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Checkout and Sync PRs

Review and iterate on existing PRs locally.

Overview

Use this workflow when you need to:

  • Review teammate PRs: Check out code locally to test or explore
  • Debug remote execution: Investigate issues from agent-created PRs
  • Take over PRs: Continue work started by others or remote agents
  • Address review comments: Make changes in response to PR feedback

Checking Out a PR

Use erk pr checkout (alias: erk pr co) to check out a PR into a new worktree:

# By PR number
erk pr co 123

# By GitHub URL
erk pr co https://github.com/owner/repo/pull/123

# See what would be created (no changes)
erk pr co 123 --dry-run

This command:

  1. Creates a new worktree for the PR branch
  2. Checks out the branch in that worktree
  3. Sets up Graphite tracking if applicable

Flags

Flag Description
--dry-run Show what would be done, don't act
--restack Run gt restack after checkout

Syncing with Remote

When remote changes have been pushed (e.g., by CI, remote agents, or teammates), sync your local branch:

# Sync using Graphite (recommended for gt-tracked branches)
erk pr sync --dangerous

# Git-only sync (without Graphite)
git fetch origin && git rebase origin/<branch>

Warning: The --dangerous flag is required because syncing can rewrite history. Use /erk:sync-divergence if you're unsure about the sync strategy.

When Divergence Occurs

If your local branch has diverged from remote:

# Use the automated divergence resolver
/erk:sync-divergence

This command analyzes the divergence and chooses the appropriate sync strategy.

Making Changes

Once checked out, iterate on the PR using standard workflows:

Using Claude Code

# Address PR review comments
/erk:pr-address

# General changes with Claude
claude "make the requested changes"

Manual Changes

# Edit files directly
vim src/my_file.py

# Commit changes
git add -p
git commit -m "Address review feedback"

Submitting Updates

After making changes, push them to the PR:

# Using Graphite (recommended)
erk pr submit

# Or with force push if needed
gt submit --force --no-interactive

For quick iteration:

# Commit and submit in one step
/local:quick-submit

Landing

When the PR is approved and CI passes:

# Land the PR (merge and cleanup)
erk land

# Land and move to the next branch in stack
erk land --up

The erk land command:

  1. Merges the PR via GitHub
  2. Deletes the feature branch
  3. Removes the worktree (if in a linked worktree)
  4. Checks out trunk or the next branch

Common Scenarios

Scenario Command Sequence
Review teammate's PR erk pr co 123 then explore/test
Address my PR's comments erk pr co 123 → /erk:pr-address → submit
Take over remote agent PR erk pr co 123 → make changes → submit
Debug CI failure erk pr co 123 → run tests locally → fix → submit
Sync after force push /erk:sync-divergence or erk pr sync --dangerous

See Also