Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Check PR Status agent skill (check-pr)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The check-pr skill is a set of instructions and helper files that teaches an AI coding agent how to inspect a change before you submit it. It covers GitHub pull requests, GitLab merge requests and Perforce changelists. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it in plain language, and what to check for safety before you run it.
Check PR Statuspaperclipai/paperclip · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download and unzip. Download the check-pr ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 2Or upload it in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the ZIP.
- 3Install and authenticate your CLI. Make sure git and the right CLI (gh, glab or p4) are installed and logged in, and that jq is available.
- 4Open the repository. Change into the project folder whose pull request, merge request or changelist you want to check.
- 5Ask for a check in plain language. Say something like 'check PR 123 for review comments and failing checks', or leave out the number to use your current branch.
- 6Review the checklist. Read the list of remaining issues the agent reports, including any Greptile blocker tied to the current head.
- 7Address and re-check. Ask the agent to help fix the items, push, then run the check again so the Greptile gate runs on the new commit.
What is an agent skill, and what does check-pr do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file and optional reference files. When the skill matches what you ask for, the agent reads those instructions and follows them using tools it already has access to.
When you ask the agent to check a pull request (GitHub), merge request (GitLab), or Perforce changelist, the skill tells it to read the review comments, status checks and description. It then lists what still needs attention and helps address those items.
- Reads review comments, status checks and the PR or MR description
- Waits for running CI checks to finish before analysing, polling about every 30 seconds
- Requires a completed, clean Greptile review on the latest commit before treating the change as ready, if Greptile is set up on the repository
- Works through the gh, glab, git or p4 command-line tools you have installed and logged into
Install the check-pr skill
Download the check-pr ZIP from this page and unzip it. You can install the skill for yourself across all projects, or for a single project.
For a personal install, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a project install, unzip it into the .claude/skills/ folder inside that project.
If you use the Claude apps instead of the command line, upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project: .claude/skills/ inside your repository
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills (upload the ZIP)
Install and log into the required tools
The skill cannot run without the command-line tools for your code host. It needs git, plus gh for GitHub, glab for GitLab or p4 for Perforce. Each one must be installed and authenticated with your account before the agent can use it.
The example commands also use jq to pick fields out of JSON output, so install jq as well.
- git (all platforms)
- gh, the GitHub CLI, authenticated (GitHub PRs)
- glab, the GitLab CLI, authenticated (GitLab MRs)
- p4, the Perforce CLI, authenticated (Perforce changelists)
- jq (used in the example commands)
- A Greptile review integration on the repository, if you want the Greptile gate
How to trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. Describe what you want in plain language and mention the change. The skill's description says it applies when you ask the agent to inspect, fix or prepare a change for submission, so phrase requests around those goals.
You can give a PR, MR or changelist number. If you leave it out, the skill looks up the pull or merge request for your current branch, or the default pending changelist in Perforce.
- "Check PR 123 for review comments and failing checks."
- "Is my current branch's merge request ready to merge?"
- "Prepare this change for submission and tell me what's left."
- "Fix the open review comments on pull request 45."
Platform detection and overrides
The skill first checks whether you are in a Perforce depot by running p4 info. If that fails, it reads your git origin remote and treats any URL containing 'gitlab' as GitLab. Everything else is treated as GitHub.
Self-hosted GitLab servers whose hostname does not contain 'gitlab' need an explicit override. Pass --vcs gitlab as an input. For Perforce you can pass --vcs perforce.
- Default detection: p4 info, then git remote origin
- Override for self-hosted GitLab: --vcs gitlab
- Override for Perforce: --vcs perforce
What the Greptile gate checks
For GitHub PRs, the skill fetches the current head commit SHA and looks for completed Greptile check runs on that exact commit. An older Greptile review does not count once you have pushed a new commit. If no completed Greptile run exists for the head, the skill reports the PR as blocked and suggests asking for a fresh review.
A completed run only passes if its conclusion is success or neutral. Failure, action_required, timed_out, cancelled and stale all block. The suggested trigger in the skill is a PR comment containing @greptile review.
- Freshness is tied to the current head SHA, not to comment dates
- Only success or neutral conclusions count as clean
- The GitLab version applies the same rule to the latest pipeline for the MR's head SHA
gh pr comment <PR_NUMBER> --body "@greptile review"Safety notes before you run it
This skill runs shell commands and sends requests to your code host using your own credentials. It declares that it runs scripts and uses the network. Only use it on repositories you control or have permission to work on.
The skill's allowed tools are limited to gh, glab, git and p4 commands. Read the SKILL.md file yourself before installing, and review any command the agent proposes that changes state, such as resolving review threads or posting comments.
- Runs scripts and uses the network
- Uses your existing gh, glab and p4 logins
- Not intended for repositories you do not control
What people use it for
- Preparing a GitHub pull request for review by listing unresolved comments and failing checks
- Confirming that a Greptile review applies to the latest pushed commit before merging
- Checking a GitLab merge request's discussions and pipelines from the terminal
- Reviewing a pending Perforce changelist's description and shelved files before submission
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the check-pr skill?
Download the check-pr ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into .claude/skills/ inside a project. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What do I need to run the check-pr skill?
You need git and the CLI for your platform, installed and authenticated: gh for GitHub, glab for GitLab or p4 for Perforce. The example commands also use jq, and the Greptile gate needs a Greptile review integration on the repository.
Is the check-pr skill free to use?
The skill is released under the MIT licence, as stated in its metadata. The source does not list any price, so check the listing on this page for any other terms.
Does check-pr work with GitLab and Perforce as well as GitHub?
Yes. The skill covers GitHub pull requests with gh, GitLab merge requests with glab, and Perforce changelists with p4. Self-hosted GitLab servers may need the --vcs gitlab override.
Why does check-pr say my PR is blocked when Greptile already commented?
The gate only accepts a completed Greptile check tied to the PR's current head commit. A review or comment on an older commit is treated as stale after you push new code, so you need a fresh review on the latest commit.
Does the skill change anything in my repository or on the code host?
The skill is designed to inspect and help address issues, and it can run commands that change state, such as posting a comment. Because it runs shell commands with your credentials, review any state-changing command before the agent runs it.
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Our verdict
Use check-pr if you prepare GitHub, GitLab or Perforce changes for review and want one consistent checklist, especially if your team uses Greptile. Pick something else if you do not have git and the matching CLI set up and logged in, or if you need a tool that never runs shell commands on your machine.
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