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codex - ✅(Solved) Fix No PR template exists -- contributing.md and PR template form a circular reference with no content [1 pull requests, 2 comments, 2 participants]

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openai/codex#19856•Fetched 2026-04-28 06:36:00
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Root Cause

Invited contributors are the exact people the team has specifically asked to submit code. They are following contributing.md in good faith and are told to fill in a specific structure ("What? Why? How?") that doesn't exist in the template GitHub auto-populates when they open a PR. This creates unnecessary friction for the most valuable contributions.

PR fix notes

PR #19912: Clarify PR template invitation requirement

Description (problem / solution / changelog)

Addresses #19856

Summary

  • Clarifies that external code contributions are invitation only.
  • Points contributors to docs/contributing.md for the full policy instead of using the previous warning phrasing.

Changed files

  • .github/pull_request_template.md (modified, +1/-1)
RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

What is the type of issue?

  • Documentation is confusing
  • Documentation is missing

What is the issue?

The PR template at .github/pull_request_template.md and the contributing guide at docs/contributing.md form a circular reference that leaves invited contributors with no actionable structure:

  1. The PR template redirects to the contributing guide. It says:

    "Before opening this Pull Request, please read the dedicated 'Contributing' markdown file or your PR may be closed"

  2. The contributing guide redirects back to the PR template. It says:

    "Fill in the PR template (or include similar information) - What? Why? How?"

  3. Neither document links to the other. The contributing guide does not link to (or even name) .github/pull_request_template.md. The PR template links to contributing.md via a raw GitHub URL (not a relative path), but contributing.md never returns the link.

  4. The "What? Why? How?" structure doesn't exist in the template. When GitHub auto-populates the PR body from the template, contributors get placeholder text — no headings, no sections, no "What? Why? How?" prompts. The contributing guide promises a structure the template doesn't deliver.

This means an invited contributor who follows the instructions lands in a loop: "read contributing.md" → "fill in the PR template" → "read contributing.md" → … and never finds the "What? Why? How?" sections they were told to fill in.

Where did you find it?

Suggested fix

Either:

  • Option A: Update .github/pull_request_template.md to include explicit What? Why? How? sections (matching what contributing.md already tells contributors to use), and add a direct link from contributing.md to the template file.
  • Option B: Update contributing.md to link directly to the template and align its wording with whatever structure the template actually uses.

In either case, at least one of these two documents should link to the other so the loop becomes a path.

Why this matters

Invited contributors are the exact people the team has specifically asked to submit code. They are following contributing.md in good faith and are told to fill in a specific structure ("What? Why? How?") that doesn't exist in the template GitHub auto-populates when they open a PR. This creates unnecessary friction for the most valuable contributions.

extent analysis

TL;DR

Update the PR template or contributing guide to break the circular reference and provide a clear structure for contributors to follow.

Guidance

  • Review the PR template at .github/pull_request_template.md and the contributing guide at docs/contributing.md to identify the inconsistencies in the instructions.
  • Consider implementing Option A: Update the PR template to include explicit What? Why? How? sections and add a direct link from contributing.md to the template file.
  • Alternatively, consider Option B: Update contributing.md to link directly to the template and align its wording with the template's structure.
  • Verify that the changes resolve the circular reference and provide a clear path for contributors to follow.

Example

No code snippet is necessary for this issue, as it relates to documentation and process.

Notes

The fix requires coordination between the documentation and template maintenance teams to ensure consistency and accuracy.

Recommendation

Apply workaround: Update the PR template or contributing guide to break the circular reference, as this will provide a clear structure for contributors to follow and reduce friction for valuable contributions.

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codex - ✅(Solved) Fix No PR template exists -- contributing.md and PR template form a circular reference with no content [1 pull requests, 2 comments, 2 participants]