Agent Skill
2/7/2026

pick-up-issue

This skill should be used when the user asks to "pick up an issue", "work on issue

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pnp
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npx skills add pnp/proxy-samples

SKILL.md

Namepick-up-issue
DescriptionThis skill should be used when the user asks to "pick up an issue", "work on issue

name: pick-up-issue description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "pick up an issue", "work on issue #X", "claim issue", "start working on issue", "take this issue", "I'll work on this", or needs to take ownership of a GitHub issue before starting work.

Pick Up a GitHub Issue

This skill ensures proper issue ownership before starting work, avoiding duplicate effort and conflicts.

Workflow

1. Check Issue Status

Run the following command to check if the issue is already claimed:

gh issue view <issue-number> --json assignees,labels

Inspect the output for:

  • Assignees: Any assigned user indicates the issue is claimed
  • Labels: A "work in progress" label indicates active work

2. Handle Conflicts

If the issue has assignees or a "work in progress" label, warn the user:

⚠️ This issue appears to already be in progress (assigned to @username or labeled "work in progress"). Are you sure you want to continue?

Wait for explicit user confirmation before proceeding.

3. Claim the Issue

If the issue is available, claim it by running:

gh issue edit <issue-number> --add-label "work in progress" --add-assignee @me

This command:

  • Adds the "work in progress" label to signal active work
  • Assigns the issue to the current user

4. Proceed with Work

After claiming, proceed with the actual work:

  • To create a sample → use the create-devproxy-sample skill
  • To fix a bug → investigate and implement the fix
  • To update docs → make the necessary changes

Quick Reference

CommandPurpose
gh issue view <n> --json assignees,labelsCheck if issue is claimed
gh issue edit <n> --add-label "work in progress"Mark as in progress
gh issue edit <n> --add-assignee @meAssign to current user
gh issue edit <n> --remove-label "work in progress" --remove-assignee @meAbandon work on issue

After Completing Work

When the PR is merged, the issue closes automatically if the PR description includes "Fixes #123". No further action needed.

Abandoning Work

If unable to complete the work, release the issue for others:

gh issue edit <issue-number> --remove-label "work in progress" --remove-assignee @me
Skills Info
Original Name:pick-up-issueAuthor:pnp