How do I checkout a PR by number or URL?

Use gh pr checkout with the PR number or full URL; you can also specify --branch to name the local branch and --force or --detach as needed.

What does --detach do?

Checkout the PR in a detached HEAD state, which means no local branch is created.

What is the effect of --force?

Refreshes an existing local branch to the latest PR state, useful when the PR has been updated.

gh-pr-checkout

Scanned

npx machina-cli add skill dceoy/github-cli-agent-skills/gh-pr-checkout --openclaw

Files (1)

SKILL.md

2.1 KB

GitHub PR Checkout

When to use

The user asks to check out a PR locally.
You need to test or review PR changes on your machine.
Switching between PRs for code review.

Inputs to confirm

PR number, URL, or branch name.
Custom local branch name (optional).
Target repo if not current (--repo OWNER/REPO).

Workflow

Verify auth and git status:
```
gh --version
gh auth status
git status
```

Check out the PR:

gh pr checkout 123
gh pr checkout https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/pull/123
gh pr checkout feature-branch

Use options as needed:

# Custom local branch name
gh pr checkout 123 --branch my-review-branch

# Force update existing branch
gh pr checkout 123 --force

# Detached HEAD (no local branch)
gh pr checkout 123 --detach

After checkout, verify:

git branch --show-current
git log --oneline -5

Examples

# Check out PR #123
gh pr checkout 123

# Check out with custom branch name
gh pr checkout 123 --branch review-feature-x

# Force refresh an already checked out PR
gh pr checkout 123 --force

# Interactive selection from recent PRs
gh pr checkout

Flags reference

Flag	Description
`-b, --branch`	Local branch name (default: head branch name)
`--detach`	Checkout with detached HEAD
`-f, --force`	Reset existing local branch to PR state
`--recurse-submodules`	Update submodules after checkout

Notes

Without arguments, interactively select from recent PRs.
The --force flag is useful when PR has been updated.
Use --detach for quick inspection without creating a branch.

References

GitHub CLI manual: https://cli.github.com/manual/
gh pr checkout --help

Source

git clone https://github.com/dceoy/github-cli-agent-skills/blob/main/skills/gh-pr-checkout/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

gh pr checkout pulls a pull request into your local environment using the GitHub CLI. It accepts a PR number, URL, or a branch name and can create a named local branch or operate in detached HEAD mode. This makes reviewing and testing PR changes on your machine fast and convenient.

How This Skill Works

First, verify authentication and that your git status is clean. Then run gh pr checkout with a PR identifier or URL; you can add --branch to name the local branch, --force to refresh an existing branch, or --detach to inspect without creating a branch. After checkout, confirm your current branch and review recent commits with git commands.

When to Use It

You need to check out a PR locally to review changes on your machine.
You want to test or run the code in a PR before merging.
You need to switch between multiple PRs quickly during code review.
You have a PR URL or number and want to open it in a local branch for work.
You want to inspect a PR without creating a local branch (detached HEAD).

Quick Start

Step 1: Ensure gh is installed and authenticated in your environment.
Step 2: Run gh pr checkout with a PR number, URL, or branch name.
Step 3: Verify your current branch and recent commits with git commands.

Best Practices

Verify gh is authenticated and you are in the correct repository with git status before checkout.
Use --branch to name your local branch for easier switching and context.
Use --detach only when you want a quick look without a local branch.
After checkout, run git branch --show-current and git log --oneline to confirm the state.
If the PR is updated, use gh pr checkout --force to refresh your local copy.

Example Use Cases

gh pr checkout 123
gh pr checkout 123 --branch review-feature-x
gh pr checkout https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/pull/123
gh pr checkout 123 --detach
gh pr checkout 123 --force

Frequently Asked Questions

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