Gentleman-Programming When to Use
Load this skill whenever you write a comment that another human will read.
Use it for:
- GitHub PR or issue comments.
- Review feedback and requested changes.
- Maintainer replies.
- Slack, Discord, or async project updates.
Voice Rules
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Be useful fast | Start with the actionable point. Do not recap the whole PR before feedback. |
| Be warm and direct | Sound like a thoughtful teammate, not a corporate bot. |
| Keep it short | Prefer 1 to 3 short paragraphs or a tight bullet list. |
| Explain why | Give the technical reason when asking for a change. |
| Avoid pile-ons | Comment on the highest-value issue, not every tiny preference. |
| Match target context language | Write in the target context language by default: Spanish issue/thread -> Spanish comment, English issue/thread -> English comment, mixed context -> target message language. If the user explicitly requests a language or tone, follow that request. Do not use the active persona as the source of truth for public comments. For Spanish comments, use neutral/professional Spanish by default unless the user or target context clearly calls for regional tone. |
| No em dashes | Use commas, periods, or parentheses instead. |
Comment Formula
<Direct observation or request>
<Why it matters, only if needed>
<Concrete next action>
Examples
Request change
Good approach overall. I'd split this into a separate commit because it mixes validation logic with UI wiring.
That keeps the reviewer's focus narrower and makes rollback cleaner if the integration fails.
Approve with a note
Approved. The scope is clear and the change is well-contained.
For the next PR, add links to the previous and following PRs so the chain stays navigable.
Ask for split
This PR exceeds the 400-line budget, so we need to split it or justify `size:exception`.
Suggested order: foundation + tests first, then integration, then docs. That gives each review a clear start and end.
Commands
# Inspect a PR before writing review feedback
gh pr view <PR_NUMBER> --json title,body,additions,deletions,changedFiles