How do I install the Backport Pr skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add vercel-labs/backport-pr in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Backport Pr safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Backport Pr?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Backport Pr free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Backport Pr?

Vercel Labs (@vercel-labs) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Backport Pr by vercel-labs — Agent Skill

Name: Backport Pr
Author: Vercel Labs

Backport Pr

Backport a merged Next.js pull request from canary to a previous release branch such as next-16-2. Use when the user asks to backport, cherry-pick, or open a backport PR from a PR number to an older Next.js version. Covers finding the merged PR commit, creating a backport branch from the target release branch, cherry-picking from canary, validating, and opening the PR with the release branch as the base.

Vercel Labs 316e58f 3.2 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026 28.7k repo stars

File contents

Backport PR

Use this skill when a user asks to backport a merged Next.js PR to a release branch.

Inputs

Require a PR number and a target release branch, for example next-16-2.
If the target branch is not provided and cannot be inferred confidently from the user's request, ask before mutating git state.
Treat the target branch as variable; do not hard-code next-16-2 except when the user explicitly asks for it.

Workflow

Inspect the current worktree before changing branches:
```
git status --short
git branch --show-current
```
Preserve unrelated user changes. Do not overwrite, reset, or stash them without the user's consent.

Sync the source and target branches:

git fetch origin canary:refs/remotes/origin/canary <target-branch>:refs/remotes/origin/<target-branch>

Identify the commit that landed the PR on canary:
```
gh pr view <pr-number> --repo vercel/next.js --json number,title,state,url,mergeCommit,baseRefName,headRefName
git log origin/canary --oneline --fixed-strings --grep="(#<pr-number>)"
```
Prefer mergeCommit.oid when the PR is MERGED and the commit is contained in origin/canary. If GitHub does not return a usable merge commit, use the git log --grep result and verify the commit subject references the PR number.
Create the backport branch from the release branch:
```
git switch -c backport-<pr-number>-to-<target-branch> origin/<target-branch>
```
After switching branches in this repo, run pnpm build-all before Next.js integration tests unless the user explicitly limits the task to preparing the cherry-pick or PR.
Cherry-pick the landed commit with provenance:
```
git cherry-pick -x <merged-commit-sha>
```
Resolve conflicts in favor of preserving the release branch's compatibility constraints. If the cherry-pick is empty, verify whether the change is already present on the release branch and report that instead of opening a duplicate PR.
Verify with the narrowest commands that cover the touched files. Prefer focused tests, pnpm types for TypeScript-only risk, and the relevant integration test mode for behavior changes.
Open the backport PR using $create-pr.

Override the normal $create-pr base branch: use --base <target-branch>, not canary. Keep the PR as a draft unless the user explicitly asks otherwise.

PR Shape

Use a title like:

[backport] <original PR title>

Use a concise PR body:

Backports <original PR title/link> to `<target-branch>`.

<!-- NEXT_JS_LLM -->

Related Skills

$create-pr - Create the branch commit, push it, and open the draft PR.
$pr-status-triage - Check CI failures or review feedback after the PR exists.

---name: backport-prdescription: Backport a merged Next.js pull request from canary to a previous release branch such as next-16-2. Use when the user asks to backport, cherry-pick, or open a backport PR from a PR number to an older Next.js version. Covers finding the merged PR commit, creating a backport branch from the target release branch, cherry-picking from canary, validating, and opening the PR with the release branch as the base.---# Backport PRUse this skill when a user asks to backport a merged Next.js PR to a releasebranch.## Inputs- Require a PR number and a target release branch, for example `next-16-2`.- If the target branch is not provided and cannot be inferred confidently from the user's request, ask before mutating git state.- Treat the target branch as variable; do not hard-code `next-16-2` except when the user explicitly asks for it.## Workflow1. Inspect the current worktree before changing branches: ```bash git status --short git branch --show-current ``` Preserve unrelated user changes. Do not overwrite, reset, or stash them without the user's consent.2. Sync the source and target branches: ```bash git fetch origin canary:refs/remotes/origin/canary <target-branch>:refs/remotes/origin/<target-branch> ```3. Identify the commit that landed the PR on `canary`: ```bash gh pr view <pr-number> --repo vercel/next.js --json number,title,state,url,mergeCommit,baseRefName,headRefName git log origin/canary --oneline --fixed-strings --grep="(#<pr-number>)" ``` Prefer `mergeCommit.oid` when the PR is `MERGED` and the commit is contained in `origin/canary`. If GitHub does not return a usable merge commit, use the `git log --grep` result and verify the commit subject references the PR number.4. Create the backport branch from the release branch: ```bash git switch -c backport-<pr-number>-to-<target-branch> origin/<target-branch> ``` After switching branches in this repo, run `pnpm build-all` before Next.js integration tests unless the user explicitly limits the task to preparing the cherry-pick or PR.5. Cherry-pick the landed commit with provenance: ```bash git cherry-pick -x <merged-commit-sha> ``` Resolve conflicts in favor of preserving the release branch's compatibility constraints. If the cherry-pick is empty, verify whether the change is already present on the release branch and report that instead of opening a duplicate PR.6. Verify with the narrowest commands that cover the touched files. Prefer focused tests, `pnpm types` for TypeScript-only risk, and the relevant integration test mode for behavior changes.7. Open the backport PR using `$create-pr`. Override the normal `$create-pr` base branch: use `--base <target-branch>`, not `canary`. Keep the PR as a draft unless the user explicitly asks otherwise.## PR ShapeUse a title like:```text[backport] <original PR title>```Use a concise PR body:```markdownBackports <original PR title/link> to `<target-branch>`.```## Related Skills- `$create-pr` - Create the branch commit, push it, and open the draft PR.- `$pr-status-triage` - Check CI failures or review feedback after the PR exists.

Frequently asked questions