GitHub PR Review Skill for Claude Code

A Claude Code skill that ensures consistent, professional GitHub pull request reviews using the gh CLI with pending reviews and code suggestions.

What This Skill Does

This skill teaches Claude to:

• Always use pending reviews to batch comments (even under time pressure)
• Create code suggestions using the ```suggestion syntax
• Choose the right event type (COMMENT, APPROVE, or REQUEST_CHANGES)
• Use correct gh api syntax with proper quoting and flags

Installation

Option 1: Plugin Marketplace (Recommended)

Install directly from the marketplace using Claude Code:

# Add this marketplace
/plugin marketplace add aidankinzett/claude-git-pr-skill

# Install the plugin
/plugin install github-pr-review

# Verify installation
/plugin list

For team-wide installation, add to .claude/settings.json:

{
  "extraKnownMarketplaces": [
    {
      "name": "github-pr-skills",
      "source": {
        "source": "github",
        "repo": "aidankinzett/claude-git-pr-skill"
      }
    }
  ],
  "plugins": {
    "github-pr-review": {
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Option 2: Manual Copy

Copy the skill directly to your skills directory:

# Personal (all projects)
cp -r github-pr-review/skills/github-pr-review ~/.claude/skills/

# Project-specific
cp -r github-pr-review/skills/github-pr-review .claude/skills/

Usage

Once installed, Claude will automatically use this skill when you ask it to review pull requests. For example:

You: "Review PR #123 and suggest improvements"
Claude: *Uses github-pr-review skill to create pending review with batched comments*

What Makes This Skill Different

Without this skill, Claude might:

• Post comments immediately without showing you first
• Skip pending reviews under time pressure
• Use incorrect gh api syntax
• Choose the wrong event type
• Post comments you didn't approve

With this skill, Claude will:

• ✅ Show you exactly what will be posted before posting
• ✅ Ask for explicit approval using yes/no questions
• ✅ Always create pending reviews first
• ✅ Batch all comments together
• ✅ Use code suggestions with ```suggestion blocks
• ✅ Choose appropriate event types (APPROVE for minor suggestions, REQUEST_CHANGES for blocking issues)
• ✅ Use correct syntax (single quotes around comments[][] parameters)

Workflow Pattern

The skill enforces this workflow:

1. Draft → 2. Show & Approve → 3. Post

Step 1: Draft Review

Claude analyzes the PR and prepares comments with code suggestions.

Step 2: Show & Get Approval

Claude shows you EXACTLY what will be posted:

• Each comment with file and line number
• Code suggestions formatted
• Event type (APPROVE/REQUEST_CHANGES/COMMENT)
• Overall review message

You review and approve (or request changes).

Step 3: Post Review (Technical)

After your approval, Claude posts using this pattern:

# Step 1: Create PENDING review with all comments
gh api repos/:owner/:repo/pulls/123/reviews \
  -X POST \
  -f commit_id="<SHA>" \
  -f 'comments[][path]=file.ts' \
  -F 'comments[][line]=42' \
  -f 'comments[][side]=RIGHT' \
  -f 'comments[][body]=Comment with ```suggestion block...' \
  --jq '{id, state}'

# Step 2: Submit when ready
gh api repos/:owner/:repo/pulls/123/reviews/<REVIEW_ID>/events \
  -X POST \
  -f event="APPROVE" \
  -f body="Overall review message"

Benefits

• Consistent workflow across all PR reviews
• Professional batched comments instead of scattered notifications
• Correct syntax every time
• Better decision making on event types
• Time-tested pattern that works under pressure

Prerequisites

• Claude Code
• GitHub CLI (gh) installed and authenticated

License

MIT (or specify your license)

Repository Structure

.claude-plugin/
  marketplace.json          # Plugin marketplace definition
github-pr-review/           # Plugin root
  skills/                   # Skills directory
    github-pr-review/       # The skill
      SKILL.md              # Skill definition
CHANGELOG.md                # Version history and changes

Versioning

This skill follows Semantic Versioning:

• Current version: 1.0.0
• Version location: .claude-plugin/marketplace.json
• Change history: See CHANGELOG.md

Updating the Version

When making changes:

1. Update CHANGELOG.md - Add entries under [Unreleased] 2. When releasing:

• Move unreleased items to new version section in CHANGELOG.md
• Update version in .claude-plugin/marketplace.json
• Create git tag: git tag -a v1.0.1 -m "Release v1.0.1"
• Push with tags: git push --tags

Version numbers:

• PATCH (1.0.1) - Bug fixes, typos, small improvements
• MINOR (1.1.0) - New features, backwards compatible
• MAJOR (2.0.0) - Breaking changes to skill behavior

Contributing

This skill was created using Test-Driven Development for skills: 1. Baseline tests identified violations (posting immediately under time pressure, no user approval) 2. Skill was written to address those violations 3. Tests verified the skill works correctly 4. Edge cases were tested and handled 5. Approval workflow added after user feedback

If you find edge cases where the skill doesn't work correctly, please open an issue!

Development

To test changes locally:

# Symlink for testing
ln -s $(pwd)/github-pr-review/skills/github-pr-review ~/.claude/skills/github-pr-review

# Or use the plugin marketplace locally
/plugin marketplace add file://$(pwd)
/plugin install github-pr-review