# Merge Pr Multiple

> Merge a set of PRs one at a time — detect stack vs independent set, rebase and resolve conflicts between merges, watch CI, merge each via gh

- Skill: `tony/merge-pr-multiple` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tony/merge-pr-multiple`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tony/merge-pr-multiple/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: tony (https://skillmd.com/u/tony)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tony/merge-pr-multiple

---


# Merge Multiple PRs

Land a set of pull requests one at a time: merge one, refresh trunk,
bring the next PR up to date (rebase, resolve conflicts, force-push,
wait on CI), then merge it — repeating until the set is landed or a
gate halts the run.

Read `references/merge-readiness.md` first; it
defines the readiness gate, the rebase procedure, the merge-message
derivation, flag passthrough, the `--admin` policy, and the rule that
merging is not releasing.

User arguments: $ARGUMENTS

## Context

Trunk — run this command and read the output:

```bash
git rev-parse --verify origin/main >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo main || echo master
```

Open PRs — run this command and read the output:

```bash
gh pr list --json number,title,headRefName,baseRefName,isDraft 2>/dev/null || echo "(gh unavailable)"
```

## Procedure

### 1. Assemble the roster

Take the PR set from the arguments, or from the PRs this
conversation has been working on. If the set is ambiguous — the
conversation touched more PRs than the user likely means, or an
argument doesn't match an open PR — present the candidates via
`ask-user-choice` and let the user pick. Show the final roster
before merging anything.

### 2. Detect the topology

Fetch `baseRefName` and `headRefName` for each PR. If any PR's base
branch is another PR's head branch, the set is a **stack**: order
bottom-up, each PR merging only after its parent. Otherwise the set
is **independent**: honor the order the user gave, falling back to
ascending PR number.

For a stack, plan the retarget: merging a parent with
`--delete-branch` lets GitHub retarget the child to trunk
automatically; when the branch is kept, retarget explicitly with
`gh pr edit <child> --base <trunk>` before rebasing the child.

### 3. Land each PR

For each PR in order:

1. **Readiness gate** — apply the gate from the reference. Failing
   CI, draft state, or `CHANGES_REQUESTED` halts the run with a
   report of what landed and what remains.
2. **Bring up to date** — when the PR is `BEHIND` or `DIRTY`, or an
   earlier merge in this run moved trunk:
   follow the reference's rebase procedure (for a stacked child,
   `git rebase --onto` the new trunk so the parent's merged commits
   drop out), resolve conflicts — asking on any conflict that forces
   a choice between behaviors — verify content did not drift, then
   `git push --force-with-lease`.
3. **Wait on CI** — `gh pr checks <n> --watch` on the rebased head.
4. **Merge** — compose the merge commit message per the reference
   (match `git log --merges`, stay provincial, no release claims)
   and merge via `gh pr merge <n> --merge -t ... -b ...`, passing
   the user's flags through verbatim. `--admin` only within the
   reference's policy, asked-for if the user didn't supply it.
5. **Sync** — checkout trunk, pull, confirm the PR reports merged.

### 4. Halt conditions

Stop and report — never push past — when a rebase produces an
unexpected content diff, CI fails on a rebased head, a PR turned
closed or draft mid-run, or a conflict needs a product decision.
Everything already merged stays merged; the report says exactly
where the run stopped and why.

## Rules

- One PR at a time; never merge two PRs between trunk syncs.
- Merges go through `gh pr merge`, never a local `git merge` pushed
  to trunk.
- Never merge over failing or pending CI, with or without `--admin`.
- Force-pushes use `--force-with-lease` and only ever target PR
  branches.
- When in doubt at any step, ask — do no harm.

## Output

Open with a one-line hero (`✓ Merged N of M PRs` or
`⚠ Halted at #N: <reason>`), then exactly these sections:

1. `## Roster` — the PRs, detected topology (stack or independent),
   and merge order.
2. `## Merges` — per PR: gate result, rebase/conflicts if any, CI
   outcome, merge commit subject.
3. `## Trunk` — the post-run trunk state.

End with an `ask-user-choice` panel offering next steps (for
example: continue with a halted PR after a fix, merge another set,
stop here) — skip the panel only in plan mode.


## Portability notes

- `ask-user-choice` — present the listed options and wait for the user to pick one. Hosts with a structured multiple-choice tool (Claude Code's `AskUserQuestion`) should use it; otherwise print a numbered list and wait for a numbered reply. Never proceed on an assumed answer.
- `$ARGUMENTS` — the text the user passed when invoking this skill. If your host does not substitute it, read it as the user's request in the current turn, and ask when there is none.
- Bundled files — every relative path in this skill points at a file shipped inside this skill directory. Read them from here, not from the host's plugin tree.