gh-stack Skill from GitHub: Stacked Pull Requests With Claude

gh-stack (from GitHub) teaches Claude to split work into stacked branches and PRs with the gh stack extension, and to run it without interactive prompts.

Installs: 20K; on skills.sh
Stars: 1.7K; on GitHub
Files: 3; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Nov 2026; last repo commit

A stack is a chain of branches off a trunk, where each branch has one pull request based on the branch below it. The skill loads when you mention a stack, dependent PRs or branch layers, ask to split work for review, or when a stack is checked out. It tells Claude to create the stack before writing code and put one concern in each layer.

Its key rule is to avoid commands that open a prompt or full-screen interface and hang an agent. It lists the commands to always run, such as gh stack view --json, gh stack submit --auto and gh stack merge <target> --yes, and the bare forms to never run. It also documents exit codes 0 to 10 with recovery steps.

It needs Git 2.36 or later and an authenticated GitHub CLI. SKILL.md says exit code 9 means stacked PRs are not enabled on the repository, so ask the user.

Good for

Developers who split big changes into small, ordered pull requests
Teams whose reviewers want to see one layer's diff at a time
Anyone who wants an agent to rebase, sync and merge a chain of PRs

Install gh-stack

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the gh-stack skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

gh extension install github/gh-stack

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires GitHub CLI (gh) v2.0 or later, Git 2.36 or later.

The skill drives the gh stack extension, so install the extension first (step 1). SKILL.md also recommends git config rerere.enabled true and, with more than one remote, git config remote.pushDefault origin.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Manages stacked PRs and splits multi-part work into reviewable branches with gh-stack. Use for stack creation, viewing, edits, push, submit, sync, rebase, merge, or checkout; when asked to split or isolate work for review; whenever a user mentions a stack, branch layers, dependent PRs, or gh stack; or when a stack is checked out.

Sections in SKILL.md

Setup
Non-interactive use
Branch placement
Core loop
Staying in sync
Merging
Reading state
Exit codes
Constraints
More detail

Key facts

Author: GitHub (GitHub: github)
Repo: github/gh-stack
Installs on skills.sh: 19,976 as of 2026-11-02
GitHub stars (whole repo): 1,735 as of 2026-11-02
License: MIT
Last repo commit: 2026-11-01
Files in the skill folder: 4 files including SKILL.md
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk pass

What it includes

Always run view --json, submit --auto, merge <n> --yes
A table of commands to run and the bare forms that open a TUI or prompt under a PTY.
Runs code · Setup and non-interactive rules
Create the stack first; edit the layer that owns the change
Check out the owning layer, commit, run gh stack rebase --upstack, then return to the top and push.
Runs code · Branch placement
init, add, submit --auto, view --json
Creates branches, pushes them, and opens draft PRs (--open for ready for review).
Runs code · Core loop
gh stack sync and sync --prune
Fetches, reconciles with GitHub, rebases and pushes. --prune also deletes local branches for merged PRs.
Delete · Staying in sync
gh stack merge <pr or stack> --yes with a method flag
Merges a PR and every unmerged PR below it, all or nothing. A merge queue picks the method if one is on.
Runs code · Merging
view --json fields
Trunk, current branch and branches with PR number, URL, state, isMerged and needsRebase.
Runs code · Reading state
11 codes with recovery steps
Includes 3 for rebase conflict, 4 for GitHub API failure and 9 for stacked PRs unavailable.
Exit codes
stack-design, commands, troubleshooting
Read stack-design before creating a stack and troubleshooting for conflicts, squash-merges and divergence.
references/

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

The skill makes Claude push branches, open and merge pull requests, and rewrite branch history with rebases. Use it on repositories where you accept those actions, and check what a merge covers before you approve it.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It can merge pull requests
gh stack merge --yes merges a PR and every unmerged PR below it, all or nothing. Check the target number before you approve. github.com
It pushes branches and rewrites history
push, submit, sync and rebase publish and rebase your branches. Work on a stack you can recover, and note that sync stops with "Sync aborted" if local and remote have diverged. github.com
sync --prune deletes local branches
It removes local branches for merged PRs. SKILL.md says pruning never happens without the --prune flag when non-interactive. github.com
It suggests changing git config
SKILL.md recommends git config rerere.enabled true and, with several remotes, remote.pushDefault origin. github.com

Technical details

Talks to	GitHub (gh stack, gh API)
Scopes	your git repo GitHub via an authenticated gh CLI

Questions

What does the gh-stack skill do?

It teaches Claude to manage stacked pull requests with the gh stack extension: create layered branches, open PRs, keep them in sync and rebased, and merge them, always using flags that avoid prompts.

How do I install it?

Use the install box above. Install the gh stack extension first, then the skill. The README documents gh skill install github/gh-stack for the skill.

Does it need anything besides the skill?

Yes. SKILL.md requires Git 2.36 or later and an authenticated GitHub CLI, and stacked PRs must be enabled on the repository, or commands exit with code 9.

Is it safe to install?

The skill bundles no scripts, but it directs Claude to push branches, open PRs, rebase and merge on GitHub. Merges are all-or-nothing and sync --prune deletes local branches for merged PRs, so use it on repositories where you accept those actions.

Can it merge my PRs?

Yes. gh stack merge <target> --yes merges a PR and every unmerged PR below it, or a whole stack, all or nothing. If the base branch uses a merge queue, the stack is queued instead and the queue picks the method.

Why not use plain git and gh pr?

SKILL.md says gh pr merge cannot merge a stack, and gh stack handles rebasing upstack branches and setting each PR's base branch. The skill covers its command quirks for agents.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: github/gh-stack
Folder: skills/gh-stack

github/gh-stack skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 4

gh-stack README · github.com
skills.sh listing · skills.sh
gh-stack SKILL.md · github.com
gh-stack commands.md · github.com