Connecting GitHub is required for Charlie to operate. This core integration gives Charlie access to your codebase and development workflow—enabling him to review code, push commits, create pull requests, and collaborate in your repository just like a fellow developer.

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What Charlie can do

With GitHub connected, Charlie works directly in your repositories and pull requests:
  • Review and improve code changes. Charlie automatically reviews pull requests (especially when they’re marked “Ready for Review”) and provides detailed feedback. Mention @CharlieHelps, review this PR or assign him the pull request — he will analyze the diff and comment with findings on potential bugs, performance issues, and best practices.
  • Implement code changes on demand. Assign Charlie to a GitHub issue or ask @CharlieHelps, open a PR to fix this — he will create a new branch, commit the changes, and open a pull request that addresses the issue. All commits and the PR will reference the relevant issue or task for traceability.
  • Brainstorm and plan solutions. In an issue or PR comment, ask Charlie for an implementation plan (for example, @CharlieHelps, how should we fix this?). He’ll outline a step-by-step solution with code snippets, covering edge cases and validation.
  • Answer code questions in context. Need an explanation of a piece of code or history? Mention Charlie in a comment (e.g. @CharlieHelps, explain what this function does) and he’ll pull context from the repository to provide a clear answer with references to the relevant files or commits.
  • Keep tasks and code in sync. Charlie automatically links pull requests and commit messages to related issues (or Linear tickets if you use Linear). This ensures nothing falls through the cracks — every PR Charlie opens is tied to a tracking issue, and he checks that all requirements are met during his code review.

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Pull request reviews

Marking a PR as “Ready for review” or assigning the PR to @CharlieHelps will initiate a PR review.
  • Inline review comments (on a specific diff line): Charlie only acts if the comment mentions @CharlieHelps. If the inline comments are part of a pending (unsubmitted) review, Charlie will not see them until you click ‘Submit review’.
  • Submitted multi-comment reviews: When you submit the review, Charlie will act if the review body or any of its inline comments mention @CharlieHelps.
  • Request changes behavior:
    • On PRs opened by Charlie: submitting a review with Request changes triggers Charlie to make edits even without a mention.
    • On PRs opened by humans: Request changes does not trigger Charlie. Mention @CharlieHelps, request a review from @CharlieHelps, or assign the PR to @CharlieHelps instead.
Request changes is only actionable on PRs opened by Charlie.

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Working with Charlie in GitHub Issues

Charlie is fully integrated into the GitHub Issues workflow. You can assign work, request implementation plans, or ask technical questions—without leaving GitHub. Just mention @CharlieHelps in an issue or comment, and he’ll handle the rest.

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Opening a Pull Request from an Issue

Charlie can take an issue from idea to implementation:
  • Assign the issue to Charlie. In the GitHub issue, assign @CharlieHelps as the assignee. Charlie will immediately start working on the issue, using the issue title and description as his primary specification.
  • Request a PR directly from an issue comment. In any comment, mention Charlie with a clear instruction. For example: @CharlieHelps, open a PR to fix this. — Charlie will create a new branch, implement the fix, and open a pull request referencing the issue.
  • Link Sentry issues for deeper debugging. If you have Sentry connected, simply link a Sentry issue in your GitHub issue or PR description. Charlie will automatically pull in stack traces and error context from Sentry to better diagnose and resolve the problem.
  • Track progress in real time. Charlie posts a status comment when he starts, and keeps it updated as he works.

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Communicating and Collaborating

Charlie supports a wide range of requests and questions inside issues:
  • Request a technical plan. Ask Charlie for a detailed implementation plan or fix proposal @CharlieHelps, outline a step-by-step plan to solve this issue.
  • Research and brainstorm solutions. Have Charlie gather external resources or best practices: @CharlieHelps, research approaches to this problem and include links to relevant documentation.
  • Get instant answers. Ask Charlie to explain code, dependencies, or past changes related to the issue: @CharlieHelps, explain the impact of implementing this issue.
  • Keep everything transparent. Every action and response Charlie takes is posted directly in the issue, so your team stays in the loop.
Charlie’s responses in GitHub Issues are always context-aware—grounded in your codebase, changes history, and issue comments.

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Quick Setup

  1. Sign up and complete onboarding
    Go to Get Started, create your account, and follow the onboarding steps.
  2. Invite Charlie to your repository
    Add @CharlieHelps as a collaborator to your GitHub repo or organization.
    See Inviting Charlie as a GitHub user for details.

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Troubleshooting

If something doesn’t work as expected:
  • Charlie isn’t responding on PRs – Verify the CharlieCreates GitHub App is installed and enabled for the repository.
  • Can’t mention @CharlieHelps – Make sure @CharlieHelps has been invited to the repo (or is a member of the organization). If invites are delayed due to org policies, contact support.
  • Charlie can’t push commits – Ensure the app and/or user has write access to the target branch, or ask Charlie to open a PR from a new branch.
For more help, see the general Troubleshooting guide at troubleshooting.