Cboone Cboone Cc Plugins Resolve Copilot Pr Feedback

Copilot Feedback Resolver

Process and resolve GitHub Copilot's automated PR review comments systematically.

PR Comments Prohibition (CRITICAL)

NEVER leave comments directly on GitHub PRs. This is strictly forbidden:

• gh pr review --comment - FORBIDDEN
• gh pr comment - FORBIDDEN (except the single summary comment in step 7)
• Any GraphQL mutation that creates new reviews or PR-level comments - FORBIDDEN
• Responding to human review comments - FORBIDDEN

This skill ONLY processes GitHub Copilot threads. Never interact with threads created by human reviewers.

Permitted operations:

• Fetch unresolved Copilot threads using the script's fetch command
• Reply to EXISTING Copilot threads using the script's reply command
• Resolve Copilot threads using the script's resolve command
• Reply and resolve in one step using the script's reply-and-resolve command

Single exception: Step 7 uses gh pr comment with --body-file to post a one-time summary of code changes made while resolving feedback. This is the ONLY permitted use of gh pr comment in this skill.

Script Setup

All GraphQL operations use a dedicated script that handles pagination, variable binding, and Copilot author filtering automatically.

At the start of your session, locate the script by searching for **/resolve-copilot-pr-feedback/scripts/resolve-copilot-threads. Note the absolute path and use it with bash as the command prefix in all subsequent invocations. Do not use a shell variable, since shell state does not persist between commands.

In the examples below, resolve-copilot-threads is a placeholder for the script's quoted absolute path (e.g., "/absolute/path/to/resolve-copilot-pr-feedback/scripts/resolve-copilot-threads"). Always invoke via bash followed by the quoted path, e.g., bash "/absolute/path/to/scripts/resolve-copilot-threads" fetch .... This ensures the command token is bash, which matches stable allowlist patterns regardless of the plugin's installed path or version.

CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS

YOU MUST RESOLVE THREADS AFTER ADDRESSING THEM

After fixing any Copilot feedback, you MUST:

1. Push the code changes (git push)
2. Resolve EACH thread using the script (see below)
3. Verify resolution by re-fetching the PR threads

Addressing feedback without resolving the thread is INCOMPLETE WORK.

The thread resolution is NOT optional - it's the primary deliverable of this skill. Code changes alone are insufficient.

Thread Resolution Command (USE THIS!)

# Replace THREAD_ID with actual thread ID (e.g., PRRT_kwDONZ...)
bash resolve-copilot-threads resolve THREAD_ID

Outputs true on success. The reply-and-resolve command also outputs true on success.

You MUST call this for EVERY thread you address.

YOU MUST UPDATE COPILOT INSTRUCTIONS FOR INCORRECT FEEDBACK

When Copilot feedback is categorized as INCORRECT (conflicts with project conventions/patterns), you MUST:

1. Update the project's Copilot instructions to document the correct pattern
2. This prevents Copilot from flagging the same or similar things in future PRs
3. The update should be concise and explain why the pattern is intentional

Failure to update Copilot instructions = INCOMPLETE WORK for Incorrect category feedback.

Instructions File Strategy

Copilot supports two types of instruction files in the .github/ directory:

• copilot-instructions.md: General instructions for the whole repository
• *.instructions.md (path-specific): Targeted instructions with applyTo frontmatter

Prefer path-specific instructions files when the incorrect feedback applies to a specific language or file pattern. Use copilot-instructions.md only for repo-wide conventions.

CRITICAL: Keep Instructions Concise

Copilot's PR review may not read the full instructions file. Long files risk having instructions truncated or ignored. To maximize effectiveness:

1. Keep each instructions file under ~1,000 lines
2. Put the most important review rules first in each file
3. Start with 10-20 specific, actionable instructions per file
4. Split by concern: use path-specific files instead of one large file
5. Be specific: clear, concrete instructions work better than vague directives

Path-Specific Instructions File Format

---
applyTo: "**/*.go"
---

- **Pattern X**: Intentional in this project, do not flag
- **Pattern Y**: Required for Z reason

Use the applyTo glob to target specific languages or paths. Use excludeAgent to limit which Copilot agent reads the file (e.g., excludeAgent: copilot-coding-agent to target only code review).

General Instructions File (copilot-instructions.md)

Reserve for repo-wide conventions that apply to all file types:

# GitHub Copilot Instructions

## PR Review

- **Pattern X**: Intentional, do not flag
- **Convention Y**: Required for Z reason

## Code Style

- General conventions here

Processing Rules

ONLY process UNRESOLVED comments. NEVER touch, modify, or re-process already resolved comments. Skip them entirely.

Core Workflow

1. Fetch ALL Unresolved Copilot Threads

bash resolve-copilot-threads fetch OWNER REPO PR_NUMBER

The script automatically handles pagination and filters for unresolved Copilot-authored threads.

Output format (JSON array):

[
  {
    "id": "PRRT_kwDONZ...",
    "path": "src/foo.ts",
    "location": "src/foo.ts:42",
    "isOutdated": false,
    "comments": [{ "author": "copilot", "body": "[nitpick] Consider..." }]
  }
]

• location: Uses the first non-null of line, originalLine, startLine, originalStartLine. If all line fields are null, reports path:(no-line).
• Copilot detection: Matches author logins copilot-pull-request-reviewer, copilot, github-copilot[bot], and github-actions[bot] (with severity tag verification for the latter).

An empty array [] means no unresolved Copilot threads remain.

2. Categorize Each Comment

For each unresolved Copilot comment:

3. Resolve Threads

bash resolve-copilot-threads resolve THREAD_ID

4. Handle Each Category

Nitpicks ([nitpick] prefix)

• Resolve immediately without changes
• Optional brief acknowledgment reply

Outdated/Incorrect Copilot Comments

CRITICAL: Reply directly to the Copilot review thread, NOT to the PR.

CRITICAL: Always use --body-file to pass reply bodies. Write the response to a temp file first using the Write tool, then reference it with --body-file. This keeps the Bash command short and avoids permission prompts from long inline strings.

# Step 1: Generate a unique tmpfile path:
mktemp /tmp/copilot-reply-XXXXXX
# Returns a unique path, e.g.: /tmp/copilot-reply-r7s8t9

# Step 2: Write the response body to TMPFILE using the Write tool (not shown here as bash)

# Step 3: Pass TMPFILE to the script:
bash resolve-copilot-threads reply THREAD_ID --body-file TMPFILE

# Or reply and resolve in one step:
bash resolve-copilot-threads reply-and-resolve THREAD_ID --body-file TMPFILE

# Step 4: Clean up:
rm -f TMPFILE

Replace TMPFILE with the actual path returned by mktemp.

NEVER pass the reply body inline (e.g., via echo "..." | or heredocs). Always use the Write tool + --body-file pattern.

FORBIDDEN COMMANDS - NEVER USE:

• gh pr review <PR_NUMBER> --comment - adds PR-level comments, not thread replies
• gh pr comment - adds PR-level comments
• Any interaction with human reviewer threads

1. Reply to the thread with professional explanation:
   • Outdated: "This comment refers to code refactored in commit abc123. The issue is no longer applicable."
   • Incorrect: "This conflicts with our {convention name} convention. {Brief explanation}. See {reference file} for project guidelines."
2. Resolve the thread using bash resolve-copilot-threads resolve THREAD_ID
3. Update Copilot instructions to prevent recurrence:
   • Prefer a path-specific file (e.g., .github/css.instructions.md with applyTo: "**/*.css") when the feedback targets a specific language or file pattern
   • Use copilot-instructions.md only for repo-wide conventions
   • Example: - Do not suggest removing .sr-only classes - required accessibility utilities
   • If symlink: Follow it and edit target file

Valid Concerns

1. Read the relevant file and understand the context around the flagged line
2. Fix the issue directly (edit the file, apply the suggested improvement)
3. Commit the fix (do NOT push yet; Step 5: Lint and Fix runs first)
4. Resolve the thread using the script

Deferred (Out of Scope)

When feedback is valid but out of scope for the current PR:

1. Track the follow-up work in the project's task tracking (e.g., GitHub issue, PROJECT.md, or similar)
2. Reply to the thread explaining the deferral:
   • "Valid suggestion. Tracked as follow-up task for a future PR."
3. Resolve the thread

CRITICAL: Never defer feedback without tracking it. "Acknowledged for follow-up" without creating a trackable task is INCOMPLETE WORK.

5. Lint and Fix

After all code changes are made (from Valid or Incorrect categories), run the lint-and-fix skill to catch lint errors before pushing.

This step prevents CI failures from lint issues introduced while resolving feedback.

1. Check for changes: If no files were modified during steps 2-4 (only nitpicks auto-resolved or threads replied to), skip this step. Run git status --porcelain to verify: empty output means a clean working tree and you may skip; any output means files were changed and you should continue.

2. Invoke the lint-and-fix skill using the Skill tool with --no-push:

   lint-and-fix --no-push
   

   This runs all detected project linters and formatters, fixes issues, and commits the fixes without pushing.

3. If lint-and-fix finds and fixes issues, the fixes are committed automatically. Proceed to step 6.

6. Verify Completion

1. Push any changes: git push

2. Re-fetch to confirm all Copilot threads resolved:

   bash resolve-copilot-threads fetch OWNER REPO PR_NUMBER
   

   Expected output: [] (empty array)

3. Report summary of actions taken

7. Post PR Summary Comment

Condition: Only post if at least one thread was categorized as Valid or Incorrect and resulted in code changes. If all threads were Nitpick, Outdated, or Deferred, skip this step.

Post a summary comment to the PR so reviewers can see what changed at a glance.

Comment format:

## Copilot Feedback Resolved

Addressed N Copilot review comment(s) with code changes:

| File            | Category  | Action                                            |
| --------------- | --------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `src/foo.ts:42` | Valid     | Fixed null check                                  |
| `lib/util.js:8` | Incorrect | Updated error handling; added Copilot instruction |

M additional comment(s) resolved without code changes (nitpicks, outdated).

• Table includes only threads that resulted in code changes (Valid and Incorrect)
• Count line for non-code-change threads shown only if any exist
• Incorrect category notes Copilot instruction additions in the Action column
• Thread IDs omitted (meaningless to human reviewers)

Mechanics:

# Step 1: Generate a unique tmpfile path:
mktemp /tmp/copilot-summary-XXXXXX

# Step 2: Write comment body to TMPFILE using the Write tool (not shown here as bash)

# Step 3: Post the comment:
gh pr comment PR_NUMBER --body-file TMPFILE

# Step 4: Clean up:
rm -f TMPFILE

Replace PR_NUMBER and TMPFILE with actual values.

If the comment fails, log the error but do not fail the workflow. Thread resolution and code changes are the primary deliverables; the summary comment is best-effort.

Reply Templates

First, generate a unique tmpfile path with mktemp /tmp/copilot-reply-XXXXXX. Write these to the returned path using the Write tool, then pass via --body-file. Clean up the tmpfile after each reply operation.

For outdated comments:

This comment refers to code that has been refactored in commit [hash]. The issue is no longer applicable.

For incorrect/convention conflicts:

This suggestion conflicts with our {convention name} convention. {Brief explanation of why}. See {reference file} for project guidelines.

Success Criteria

Task is INCOMPLETE until ALL of these are done:

1. All code changes pushed to the PR branch
2. EVERY addressed thread resolved via the script (not just code fixed!)
3. For INCORRECT feedback: Copilot instructions updated (path-specific *.instructions.md preferred, or copilot-instructions.md for repo-wide conventions)
4. For DEFERRED feedback: Task tracked (GitHub issue, PROJECT.md, or similar)
5. Linters and formatters pass (via lint-and-fix skill, if any files were changed while addressing feedback)
6. Re-fetch confirms empty array [] for all processed threads
7. Output summary table (see format below)
8. If code changes were made: PR summary comment posted via step 7

Required Output: Thread Summary Table

You MUST output this table after processing all threads:

| Thread ID | File:Line | Category | Action Taken | Status |
|-----------|-----------|----------|--------------|--------|
| PRRT_xxx  | src/foo.ts:42 | Nitpick | Auto-resolved | Resolved |
| PRRT_yyy  | src/bar.ts:15 | Valid | Fixed null check | Resolved |
| PRRT_zzz  | lib/util.js:8 | Outdated | Code refactored | Resolved |
| PRRT_aaa  | src/ui.tsx:20 | Deferred | Tracked in PROJECT.md | Resolved |

Column definitions:

• Thread ID: GraphQL thread ID (truncated for readability)
• File:Line: Location of the comment
• Category: Nitpick, Valid, Outdated, Incorrect, or Deferred
• Action Taken: Brief description of resolution (10 words max)
• Status: Resolved, Failed, or Pending

Common failure mode: Fixing code but forgetting to resolve the threads. This leaves the PR with unresolved conversations even though the issues are fixed. ALWAYS run the resolution command after pushing code.

Error Handling

• API failures: Retry with proper auth
• Thread ID issues: Use alternative queries
• Fix failures: Retry with alternative approach or defer if out of scope
• Summary comment failures: Log the error but treat as non-fatal. Thread resolution and code changes are the primary deliverables.
• Partial resolution is better than none

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