GitHub CLI Power Utilities

Skill-local scripts (scripts/gh_ops.py) are stdlib-only and run base-directory-relative with python3 (py -3 on Windows).

Intelligent wrappers and patterns for GitHub CLI that go beyond basic commands.

When to Use

• Debugging failed GitHub Actions (get actionable errors, not walls of logs)
• Managing PRs across multiple repos
• Automating releases with proper changelogs
• Bulk operations on issues/PRs
• Repository health checks

Prerequisites

brew install gh && gh auth login  # macOS

Operations rubric

Invoked as <operation> [args] (operation = workflows | prs | releases | repo):

1. Parse the operation and its args.
2. Read refs/operations.md (relative to this skill's base directory) —
   the command reference for each operation category, multi-step patterns,
   and output format.
3. Execute the gh commands directly and deliver:
   • workflows: for workflow failures — root cause + fix + re-run command.
   • prs: status summary + recommended action.
   • releases: release URL when created.
   • repo: findings summary + actionable next steps.

For multi-step workflow generation from scratch, also load the github-actions
skill's rubric: the wicked-garden-platform-github-actions skill's refs/actions-rubric.md.

Core Capabilities

1. Smart Failure Analysis

Don't wade through logs - get the actual errors.

# Get actionable error summary
python3 scripts/gh_ops.py diagnose

# Specific repo
python3 scripts/gh_ops.py diagnose --repo owner/repo

# With suggested fixes
python3 scripts/gh_ops.py diagnose --suggest-fixes

Output: Structured error summary with job timelines, extracted failures, and fix suggestions based on common patterns.

2. PR Operations

Bulk PR management that scales.

# List PRs needing review across your repos
python3 scripts/gh_ops.py pr-review-queue

# Merge all approved PRs (with safety checks)
python3 scripts/gh_ops.py pr-merge-ready --dry-run

# PR health check (conflicts, checks, reviews)
python3 scripts/gh_ops.py pr-status 123

3. Release Automation

Generate releases with proper changelogs.

# Create release from unreleased commits
python3 scripts/gh_ops.py release --bump minor

# Preview changelog without releasing
python3 scripts/gh_ops.py release --dry-run

# Release with custom notes
python3 scripts/gh_ops.py release --notes "Breaking: API v2"

4. Repo Health

Quick health check for repositories.

python3 scripts/gh_ops.py health

Checks: Branch protection, required reviews, CI status, security advisories, dependency alerts.

Quick Patterns

# Watch CI and notify on completion
gh run watch && osascript -e 'display notification "CI Done"'

# Open PR for current branch
gh pr create --fill --web

# Checkout PR locally
gh pr checkout 123

# View PR diff in terminal
gh pr diff 123

# Re-run failed jobs only
gh run rerun --failed

# List your open PRs across all repos
gh search prs --author=@me --state=open

Integration with Other Tools

Works well with:

• wicked-garden-search: Find code patterns, then use gh to create issues
• Native tasks: Track PR status alongside tasks via TaskUpdate description appends

References

• refs/gh-ops.md - Full script documentation
• refs/patterns.md - Common workflow patterns
• refs/automation.md - CI/CD integration examples