<!-- SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2026 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved. --> <!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 -->

NemoClaw Maintainer — Triage

Use Issue Type for issue classification. Use Project fields for priority and lifecycle. Use labels for routing and action queues.

Step 1: Load Canonical Policy

Before evaluating an item, read these files in order:

1. [workflow-policy.md](../nemoclaw-maintainer-policies/references/workflow-policy.md)
2. [triage-instructions.md](../nemoclaw-maintainer-policies/references/triage-instructions.md)
3. [label-taxonomy.json](../nemoclaw-maintainer-policies/references/label-taxonomy.json)
4. [examples.md](../nemoclaw-maintainer-policies/references/examples.md)

Do not use another label guide. The policy package is the source of truth for Issue Type, Project fields, labels, confidence, authorization, and output shape.

Step 2: Determine Mode

Single-item mode — the user provides an issue or PR number:

gh issue view <number> --repo NVIDIA/NemoClaw --json number,title,body,labels,url,author,projectItems
gh pr view <number> --repo NVIDIA/NemoClaw --json number,title,body,labels,url,author,files,isDraft,mergeStateStatus,projectItems,statusCheckRollup

Use the command for the item type. For issues, read Issue Type through the GitHub GraphQL API. Read Project Priority and Status from Project 199. Do not infer them from labels.

Batch mode — collect both normal inbox items and unlabeled items:

gh issue list --repo NVIDIA/NemoClaw --state open --label "needs: triage" --limit 50 --json number,title,body,labels,url,author
gh issue list --repo NVIDIA/NemoClaw --state open --limit 50 --json number,title,body,labels,url,author
gh pr list --repo NVIDIA/NemoClaw --state open --label "needs: triage" --limit 50 --json number,title,body,labels,url,author,isDraft,mergeStateStatus
gh pr list --repo NVIDIA/NemoClaw --state open --limit 50 --json number,title,body,labels,url,author,isDraft,mergeStateStatus

Keep unlabeled items from the unfiltered results. Combine them with the needs: triage results. Remove duplicates by item type and number. Process one item at a time.

Step 3: Present the Dry Run

Use the JSON-compatible payload defined by canonical triage-instructions.md. Include:

• native Issue Type for issues
• Project Priority and Status recommendations
• only labels from label-taxonomy.json
• labels to remove, including a completed needs: triage inbox marker
• confidence, rationale, questions, and humanreviewrequired
• the proposed public comment, when one is useful.

Prefer no label over a guessed label. Do not use labels for Issue Type, Priority, Status, or resolution. Do not propose an unknown label. Do not propose PRR during triage.

In batch mode, present each dry run and wait for an explicit apply, skip, or edited write set before moving to the next item.

Step 4: Apply Only the Accepted Write Set

Acceptance authorizes only the fields, labels, and comment in the proposal. Before each write, re-read Issue Type, Project fields, and labels, then resolve all live IDs. Do not store mutable IDs in this skill. If the state differs from the accepted proposal's base state, stop and present an updated proposal for acceptance. Resume writes only after the user accepts the updated proposal.

Apply writes in this order:

1. Set native Issue Type and accepted Project fields.
2. Add and remove canonical labels.
3. Remove needs: triage when the inbox action is complete.
4. Post the accepted comment, if any.

Do not write if the accepted plan contains a low-confidence inference, an unknown label, or an unauthorized field. Return a corrected proposal.

Step 5: Report

For every applied item, report:

• Issue Type before and after, when applicable
• Project Priority and Status before and after
• labels added and removed
• whether a comment was posted
• any proposed write that was skipped and why.

Do not write an external activity log unless the invoking maintainer explicitly asks for one.

Batch Ordering

Prioritize candidates using policy evidence, not labels that duplicate Project Priority:

1. Security, outage, or data-loss reports that might need Project Priority Urgent or High.
2. Items that need a response from an author or maintainer.
3. Items waiting longest for triage.
4. Remaining items by recency.