Dev-Loops ELI5 Quick Start Guide — Turn GitHub Issues Into Merged PRs
Dev-Loops ELI5 Quick Start Guide
A plain-English guide for turning a GitHub issue into a merged PR — with zero manual steps after you say 'go.'
What is dev-loops?
A dev loop is a tiny robot that walks your GitHub issue through seven phases — intake, refinement, implementation, draft gate, feedback resolution, pre-approval gate, and merge — with deterministic routing, self-correcting review gates, and autonomous execution until you (the human) approve.
The 7 Phases
| # | Phase | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | issue_intake | Normalize the issue, confirm scope, detect linked PRs |
| 2 | refinement | Elaborate spec, audit, harden acceptance criteria |
| 3 | implementation | Build on a feature branch or via Copilot |
| 4 | draft_gate | Gate review at draft → ready boundary |
| 5 | feedback_resolution | Fix, reply to, resolve review threads |
| 6 | pre_approval_gate | Final gate: verify evidence, CI, unresolved threads |
| 7 | merge | Merge PR + write retrospective checkpoint |
How to Use It
Pi: /dev-loops start 112 — Start a dev loop on issue 112
Claude Code: /loop-start 112 — Same thing, different harness
CLI: npx dev-loops gates — See what reviewers will check
Requirements
- Node.js >= 24
ghCLI installed and authenticatedpi install npm:[email protected]to install
Run dev-loops doctor to check your setup. 6/7 passing means you're good to go.
The ELI5 Summary
Issue → Robot works on it → Draft review → Fix feedback → Final review → Merge → Done. You only step in at the approval checkpoints. The robot never merges on its own — it always asks you first.
