name: gerrit
description: Work with Gerrit code review using git-review CLI. Use when submitting changes, downloading patches, and managing code reviews in Gerrit.
metadata:
author: odyssey4me
version: "0.1.0"
license: MIT

Gerrit Skill

This skill provides guidance for working with Gerrit code review using the git-review CLI tool. All Gerrit operations (submitting changes, downloading patches, reviewing code) are performed using git-review commands.

Prerequisites

Install git-review: https://docs.opendev.org/opendev/git-review/latest/installation.html

Quick install:

# Using pip (recommended)
pip install git-review

# macOS
brew install git-review

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install git-review

# Fedora/RHEL/CentOS
sudo dnf install git-review

Authentication

git-review uses SSH for authentication with Gerrit servers.

# Configure Gerrit username (if different from local user)
git config --global gitreview.username yourgerrituser

# Test SSH connection
ssh -p 29418 [email protected] gerrit version

# Add SSH key to Gerrit
# 1. Generate SSH key if needed: ssh-keygen -t ed25519
# 2. Copy public key: cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
# 3. Add to Gerrit: Settings > SSH Keys

Gerrit supports multiple authentication methods:
- SSH (recommended): Used by git-review for all operations
- HTTP/HTTPS: For web UI and REST API access (set password in Settings > HTTP Password)

See Gerrit Authentication for details.

Initial Setup

Configure Repository

# One-time setup for a repository
git review -s

# Or manually create .gitreview file in repository root
cat > .gitreview <<EOF
[gerrit]
host=review.example.com
port=29418
project=myproject
defaultbranch=main
EOF

See Installation Guide for details.

Commands

Submitting Changes

git review                          # Submit current branch for review
git review -t topic-name            # Submit with topic
git review -f                       # Submit and close local branch
git review --reviewers user1,user2  # Add reviewers
git review -n                       # Dry-run (show what would be done)

Full reference: git-review usage

Downloading Changes

git review -d 12345                 # Download change 12345
git review -d 12345,3               # Download patchset 3 of change 12345
git review -x 12345                 # Cherry-pick change (no branch)
git review -m 12345                 # Compare local changes to remote

Downloads create a local branch named review/username/topic.

Updating Changes

# Make changes to downloaded review
git commit --amend
git review                          # Upload new patchset

# Update to latest patchset
git review -d 12345                 # Re-download updates the branch

Advanced Options

git review -R                       # Don't rebase (submit as-is)
git review -D                       # Draft mode (WIP changes)
git review --no-cache               # Skip local cache
git review -v                       # Verbose output
git review --track                  # Track remote branch

Configuration

Per-Repository Settings

File: .gitreview (repository root)

[gerrit]
host=review.example.com
port=29418
project=myproject/subproject
defaultbranch=main
defaultremote=origin

Global Settings

# Set Gerrit username
git config --global gitreview.username myuser

# Set default remote
git config --global gitreview.remote gerrit

# Configure scheme (ssh/http/https)
git config --global gitreview.scheme ssh

Configuration stored in ~/.gitconfig

Examples

Daily Workflow

# Start work on new feature
git checkout -b feature-branch
# ... make changes ...
git commit -m "Add new feature"

# Submit for review
git review -t feature-topic

# Address review comments
# ... make changes ...
git commit --amend
git review

Reviewing Others' Changes

# Download change for review
git review -d 12345

# Test the change
# ... run tests, verify code ...

# Return to main branch
git checkout main
git branch -D review/user/topic

Working with Topics

# Submit with topic
git review -t authentication-refactor

# All related changes will be grouped under this topic
git commit -m "Part 2: Update tests"
git review -t authentication-refactor

See common-workflows.md for more examples.

Advanced Usage

SSH Commands

For operations not covered by git-review:

# Query open changes
ssh -p 29418 review.example.com gerrit query status:open project:myproject

# Query specific change
ssh -p 29418 review.example.com gerrit query change:12345

# Review from command line
ssh -p 29418 review.example.com gerrit review 12345,3 --verified +1 --message "'Looks good'"

# Abandon change
ssh -p 29418 review.example.com gerrit review 12345 --abandon

Full reference: Gerrit SSH Commands

JSON Output for Scripting

# Get change info as JSON
ssh -p 29418 review.example.com gerrit query --format=JSON change:12345

# Process with jq
ssh -p 29418 review.example.com gerrit query --format=JSON status:open | jq '.subject'

Multiple Gerrit Servers

# Set remote for specific server
git config gitreview.remote gerrit-prod

# Or specify via command line
git review -r gerrit-staging

Troubleshooting

# Re-run setup
git review -s

# Force setup (fixes common issues)
git review -s --force

# Verbose output for debugging
git review -v

# Check configuration
cat .gitreview
git config -l | grep gitreview

# Test SSH connection
ssh -p 29418 [email protected] gerrit version

Common Issues

"We don't know where your gerrit is"

git review -s              # Run setup
# Or create .gitreview file manually

"fatal: 'gerrit' does not appear to be a git repository"

git review -s              # Setup remote
git remote -v              # Verify gerrit remote exists

"Permission denied (publickey)"

# Add SSH key to Gerrit (Settings > SSH Keys)
# Or configure username:
git config --global gitreview.username youruser

Change-Id missing

# Install commit-msg hook
curl -Lo .git/hooks/commit-msg \
  https://review.example.com/tools/hooks/commit-msg
chmod u+x .git/hooks/commit-msg

# Or let git-review install it
git review -s

Official Documentation

• git-review Manual: https://docs.opendev.org/opendev/git-review/latest/
• git-review Repository: https://opendev.org/opendev/git-review
• Gerrit Documentation: https://gerrit-review.googlesource.com/Documentation/
• Gerrit SSH Commands: https://gerrit-review.googlesource.com/Documentation/cmd-index.html

Summary

The Gerrit skill uses git-review CLI exclusively. No custom scripts are needed - git-review provides comprehensive functionality for all Gerrit code review operations.

Quick start:
1. Install: pip install git-review
2. Setup: git review -s (in repository)
3. Submit: git review
4. Download: git review -d 12345

For detailed command reference, use git review --help or visit https://docs.opendev.org/opendev/git-review/latest/.