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SKILL.md
CodeRabbit Common Errors
Overview
Quick-reference troubleshooting guide for the most common CodeRabbit issues. CodeRabbit is a GitHub/GitLab App that reviews PRs automatically -- most problems are configuration issues, permission gaps, or YAML syntax errors rather than API failures.
Prerequisites
CodeRabbit GitHub App installed on repository
Access to GitHub repository settings
.coderabbit.yaml in repository root
Instructions
Step 1: Identify Your Issue Category
Symptom
Category
Jump To
No review posted on PR
Installation/Permissions
Error 1
Review on some PRs but not others
Configuration
Error 2-4
Too many comments / noise
Tuning
Error 5
Config changes not taking effect
YAML Issues
Error 6
Bot not responding to commands
Interaction
Error 7
Review takes too long
Performance
Error 8
Error 1: No Review Posted on PR
Symptoms: PR is open, targeting main, but no CodeRabbit review appears after 15+ minutes.
Diagnosis:
set -euo pipefail
# Check if CodeRabbit App is installed on this repo
gh api repos/OWNER/REPO/installation --jq '.app_slug' 2>/dev/null || echo "NOT INSTALLED"
# Check if the PR author has a CodeRabbit seat
# Go to app.coderabbit.ai > Organization > Seats
Repo not selected: In GitHub > Installed Apps > CodeRabbit, add the specific repository
No seat assigned: The PR author needs a CodeRabbit seat (app.coderabbit.ai > Subscription)
Private repo without org plan: Free tier only works on public repos
Error 2: Reviews Only on Some Branches
Symptoms: Reviews appear on PRs to main but not develop or feature branches.
Cause:base_branches filter in configuration only includes specific branches.
Fix:
# .coderabbit.yaml
reviews:
auto_review:
enabled: true
base_branches:
- main
- develop
- "release/*" # Glob patterns work
- "hotfix/*"
# Remove base_branches entirely to review PRs to ALL branches
Error 3: Reviews Skip Certain PRs
Symptoms: Some PRs get reviewed, others are silently skipped.
Diagnosis checklist:
# Check these .coderabbit.yaml settings:
reviews:
auto_review:
drafts: false # Draft PRs are skipped (expected behavior)
ignore_title_keywords: # PRs with these keywords in title are skipped
- "WIP"
- "DO NOT MERGE"
- "chore: bump" # This skips dependency update PRs
# Also check: Is the PR author a bot?
# Bot PRs (dependabot, renovate) may not trigger reviews
# unless bot accounts have CodeRabbit seats
Error 4: Reviews Include Generated/Unwanted Files
Symptoms: CodeRabbit comments on lock files, generated code, or build output.
Symptoms: CodeRabbit posts 10-20+ comments per PR, most are nitpicks.
Fix:
# .coderabbit.yaml - Reduce comment volume
reviews:
profile: "chill" # Fewer comments, only significant issues
# Options: chill (fewest) → assertive (balanced) → nitpicky (most)
# Give context to prevent misguided comments
path_instructions:
- path: "src/legacy/**"
instructions: |
This is legacy code. Only flag security issues and bugs.
Do NOT suggest refactoring or style changes.
- path: "scripts/**"
instructions: |
One-off scripts. Do not enforce production standards.
Only flag: security issues, destructive ops without confirmation.
Error 6: Configuration Changes Not Taking Effect
Symptoms: You updated .coderabbit.yaml but reviews behave the same way.
Diagnosis:
# In a PR comment, run:
@coderabbitai configuration
# CodeRabbit will reply with the active configuration as YAML.
# Compare with your .coderabbit.yaml to find discrepancies.
# Common causes:
# 1. YAML syntax error - entire config is ignored silently
# 2. Config not on the base branch - CodeRabbit reads config from the PR's base branch
# 3. Organization-level config overriding repo config
# 4. Wrong field name (e.g., "review_instructions" instead of "path_instructions")
YAML validation:
set -euo pipefail
# Validate YAML syntax
python3 -c "import yaml; yaml.safe_load(open('.coderabbit.yaml'))" && echo "YAML OK" || echo "YAML INVALID"
# Or use an online validator: https://www.yamllint.com/
Error 7: Bot Not Responding to PR Comments
Symptoms: You post @coderabbitai full review but nothing happens.
Causes & Solutions:
Typo in mention: Must be exactly @coderabbitai (one word, lowercase)
Comment in wrong location: Commands work in PR comments, not commit comments
Chat disabled: Ensure .coderabbit.yaml has chat: auto_reply: true
Rate limited: Too many commands in quick succession; wait a few minutes
# .coderabbit.yaml - Ensure chat is enabled
chat:
auto_reply: true # Required for @coderabbitai commands to work
Error 8: Review Takes Too Long (15+ Minutes)
Symptoms: PR opened but CodeRabbit review not posted after 15 minutes.
Causes:
PR Size
Expected Time
Action
< 200 lines
2-3 min
Normal, wait
200-500 lines
3-7 min
Normal, wait
500-1000 lines
7-12 min
Consider splitting
1000+ lines
12-15+ min
Split PR or be patient
If it is been 20+ minutes on a small PR:
1. Check CodeRabbit status: https://status.coderabbit.ai
2. Try: @coderabbitai full review (force re-review)
3. Check GitHub App installation hasn't been suspended
4. Contact support via CodeRabbit Discord or email
Step 2: Verify Fix
After applying a fix, create or update a PR and confirm CodeRabbit behaves as expected:
set -euo pipefail
# Force a re-review on an existing PR
gh pr comment PR_NUMBER --body "@coderabbitai full review"
# Or check the active config
gh pr comment PR_NUMBER --body "@coderabbitai configuration"
