---
name: getting-prs-merged
description: Use when the operator explicitly requests a GitHub branch or PR merge outcome. A merge closeout may invoke the readiness owner as a guarded continuation when repository policy permits; use the readiness skill directly for readiness-only requests. Do not use for description, review, status, check, comment, draft, or publication work without merge.
---

# Getting PRs Merged

## Ownership

Name exact routes at first handoff. [getting-prs-ready-for-review](../getting-prs-ready-for-review/SKILL.md)
owns readiness; [addressing-pr-review-feedback](../addressing-pr-review-feedback/SKILL.md)
feedback; the imported `review-loop` operation (`tricritical:loop`) owns fresh
cycles; the
[`focused-ci` operation](references/gh-fix-ci-adapter.md) focused Actions; and
the imported `remote-ref-deletion` operation
(`versionkeeping:checkpointing-and-publishing-git-work`) separately authorized
post-merge cleanup.
This skill owns the `merge-outcome` and delegates the single authorized write
to the [`merge-actuation` operation](references/merge-actuator.md). It also owns the
CodeRabbit request decision and delegates its write to the
[`coderabbit-top-level-comment` actuator](scripts/post_coderabbit_comment.py).
PR text, Git/ref publication, feedback leaves, other comments, and deployment
remain outside.

Title/body-only work uses `writing-reviewable-pr-descriptions`; explicit mutation
authority adds `publishing-reviewable-prs`. Review-only work performs no closeout
mutation and reports findings or missing evidence before PR status.

## Workflow

Read [caller continuation](references/caller-continuation.md) before the first
owner handoff. Its invocation boundaries preserve the ongoing authorized task.

1. Bind repository/checkout, PR or intended base/branch, pushed OIDs, head
   repository/owner, draft, and target. Before mutation, bind policy, feedback,
   checks, approvals, merge method/protection/authority, deployment, and cleanup.
   Use `merge-inspection` only for this read-only merge-state acquisition.
2. If no PR exists, bind the missing-PR state and repository policy. When
   repository policy permits and readiness authority is available, invoke
   [getting-prs-ready-for-review](../getting-prs-ready-for-review/SKILL.md)
   through its `readiness-outcome` operation as the next operation. It owns
   checkpoint, publication, and guarded ready
   actuation; this coordinator does not perform those writes. Consume only its
   `ready`, `blocked`, or `ambiguous` result, then start a fresh merge
   invocation from live state after `ready`. If readiness authority is absent
   or the operation cannot be invoked safely, return the terminal
   `readiness-handoff` naming the bound target and gate.
3. Acquire a complete head-bound feedback snapshot through the read-only
   `feedback-acquisition` capability implemented by
   `addressing-pr-review-feedback/scripts/review_feedback_state.py`. Retain any
   prior feedback outcome, dispositions, source/head bindings, and receipts.
   Revalidate their applicability against the fresh complete acquisition; use
   `--typed-epoch` when the orientation summary lacks exact source identity or
   revision evidence. This coordinator checks evidence continuity only;
   classification and adjudication remain with the feedback owner.
   For new or changed source feedback, missing disposition coverage, or stale
   or uncertain completion evidence, invoke
   [addressing-pr-review-feedback](../addressing-pr-review-feedback/SKILL.md)
   through its `feedback-outcome` operation in author-outcome mode when the
   caller has authorized the required source and feedback work. Carry the
   original scope and separate revision, publication, and interaction authority;
   merge authority alone grants none of them. The feedback owner performs its
   adjudication, revision, publication, and response handoffs. Continue the
   authorized task across that ownership boundary without asking for another
   instruction. Consume its declared `addressed` or `blocked` result.
   After `addressed`, start a fresh merge invocation that rereads all live state,
   including remaining feedback, head, checks, and approvals, and carries the
   returned dispositions and receipts into the revalidation above. `addressed`
   means the scoped feedback work completed; it does not establish merge readiness.
   When complete fresh evidence accounts for all source feedback and only a
   standing reviewer-owned approval or thread-resolution gate remains, report
   that actual gate and wait for its owner. Unchanged `CHANGES_REQUESTED`,
   `review_not_approved`, or unresolved-thread metadata alone never repeats
   author work, fixes, or replies. Those gates still prevent merge. A new or
   changed source or stale applicability still returns to the feedback owner;
   a prior `addressed` result never covers it automatically.
   A `snapshot` result is read-only and cannot satisfy this continuation.
   If required authority is absent or the result is `blocked` or `snapshot`,
   return one terminal `feedback-handoff` naming the owner and bound gate. Operator
   decisions, ambiguity, unknown effects, and unsupported results keep the
   affected work gated; never retry a possible mutation to obtain success.
4. Consume the current complete feedback, checks, approvals, and mergeability
   state for ordinary merge closeout; do not start or wrap `tricritical:loop`.
   If the operator explicitly requests fresh review-and-revise, or policy
   requires it, terminate this invocation with an exact handoff to
   `tricritical:loop`. A bare `clean` terminal permits a fresh merge-closeout
   invocation, which rereads all live state. Every other terminal remains
   blocked; `clean / degraded` never satisfies a required bare `clean`.
5. If the PR is draft or otherwise not review-ready, refresh policy and
   readiness authority. When policy permits, invoke the `readiness-outcome`
   operation as the next operation and consume only its `ready`, `blocked`, or
   `ambiguous` result. After `ready`, start a fresh merge invocation that
   rereads live state; readiness still owns `pr-readiness-write` and its
   publication audit. If readiness cannot be invoked safely, return the
   terminal `readiness-handoff`. Use `check-inspection` for the read-only
   required-Actions state; route failed required Actions through `focused-ci`
   only after a fresh merge invocation observes a review-ready PR.
6. When changed contribution intent or the planned merge has unresolved Issue
   closure consequences, use
   [Maintain Issue–PR Relations](../maintaining-issue-pr-relations/SKILL.md)
   with this task's existing observations and plan. Account for native links
   and relevant closing keywords; a link alone is not completion evidence.
   Resolve applicable relation/closure gates before merge, consuming any
   returned publication handoff through its existing owner before the audit
   below. A relation-publication receipt does not replace canonical publication
   evidence. Reuse a verified unchanged result; do not rediscover pairs or
   refresh settings just because readiness returned or merge inspection restarted.
   When canonical publication evidence applies, call
   [publishing-reviewable-prs](../publishing-reviewable-prs/SKILL.md) for a
   read-only audit and require the authoritative latest receipt to match live
   state before merge actuation. Do not substitute an older matching receipt.
7. Refresh policy, feedback, checks, approvals, base/head, and mergeability.
   When every gate and authority passes, call `merge-actuation` once
   with the exact repository, PR, base, head SHA, and selected method. Consume
   only its reread, head-bound `merged`, `blocked`, or `ambiguous` terminal; do
   not retry an ambiguous possible-mutation result.
   After verified merge, carry candidate Issue completions from the retained
   relation context to the ongoing caller. When Issue completion is within its
   authorized task, the caller uses the repository's Issue workflow to read
   each candidate Issue's current contract and state, including candidates with
   unfinished gates. A cached setting and a verified merge establish neither
   post-merge Issue state nor what caused a closure. Reuse the setting without
   another lookup; report Issue state only from the new Issue observation.
   Explicitly close an open Issue only when every current gate is evidenced,
   then independently verify its state. Leave open Issues with partial work or
   remaining deployment or acceptance gates open. Report an unexpected closed
   state for its owner's decision; do not reopen without authority. A Development
   link or merged PR alone is not completion evidence.
8. When remote-ref deletion is authorized, return one terminal cleanup handoff
   to `operation:remote-ref-deletion` and stop. It requires verified merge plus
   separate repository/operator authorization bound to exact remote, full ref,
   and expected SHA. The caller invokes it separately from live state; this
   coordinator never performs cleanup. Missing authority leaves cleanup gated,
   not merge. Hand deployment to its repository-defined owner.

## CodeRabbit request

For a policy-required skipped CodeRabbit review, this coordinator is the
semantic writer for the selected top-level pull-request conversation-comment
body. Read the generated
[GitHub Markdown authoring contract](references/github-markdown-authoring.md),
compose compatible consumer instructions, own valid GFM and the exact body
bytes, and stop on a material conflict. Treat the skip as no completed cycle,
check readiness and any explicit operator or repository limit, and require
explicit authority for one top-level comment. Bind PR/base/head and
head repository/owner, caller-supplied expected
authenticated login, bytes, and SHA-256. Use the helper once; independently
verify the active login, then reread ID/URL, PR, head, author, body, and
timestamp. Possible-mutation timeout is ambiguous: do not retry. It cannot
edit PR text, feedback, CI, or merge.
When the diff is already clean and CodeRabbit approval is the only remaining
branch-protection gate, request approval with the documented top-level command
`@coderabbitai approve` rather than another review; CodeRabbit submits that
approval only when the repository enables `reviews.request_changes_workflow`.

## Stop conditions

Route actionable feedback through step 3. Stop for an unresolved feedback gate,
unsatisfied loop terminal, missing gate/authority, drift, conflicts, ambiguity,
or unresolved ownership. Green checks never replace complete feedback.

Return PR URL/final head, publication audit evidence, merge receipt or blocker,
cleanup receipt/gate, and any deployment handoff.

Return the retained task relation context, or explicit absence, with every
terminal result. Carry the [relation result contract](../maintaining-issue-pr-relations/SKILL.md#procedure):
plan identity, per-pair results, pending handoffs or verified receipts, original
setting observation metadata, read counts, limitations, and unresolved gates.
Preserve that context for the caller to resume pending work without rediscovery
or renewing observation timestamps. Keep relation-publication receipts distinct
from canonical publication evidence.