Backport Pr

Backport PR

Use this skill when a user asks to backport a merged Next.js PR to a release

branch.

Inputs

• Require a PR number and a target release branch, for example next-16-2.
• If the target branch is not provided and cannot be inferred confidently from

the user's request, ask before mutating git state.

• Treat the target branch as variable; do not hard-code next-16-2 except when

the user explicitly asks for it.

Workflow

• Inspect the current worktree before changing branches:

   git status --short
   git branch --show-current

Preserve unrelated user changes. Do not overwrite, reset, or stash them

without the user's consent.

• Sync the source and target branches:

   git fetch origin canary:refs/remotes/origin/canary <target-branch>:refs/remotes/origin/<target-branch>

• Identify the commit that landed the PR on canary:

   gh pr view <pr-number> --repo vercel/next.js --json number,title,state,url,mergeCommit,baseRefName,headRefName
   git log origin/canary --oneline --fixed-strings --grep="(#<pr-number>)"

Prefer mergeCommit.oid when the PR is MERGED and the commit is contained

in origin/canary. If GitHub does not return a usable merge commit, use the

git log --grep result and verify the commit subject references the PR

number.

• Create the backport branch from the release branch:

   git switch -c backport-<pr-number>-to-<target-branch> origin/<target-branch>

After switching branches in this repo, run pnpm build-all before Next.js

integration tests unless the user explicitly limits the task to preparing the

cherry-pick or PR.

• Cherry-pick the landed commit with provenance:

   git cherry-pick -x <merged-commit-sha>

Resolve conflicts in favor of preserving the release branch's compatibility

constraints. If the cherry-pick is empty, verify whether the change is already

present on the release branch and report that instead of opening a duplicate

PR.

• Verify with the narrowest commands that cover the touched files. Prefer

focused tests, pnpm types for TypeScript-only risk, and the relevant

integration test mode for behavior changes.

• Open the backport PR using $create-pr.

Override the normal $create-pr base branch: use --base <target-branch>,

not canary. Keep the PR as a draft unless the user explicitly asks

otherwise.

PR Shape

Use a title like:

[backport] <original PR title>

Use a concise PR body:

Backports <original PR title/link> to `<target-branch>`.

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Related Skills

• $create-pr - Create the branch commit, push it, and open the draft PR.
• $pr-status-triage - Check CI failures or review feedback after the PR exists.