Automate epic-driven development with GitHub Copilot (or any coding agent)
Turn epic checklists into an automated queue: assign issues sequentially, auto-merge completed PRs, and keep your agent working non-stop.
# Run once to assign next issue and merge completed PRs
./epic-queue.sh --epics 123 --repo owner/repo --auto-merge
# Watch mode: continuous automation (recommended)
./epic-queue.sh --epics 123 --repo owner/repo --auto-merge --watch- Reads your epic checklist — finds unchecked items like
- [ ] #123 — Add login page - Assigns issues sequentially — waits for Copilot to finish before assigning the next one
- Auto-merges completed PRs — detects when Copilot's session ends, verifies idle time, approves & merges
- Repeats — works through your entire epic checklist hands-free
📖 See example epic structure →
I typically brainstorm features with Claude or Copilot locally, create an implementation plan, then convert it into GitHub issues organized in an epic. Previously, I'd manually assign tickets to Copilot one-by-one, review each PR, and merge before moving to the next. This script automates that entire flow — letting you run it in the background while Copilot works through your checklist.
Some work i managed to automate using this queue:
- Large migrations — Migrated 80+ Lambda functions to a single Express.js app
- Component library swaps — Converted entire codebase from Material-UI to Tailwind
- Framework upgrades — Breaking down major version bumps into manageable chunks
- Tech debt sprints — Systematically working through refactoring tasks
While tools like Mission Control and others exist, this lightweight script gives you full control over the GitHub workflow without extra dependencies.
Requirements: GitHub CLI (gh) and jq
# Clone and make executable
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/epic-queue.git
cd epic-queue
chmod +x epic-queue.sh
# Optional: add to PATH
ln -s $(pwd)/epic-queue.sh ~/.local/bin/epic-queueBasic usage:
./epic-queue.sh --epics 97 --repo myorg/myrepo --auto-merge --watchMultiple epics (priority order):
./epic-queue.sh --epics 210,211,212 --repo myorg/myrepo --auto-merge --watchDry run (test without making changes):
./epic-queue.sh --epics 97 --repo myorg/myrepo --auto-merge --dry-runCustom merge settings:
./epic-queue.sh --epics 97 --repo myorg/myrepo \
--auto-merge \
--merge-method rebase \
--min-idle-seconds 300- ✅ Copilot session detection — waits for
copilot_work_finishedevent before merging - ✅ Idle time verification — ensures PRs are stable (default: 120s)
- ✅ Sequential issue assignment — prevents overwhelming the agent with multiple tasks
- ✅ Branch cleanup — auto-deletes merged branches
- ✅ Generic — works with any GitHub repo, epic, and coding agent
| Flag | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--epics N1,N2,... |
Epic issue numbers (required) | - |
--repo owner/repo |
Target repository | Auto-detect |
--auto-merge |
Enable auto-merge (recommended) | false |
--watch |
Continuous mode | false |
--assignee LOGIN |
Issue assignee | Copilot |
--min-idle-seconds N |
Merge after N seconds idle | 120 |
--merge-method METHOD |
squash, merge, or rebase |
squash |
--dry-run |
Preview without changes | false |
Run ./epic-queue.sh --help for all options.
Auto-merge flow:
- Finds open PRs referencing epic issues
- Checks if Copilot's session has finished (
copilot_work_finishedevent) - Verifies PR has been idle (no new commits) for configured time
- Marks draft PRs as ready for review
- Approves with your GitHub account
- Merges and deletes the branch
Issue assignment:
- Only assigns the next issue if assignee (Copilot) isn't already working on something
- Respects epic priority order
- Skips closed issues
For non-Copilot agents:
./epic-queue.sh --epics 123 --repo owner/repo \
--assignee your-bot-name \
--pr-author your-bot-author \
--pr-branch-prefix bot-prefix/Environment variables (avoid repeating flags):
export QUEUE_REPO=”owner/repo”
export QUEUE_EPICS=”210,211”
export QUEUE_ASSIGNEE=”Copilot”MIT