name: gh-triage-ru user-invocable: false skill_api_version: 1 hexagonal_role: supporting metadata: tier: execution description: >- GitHub issue/PR triage via ru and gh. Use when processing issues, closing PRs (no-contributions policy), or bulk triage. Independent verification required. practices:
- pragmatic-programmer
gh-triage-ru — GitHub Issues/PRs with ru
Core Insight: User reports are hints, not facts. Every bug report, feature request, and PR must be independently verified. Never trust suggested fixes—implement your own solution based on your own analysis.
The Full Contribution Policy
This is the official policy disclosed to users in READMEs:
About Contributions: Please don't take this the wrong way, but I do not accept outside contributions for any of my projects. I simply don't have the mental bandwidth to review anything, and it's my name on the thing, so I'm responsible for any problems it causes; thus, the risk-reward is highly asymmetric from my perspective. I'd also have to worry about other "stakeholders," which seems unwise for tools I mostly make for myself for free. Feel free to submit issues, and even PRs if you want to illustrate a proposed fix, but know I won't merge them directly. Instead, I'll have Claude or Codex review submissions via
ghand independently decide whether and how to address them. Bug reports in particular are welcome. Sorry if this offends, but I want to avoid wasted time and hurt feelings. I understand this isn't in sync with the prevailing open-source ethos that seeks community contributions, but it's the only way I can move at this velocity and keep my sanity.
Translation for agents: We NEVER merge PRs. Ever. PRs are intel, not contributions. Mine them for ideas, implement yourself, close with explanation.
Quick Start
# 1. Health check
ru doctor && gh auth status
# 2. Discover open items (2025+ only)
ru review --dry-run --json 2>/dev/null | \
jq '[.items[] | select(.created_at >= "2025-01-01")]'
# 3. Review each item
gh issue view NUMBER -R owner/repo
gh pr diff NUMBER -R owner/repo # THE INTEL for PRs
# 4. Verify independently (NEVER trust user claims)
cd /data/projects/REPO
git log --oneline --since="ISSUE_DATE" | head -20 # Already fixed?
grep -r "relevant_function" src/ # Find the code
# 5. Take action
gh issue close N -R owner/repo -c "Fixed in abc123"
gh pr close N -R owner/repo -c "Thanks! Implemented independently in abc123"
Decision Matrix
| Type | Status | Action | Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bug, confirmed unfixed | Verified | Fix it | gh issue close N -c "Fixed in SHA" |
| Bug, already fixed | Verified | Close | gh issue close N -c "Fixed in SHA from DATE" |
| Bug, can't reproduce | Unknown | Ask | Use REQUEST-INFO.md |
| Bug, pre-2025 | Stale | Close | gh issue close N -c "Closing as stale" |
| Feature, simple | Fits scope | Implement | gh issue close N -c "Implemented in SHA" |
| Feature, complex | Needs judgment | SURFACE | Use SURFACE-FORMAT.md |
| Feature, scope creep | Doesn't fit | Decline | Use DECLINE-TEMPLATES.md |
| PR, any | N/A | NEVER MERGE | Close + mine for ideas |
The Independent Verification Protocol
This is non-negotiable. Every claim must be verified.
DO NOT:
- Trust that the bug exists as described
- Trust that the suggested fix is correct
- Trust that reproduction steps work
- Assume the issue is still relevant
- Copy-paste user-provided code fixes
DO:
- Reproduce bugs yourself
- Check commits since issue date
- Read the actual code
- Verify against official docs
- Test empirically
- Write your OWN fix
Verification Questions
| Claim Type | How to Verify |
|---|---|
| "X crashes" | Reproduce the crash yourself |
| "X doesn't work" | Define "work", test actual behavior |
| "X should do Y" | Check docs, is this intended? |
| "X is slow" | Benchmark, compare to baseline |
| "X has security issue" | Analyze code path, test exploit |
| "This PR fixes it" | Read diff, understand approach, implement yourself |
Verification Commands
cd /data/projects/REPO_NAME
# Check if commits since issue might have fixed it
git log --oneline --since="ISSUE_DATE" | head -20
# Search codebase for relevant code
grep -r "relevant_function" src/
# Read the actual implementation
cat src/relevant_file.rs
# Check current behavior
./target/debug/tool --help
# For API claims, verify against official docs
# (Use WebFetch for official documentation)
Deep dive: VERIFICATION.md
PR Handling: Mine, Never Merge
PRs contain intel, not contributions. The workflow:
- Read the diff — This is THE INTEL
- Understand their approach — What problem are they solving? How?
- Write YOUR OWN implementation — Never copy their code
- Commit — No attribution needed for ideas
- Close PR with explanation — Be kind, explain policy
# View the diff (THE INTEL)
gh pr diff NUMBER -R owner/repo
# Read their approach
gh pr view NUMBER -R owner/repo --comments
# If idea is good:
# 1. Understand their approach
# 2. Write YOUR OWN implementation
# 3. Commit (no attribution needed for ideas)
# 4. Close PR with explanation
PR Close Template
gh pr close NUMBER -R owner/repo -c "$(cat <<'EOF'
Thanks for the contribution! Per project policy, I don't merge outside PRs, but I reviewed your approach.
[One of:]
- I've implemented a similar fix in abc123
- Noted the idea—may address differently later
- Current behavior is intentional because [reason]
Appreciate you taking the time!
EOF
)"
Response Templates
Bug Fixed
gh issue close N -R owner/repo -c "$(cat <<'EOF'
Fixed in abc123.
The issue was [brief explanation]. [Any additional context.]
EOF
)"
Bug Already Fixed
gh issue close N -R owner/repo -c "$(cat <<'EOF'
This was fixed in abc123 (from DATE).
Please update to the latest version. If issue persists after updating, reopen with details.
EOF
)"
Cannot Reproduce
gh issue comment N -R owner/repo -b "$(cat <<'EOF'
I tried to reproduce this but couldn't. Could you provide:
- Exact steps to reproduce
- OS and version
- Full error output
- Tool version (`tool --version`)
Happy to investigate with more details.
EOF
)"
Stale Issue (Pre-2025)
gh issue close N -R owner/repo -c "$(cat <<'EOF'
Closing as stale—the codebase has changed significantly.
If this is still relevant with current versions, please open a new issue with fresh reproduction steps.
EOF
)"
Feature Implemented
gh issue close N -R owner/repo -c "$(cat <<'EOF'
Implemented in abc123.
[Brief description of what was added and how to use it.]
EOF
)"
Feature Declined (Scope Creep)
gh issue close N -R owner/repo -c "$(cat <<'EOF'
Thanks for the suggestion! After consideration, this would add scope I'm trying to avoid.
[Optional: brief explanation or workaround]
Feel free to fork if you need this functionality.
EOF
)"
More templates: DECLINE-TEMPLATES.md | REQUEST-INFO.md
Surface Format: When Judgment Required
For complex features, ambiguous issues, or security-related items—surface to user for decision.
When to Surface
| Situation | Surface? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Simple bug, clear fix | No | Just fix it |
| Feature fits, low effort | No | Just do it |
| Complex feature request | Yes | Scope implications |
| Interesting PR ideas | Yes | Need approval to integrate |
| Ambiguous intended behavior | Yes | Could break things |
| Security-related | Yes | High stakes |
| Multiple valid approaches | Yes | Design decision |
| Breaking changes | Yes | User impact |
Surface Format
FEATURE REQUEST REQUIRING JUDGMENT: owner/repo#42
**Request:** "[Title from issue]"
**User's Problem:** [What they're trying to accomplish]
**Analysis:**
+ [Benefit 1]
+ [Benefit 2]
- [Drawback 1]
- [Drawback 2]
- Scope Risk: [What this might lead to]
**Implementation Options:**
1. Full implementation: [What it would take]
2. Simplified version: [Reduced scope alternative]
3. Decline: [Polite response]
**My recommendation:** Option [X] because [reasoning]
**If approved:** I'll implement and close with: "[proposed response]"
More formats: SURFACE-FORMAT.md
Scope Creep Detection
| Signal | Why It's Scope Creep |
|---|---|
| "Also add X while you're at it" | Bundled unrelated request |
| "Support format Y too" | Opens floodgate for formats |
| Requires new dependencies | Maintenance burden |
| Changes core architecture | Risk outweighs benefit |
| "Make it configurable" | Complexity for edge cases |
| "Would be nice if..." | Vague, unbounded request |
| "What if we also..." | Feature creep in disguise |
| "Full parity with X" | Massive scope expansion |
Bulk Processing
# Get all 2025+ issues
gh issue list -R owner/repo --state open --json number,title,createdAt | \
jq '.[] | select(.createdAt >= "2025-01-01")'
# Count by repo
ru review --dry-run --json 2>/dev/null | \
jq 'group_by(.repo) | map({repo: .[0].repo, count: length})'
# Process systematically
for num in $(gh issue list -R owner/repo --state open --json number -q '.[].number'); do
echo "=== Issue #$num ==="
gh issue view $num -R owner/repo
# Analyze, verify, act
done
Validation
After triage session:
# Verify no 2025+ issues remain unaddressed
ru review --dry-run --json 2>/dev/null | \
jq '[.items[] | select(.created_at >= "2025-01-01" and .state == "open")] | length'
# Should be 0 (or only surfaced items awaiting judgment)
# Verify commits reference issues
git log --oneline --grep="Closes #" -10
git log --oneline --grep="Fixed #" -10
Automated Integrity Checks via dsr
GitHub Actions is unreliable (throttling/cutoff). All critical integrity checks run locally via systemd timers and dsr.
ACFS Manifest SHA256 Drift (CRITICAL)
The ACFS curl | bash installer breaks when manifest_index.sh has a stale SHA256 hash. This has been a recurring crisis. It is now fully automated:
# Check manifest drift (check-only)
/data/projects/agentic_coding_flywheel_setup/scripts/check-manifest-drift.sh --json
# Check and auto-fix (what the timer runs)
/data/projects/agentic_coding_flywheel_setup/scripts/check-manifest-drift.sh --fix
# Systemd timer status (runs every 2h)
systemctl --user status acfs-manifest-drift.timer
# View recent runs
journalctl --user -u acfs-manifest-drift.service --since "24h ago"
# dsr quality gate (manual check)
dsr quality --tool agentic_coding_flywheel_setup
How it works:
- Systemd timer fires every 2 hours
- Script compares
sha256sum acfs.manifest.yamlagainst hash inmanifest_index.sh - If mismatch: runs
bun run generate, commits, pushes automatically - ACFS is also registered in
~/.config/dsr/repos.yamlwith manifest-drift as a quality gate
When triaging ACFS issues: Always run the drift check first. Many "install fails" issues are caused by manifest drift, not code bugs.
Adding New Automated Checks
For any repo with recurring integrity issues, the pattern is:
- Create a check script in the repo's
scripts/directory (exit 0 = ok, exit 1 = drift) - Register in dsr via
~/.config/dsr/repos.yamlunderchecks: - Create systemd timer in
~/.config/systemd/user/for scheduled runs - Enable:
systemctl --user enable --now <name>.timer
References
| Topic | Resource |
|---|---|
| Request info templates | REQUEST-INFO.md |
| Decline templates | DECLINE-TEMPLATES.md |
| Surface formats | SURFACE-FORMAT.md |
| gh command reference | GH-COMMANDS.md |
| Verification deep dive | VERIFICATION.md |
| Real-world examples | REAL-EXAMPLES.md |
Anti-Patterns
| Don't | Why | Do Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Merge PRs | Policy violation | Close with explanation |
| Trust user diagnosis | Often wrong | Verify independently |
| Close without response | Bad UX | Always explain why |
| Batch-close stale issues | Loses context | Review each briefly |
| Implement user's exact code | Could be wrong | Write your own version |
| Ignore old issues | May contain valid bugs | Triage by date, close if stale |
| Skip verification | Miss bugs or break things | Always verify empirically |
| Copy PR code | Violates policy spirit | Understand approach, reimplement |