# Fix a pnpm bug with your coding agent

> Source: <https://gist.github.com/zkochan/f5775a9e2e2918775cfdf856bf2a0ad8>
> Published: 2026-09-25 10:54:34+00:00

|  | I want to contribute a bug fix to pnpm (https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm). | 
|  | 1. Set up | 
|  | - Fork and clone the repo: `gh repo fork pnpm/pnpm --clone`, then cd into it. | 
|  | - Read CONTRIBUTING.md and any AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md files, and follow them. | 
|  | They explain how to install dependencies, build, run tests, and add changesets. | 
|  | 2. Pick an issue | 
|  | - List open bugs that nobody is working on yet: | 
|  | gh issue list -R pnpm/pnpm --state open --label "type: bug" --limit 100 \ | 
|  | --search "no:assignee -label:\"state: has PR\" -label:\"state: in progress\" -label:\"state: blocked\" -label:\"state: needs design\" -linked:pr" | 
|  | - Choose ONE issue that has clear reproduction steps and a scope you can fix in a | 
|  | single focused PR. Skip issues that need a design decision or depend on a specific OS | 
|  | or registry setup you can't reproduce. | 
|  | - Read the whole thread, and check that there isn't already an open PR for it | 
|  | and that nobody has commented that they are working on it. | 
|  | - Tell me which issue you picked and why before you continue. | 
|  | - Once I confirm, leave a short comment on the issue so others don't start on it too: | 
|  | gh issue comment <number> -R pnpm/pnpm --body "I'm working on a fix for this." | 
|  | 3. Reproduce | 
|  | - Reproduce the bug locally first. If you can't reproduce it, stop and tell me | 
|  | instead of guessing a fix. | 
|  | - Write a failing test that captures the bug. | 
|  | 4. Fix | 
|  | - Make the smallest change that fixes the root cause. Don't refactor unrelated code. | 
|  | - Match the style of the code around it. | 
|  | - Run the tests covering the changed packages, plus lint, and make sure they pass. | 
|  | - Add a changeset if CONTRIBUTING.md asks for one. | 
|  | 5. Open a PR | 
|  | - Commit on a new branch, push to my fork, and open a PR against pnpm/pnpm main | 
|  | with `gh pr create`. | 
|  | - Put "close #<issue number>" in the description, explain the root cause and | 
|  | the fix, and say how you tested it. | 
|  | - Mention that the PR was written with the help of an AI agent. | 
|  | - Watch CI and fix any failures. | 
|  | If you stop working on the issue at any point (for example, because you can't reproduce it), | 
|  | comment on it again to say so, so that someone else can pick it up. | 
|  | Apart from the comments above, don't post on the issue or the PR for me without asking first. |