/pickup-issue — Full Lifecycle Orchestrator Skill
Handles the complete lifecycle from GitHub issue to merged PR: read issue, plan, implement, verify, and ship.
Trigger
Use when asked to pick up, work on, or implement a GitHub issue. Provide the issue number as an argument (e.g., /pickup-issue 45).
Workflow
1. Fetch Issue Details
bash
gh issue view <N>
Read the full issue including title, body, labels, and any discussion comments.
2. Classify the Issue
Determine the type to guide implementation:
| Type | Branch Prefix | Primary Skill |
|---|---|---|
| Bug report | fix/ | /implement (bug-fix type) |
| Feature request | feature/ | /implement (appropriate type) |
| Enhancement | feature/ | /implement (appropriate type) |
| New lint check | feature/ | /add-linter-check |
| New stdlib package | feature/ | /add-stdlib-package |
| Documentation | docs/ | /implement (docs type) |
| Performance | perf/ | /benchmark + /implement |
3. Create Branch
bash
git checkout main git pull origin main git checkout -b issue-<N>/<short-description>
Use the issue number in the branch name for traceability.
4. Plan the Implementation
Before writing code:
- •Read all files relevant to the change (use the file map from
/implement) - •Identify extension points and interfaces
- •Consider edge cases mentioned in the issue
- •If the issue is ambiguous, add a comment asking for clarification before proceeding
5. Implement
Follow the appropriate skill's workflow:
- •Most changes:
/implementskill guidance - •New lint checks:
/add-linter-checkskill guidance - •New stdlib packages:
/add-stdlib-packageskill guidance
For bug fixes, always:
- •Write a failing test that reproduces the bug first
- •Verify the test fails
- •Fix the bug
- •Verify the test passes
6. Verify
Run the full /verify pipeline (all 6 steps).
7. Create PR
Follow the /pr skill workflow. Ensure the PR body includes Closes #<N> to auto-close the issue when merged.
Multi-Commit Strategy
For larger issues, create logical commits as you go:
- •Each commit should be a coherent, self-contained change
- •Commit messages should explain the "why", not just the "what"
- •The final PR should tell a clear story through its commit history
Issue Comment Etiquette
- •If the issue is unclear, comment asking for clarification before starting work
- •If you discover the issue is more complex than expected, comment with findings
- •After creating the PR, the
Closes #Nlink handles the rest
Checklist
- • Issue read and understood
- • Branch created with
issue-<N>/prefix - • Implementation follows appropriate skill guidance
- • Tests written (regression test for bugs, feature tests for new functionality)
- • Full verify pipeline passes
- • PR created with
Closes #<N>in body - • PR URL reported to user