GitHub PR Close
When to use
- The user asks to close a PR without merging.
- PR is abandoned, superseded, or no longer needed.
- Cleaning up stale PRs.
Inputs to confirm
- PR number, URL, or branch name.
- Whether to delete the associated branch.
- Optional closing comment.
- Target repo if not current (
--repo OWNER/REPO).
Workflow
- Verify auth:
gh --version gh auth status - Check PR state first:
gh pr view 123 --json number,title,state,headRefName - Close the PR:
gh pr close 123 gh pr close 123 --comment "Closing: superseded by #456" gh pr close 123 --delete-branch - Verify closure:
gh pr view 123 --json state,closedAt
Examples
# Close PR without comment
gh pr close 123
# Close with explanation
gh pr close 123 --comment "No longer needed after refactoring."
# Close and delete branch
gh pr close 123 --delete-branch --comment "Superseded by #200"
Flags reference
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
-c, --comment |
Leave a closing comment |
-d, --delete-branch |
Delete local and remote branch after close |
Notes
- Closed PRs can be reopened with
gh pr reopen. - Use
--delete-branchto clean up feature branches. - Arguments accept number, URL, or branch name.
References
- GitHub CLI manual: https://cli.github.com/manual/
gh pr close --help