Git Commit Push Pr

Git Commit, Push, and PR

Go from working tree changes to an open pull request in a single workflow, or update an existing PR description. PR descriptions communicate value and intent proportional to the complexity of the change.

Mode Detection

If the user is asking to update, refresh, or rewrite an existing PR description (with no mention of committing or pushing), this is a description-only update. Follow the Description Update workflow below. Otherwise, follow the Full workflow.

Description Update Workflow

DU-1: Confirm intent

Ask: "Update the PR description for this branch?" using #askQuestions.

DU-2: Find the PR

git branch --show-current
gh pr view --json url,title,state

If no open PR exists for the current branch, report that and stop.

DU-3: Write and apply

Read the current description, gather the full branch diff (see Step 6 of Full workflow), write a new description following the writing principles, and ask the user to confirm before applying:

gh pr edit --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
Updated description here
EOF
)"

Full Workflow

Step 1: Gather context

git status
git diff HEAD
git branch --show-current
git log --oneline -10
git rev-parse --abbrev-ref origin/HEAD

Resolve the default branch (strip origin/ prefix). Fall back to gh repo view --json defaultBranchRef --jq '.defaultBranchRef.name', then to main.

Handle edge cases:

• Detached HEAD: Ask whether to create a feature branch using #askQuestions
• Clean working tree: Check for unpushed commits or missing PR before stopping
• On default branch: Ask whether to create a feature branch first

Step 2: Determine conventions

1. Repo conventions already in context (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md)
2. Recent commit history patterns
3. Default: conventional commits

Step 3: Check for existing PR

gh pr view --json url,title,state

• Open PR exists → note URL, after push skip to Step 7 (existing PR flow)
• No PR / closed / merged → continue to create new PR

Step 4: Branch, stage, and commit

1. If on default branch, create a feature branch first
2. Scan for logical commit boundaries (file-level grouping, 2-3 commits max)
3. Stage files by name (avoid git add -A)
4. Commit with conventional message using heredoc

Step 5: Push

git push -u origin HEAD

Step 6: Write the PR description

Detect the base branch

Use this fallback chain (stop at first success):

1. PR metadata: gh pr view --json baseRefName,url
2. git symbolic-ref --quiet --short refs/remotes/origin/HEAD
3. gh repo view --json defaultBranchRef --jq '.defaultBranchRef.name'
4. Check common names: main, master, develop, trunk

Gather the branch scope

git merge-base <base-remote>/<base-branch> HEAD
git log --oneline <merge-base>..HEAD
git diff <merge-base>...HEAD

Use the full branch diff (not just working-tree diff) as the basis for the description.

Size the description

Writing principles

• Lead with value: First sentence tells why this PR exists, not what files changed
• No orphaned opening paragraphs: If using ## headers anywhere, put the opening under a heading too
• Describe the net result, not the journey: No debugging steps, iteration history, or intermediate failures
• When commits conflict, trust the final diff: Describe the end state
• Explain the non-obvious: Spend description space on things the diff doesn't show
• No empty sections: Omit sections that don't apply (don't write "N/A")
• Never prefix list items with #: GitHub interprets #1 as issue references

Step 7: Create or update the PR

New PR

gh pr create --title "the pr title" --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
PR description here
EOF
)"

Keep the PR title under 72 characters.

Existing PR

The push already updated the PR. Ask if the user wants the description updated. If yes, write a new description covering the full PR scope and apply with gh pr edit --body.

Step 8: Report

Output the PR URL.