coverage.* && uv run coverage annotate

# Find changed files
git diff --name-only $(git merge-base origin/main HEAD)

# Commit
git add <files>
git commit -m "feat: description"

# Push and create PR
git push -u origin <branch>
gh pr create --title "Title" --body "Description"

# View/edit existing PR
gh pr view <number>
gh pr edit <number> --body "New description"

# View linked issue
gh issue view <number>