bridge/github: export-create for pull-requests

Removes the v1 "cannot create a new pull-request via export" bail-out. When exportBug finds a git-bug entity with Kind=PR that has no github-id metadata yet, it now issues a createPullRequest mutation with RepositoryID + BaseRefName + HeadRefName + Title + Body + Draft from the CreateOperation. GitHub requires the head branch to already exist on its side — git-bug does not push branches. If the branch is missing on the remote, the createPullRequest call returns a clear GitHub error that surfaces via NewExportError; the user pushes the branch and re-runs `git bug push`. The base branch (usually main/master) is assumed to exist. Adds createPullRequestMutation and createGithubPullRequest helper. The helper strips the `refs/heads/` prefix from base/head refs since GitHub's createPullRequest expects short branch names. CLI --pr flag help now calls out the branch-must-be-pushed requirement. Signed-off-by: Giles Cope <gilescope@gmail.com>
gilescope · Apr 17, 2026 · Apr 17, 2026 · Apr 17, 2026 · Apr 17, 2026 · Apr 17, 2026
commit b44eaf197e031b13a095abd7c570e3d4f03c8d5e
diff --git a/bridge/github/export.go b/bridge/github/export.go
@@ -247,14 +247,6 @@ func (ge *githubExporter) exportBug(ctx context.Context, b *cache.BugCache, out
 		bugGithubURL = githubURL
 
 	} else {
-		// For PRs we cannot create a GitHub pull-request from git-bug alone —
-		// GitHub requires an existing head branch on its side, which means
-		// pushing the branch is a prerequisite outside the bridge's scope.
-		if snapshot.Kind == common.PRKind {
-			out <- core.NewExportNothing(b.Id(), "cannot create a new pull-request via export; push the branch and open the PR on GitHub first, then re-import")
-			return
-		}
-
 		// check that we have a token for operation author
 		client, err := ge.getClientForIdentity(author.Id())
 		if err != nil {
@@ -263,12 +255,29 @@ func (ge *githubExporter) exportBug(ctx context.Context, b *cache.BugCache, out
 			return
 		}
 
-		// create bug
-		id, url, err := ge.createGithubIssue(ctx, client, ge.repositoryID, createOp.Title, createOp.Message)
-		if err != nil {
-			err := errors.Wrap(err, "exporting github issue")
-			out <- core.NewExportError(err, b.Id())
-			return
+		var id, url string
+		if snapshot.Kind == common.PRKind {
+			// createPullRequest requires the head branch to already exist on
+			// GitHub. If the user hasn't pushed it, GitHub returns a clear
+			// error which surfaces through NewExportError.
+			id, url, err = ge.createGithubPullRequest(
+				ctx, client, ge.repositoryID,
+				createOp.Title, createOp.Message,
+				createOp.BaseRef, createOp.HeadRef,
+				createOp.Draft,
+			)
+			if err != nil {
+				err := errors.Wrap(err, "exporting github pull-request")
+				out <- core.NewExportError(err, b.Id())
+				return
+			}
+		} else {
+			id, url, err = ge.createGithubIssue(ctx, client, ge.repositoryID, createOp.Title, createOp.Message)
+			if err != nil {
+				err := errors.Wrap(err, "exporting github issue")
+				out <- core.NewExportError(err, b.Id())
+				return
+			}
 		}
 
 		out <- core.NewExportBug(b.Id())
@@ -709,6 +718,37 @@ func (ge *githubExporter) createGithubIssue(ctx context.Context, gc *rateLimitHa
 	return issue.ID, issue.URL, nil
 }
 
+// createGithubPullRequest opens a pull-request against repositoryID. baseRef
+// and headRef are expected in git-bug's normalised form (refs/heads/NAME);
+// GitHub's createPullRequest takes short branch names, so the refs/heads/
+// prefix is stripped. The head branch must already exist on the remote —
+// git-bug does not push branches as part of the bridge.
+func (ge *githubExporter) createGithubPullRequest(ctx context.Context, gc *rateLimitHandlerClient, repositoryID, title, body, baseRef, headRef string, draft bool) (string, string, error) {
+	m := &createPullRequestMutation{}
+	shortRef := func(r string) string {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(r, "refs/heads/") {
+			return r[len("refs/heads/"):]
+		}
+		return r
+	}
+	draftPtr := githubv4.Boolean(draft)
+	input := githubv4.CreatePullRequestInput{
+		RepositoryID: repositoryID,
+		BaseRefName:  githubv4.String(shortRef(baseRef)),
+		HeadRefName:  githubv4.String(shortRef(headRef)),
+		Title:        githubv4.String(title),
+		Body:         (*githubv4.String)(&body),
+		Draft:        &draftPtr,
+	}
+
+	if err := gc.mutate(ctx, m, input, nil, ge.out); err != nil {
+		return "", "", err
+	}
+
+	pr := m.CreatePullRequest.PullRequest
+	return pr.ID, pr.URL, nil
+}
+
 // add a comment to an issue and return its ID
 func (ge *githubExporter) addCommentGithubIssue(ctx context.Context, gc *rateLimitHandlerClient, subjectID string, body string) (string, string, error) {
 	m := &addCommentToIssueMutation{}

diff --git a/bridge/github/export_mutation.go b/bridge/github/export_mutation.go
@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ type updatePullRequestMutation struct {
 	} `graphql:"updatePullRequest(input:$input)"`
 }
 
+type createPullRequestMutation struct {
+	CreatePullRequest struct {
+		PullRequest struct {
+			ID  string `graphql:"id"`
+			URL string `graphql:"url"`
+		}
+	} `graphql:"createPullRequest(input:$input)"`
+}
+
 type addCommentToIssueMutation struct {
 	AddComment struct {
 		CommentEdge struct {

diff --git a/commands/bug/bug_new.go b/commands/bug/bug_new.go
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ func newBugNewCommand(env *execenv.Env) *cobra.Command {
 	flags.BoolVar(&options.nonInteractive, "non-interactive", false, "Do not ask for user input")
 
 	flags.BoolVar(&options.pr, "pr", false,
-		"Create a pull-request instead of a plain issue. Requires --base and --head.")
+		"Create a pull-request instead of a plain issue. Requires --base and --head. "+
+			"If you later `git bug push` to a GitHub bridge, the --head branch must "+
+			"already exist on the remote; git-bug does not push branches.")
 	flags.StringVar(&options.baseRef, "base", "",
 		"For --pr: the base branch the PR targets (e.g. refs/heads/main).")
 	flags.StringVar(&options.headRef, "head", "",

diff --git a/doc/feature-matrix.md b/doc/feature-matrix.md
@@ -146,6 +146,16 @@ PR support (import only):
 | draft state      |   ✅   |   ❌   |  ❌  |    ❌     |
 | reviews          |   ✅   |   ❌   |  ❌  |    ❌     |
 | review comments  |   ✅   |   ❌   |  ❌  |    ❌     |
+| export: create   |   ✅   |   ❌   |  ❌  |    ❌     |
+| export: updates  |   🟠   |   ❌   |  ❌  |    ❌     |
+
+Creating a PR via `git bug bug new --pr` then `git bug push` to a
+GitHub bridge opens the pull-request on GitHub, provided the --head
+branch has already been pushed to the remote. git-bug does not push
+git branches itself. Export of subsequent updates (status, title,
+body, labels, comments) is supported; export of merges is skipped
+because merging requires an actual git merge on GitHub's side, and
+review-authoring export is not in v1.
 
 ### Exporters