How to Auto-Pass n8n's PR Title CI Check with the create-pr Skill
Have you ever submitted a pull request to n8n only to have CI fail because your PR title didn't match the required format?
n8n enforces a check-pr-title CI check on every pull request. If the title doesn't follow the Angular Commit Message convention, the PR cannot be merged. For first-time contributors, getting this format right can be a real stumbling block.
This article explains how to use the "create-pr" skill, built into the n8n repository, to create PRs that pass CI validation on the first attempt.
What This Skill Does
The create-pr skill is a Claude Code Agent Skill designed specifically for the n8n repository. It automates the following:
- Analyzes commit history and file diffs to determine the appropriate type (feat/fix/refactor, etc.)
- Auto-selects the correct scope (core/editor/Slack Node, etc.) based on what was changed
- Generates PR titles in
type(scope): Summaryformat that match the CI validation regex - Structures the PR body using
.github/pull_request_template.md(Summary, Related Links, Review Checklist) - Creates a draft PR with
ghCLI, pushing the branch if needed
This skill is especially useful when:
- Making your first contribution to n8n (no need to memorize PR title conventions)
- Fixing a specific node (auto-generates scoped titles like
fix(Slack Node): Handle rate limiting) - Creating PRs with breaking changes (prevents forgetting the
!marker)
Installation
Prerequisites
- Claude Code installed
- GitHub CLI installed and authenticated (verify with
gh auth status) - Working in a cloned n8n repository branch
Install Command
The create-pr skill is built into the n8n repository at .claude/skills/create-pr/SKILL.md. When using Claude Code within a cloned n8n repo, no additional installation is needed.
To use it outside the n8n repository:
curl -o .claude/skills/create-pr/SKILL.md --create-dirs https://raw.githubusercontent.com/n8n-io/n8n/master/.claude/skills/create-pr/SKILL.md
How to Use
Basic Usage
After committing your changes, tell Claude Code:
Create a PR
Or use the /pr command. The skill automatically runs these steps:
- Checks changes with
git statusandgit diff --stat - Analyzes commit history with
git log origin/master..HEAD --oneline - Determines the change type and affected scope
- Pushes the branch with
git push -u origin HEADif needed - Creates a draft PR with
gh pr create --draft
PR Title Format
Generated PR titles follow this format:
type(scope): Summary
Available types:
| Type | Purpose | In Changelog |
|---|---|---|
feat | New feature | Yes |
fix | Bug fix | Yes |
perf | Performance improvement | Yes |
refactor | Code refactoring | No |
docs | Documentation only | No |
test | Adding/updating tests | No |
chore | Maintenance tasks | No |
Example scopes:
core (backend), editor (UI), API (public API), Slack Node (specific node)
Output Examples
Adding OAuth2 support to the editor UI:
feat(editor): Add OAuth2 support for GitHub login
Breaking changes include the ! marker:
feat(API)!: Remove deprecated v1 endpoints
To exclude from the changelog, a (no-changelog) suffix is added:
refactor(core): Simplify error handling (no-changelog)
Things to Know
n8n-Specific Scope System
The type/scope system in this skill is specific to n8n's architecture. Scopes like editor and * Node reflect n8n's project structure. If you use this skill outside the n8n repository, you may need to adapt the scope conventions.
GitHub CLI Authentication Required
The skill uses gh pr create, so GitHub CLI must be installed and authenticated. If not authenticated, the PR creation step will fail. Run gh auth status to verify before using the skill.
Summary Writing Rules
The PR title's summary portion has specific rules:
- Use imperative present tense ("Add" not "Added" or "Adds")
- Capitalize the first letter
- No period at the end
- No ticket IDs (e.g., N8N-1234)
The skill follows these rules automatically, but be aware of them if you manually edit the title.
Squash and Merge Workflow
n8n uses a "Squash and merge" strategy, meaning the PR title becomes the final commit message on master. This makes PR title quality directly impact release notes quality.
Summary
The create-pr skill handles n8n's PR title conventions (check-pr-title CI validation) so you can focus on the code instead of formatting. It auto-detects type/scope from your commit history and applies the PR body template automatically.
If you're contributing to n8n, this skill eliminates the common "invalid PR title" CI failure and lets you get your PR reviewed faster.