The repo.identify action is a critical automation tool that intelligently determines which code repositories are most relevant to your workflow context. In multi-repository workspaces where tickets (Jira, GitHub Issues) are managed separately from code repositories, this action is essential for bridging the gap and ensuring your automation workflows target the correct codebases.

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Why This Action is Critical

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The Multi-Repository Challenge

In modern development environments, you often have:
  • Ticket Systems: Jira projects, GitHub Issues, Linear tickets
  • Code Repositories: Multiple Git repositories across different providers (GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps)
  • Complex Relationships: One ticket might affect code in 3-5 different repositories
Without repo.identify, you’d need to:
  • Manually specify repository names in every workflow
  • Update workflows when repository structures change
  • Risk targeting the wrong repositories for critical operations
  • Maintain complex mapping logic across multiple systems

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The Solution

The repo.identify action automatically bridges this gap by:
  • Analyzing ticket context to understand what needs to be done
  • Mapping to code repositories using AI and explicit correlations
  • Providing confidence scores to ensure accuracy
  • Enabling dynamic workflows that adapt to your repository structure

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Overview

The repo.identify action analyzes your workflow context and automatically determines which code repositories are most relevant to the current task. It’s particularly useful in multi-repository workspaces where you need to dynamically select the appropriate repositories based on ticket content, labels, and explicit correlations.

AI-Powered Analysis

Uses intelligent analysis of ticket content, labels, and context to identify relevant repositories.

Repository Correlations

Leverages explicit correlations between ticket repositories and code repositories for reliable identification.

Dynamic Selection

Automatically selects the most appropriate repositories without manual configuration.

Multi-Repository Support

Can identify multiple repositories for complex workflows that span multiple codebases.

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Critical Use Cases

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Jira Workflow Automation

When a Jira issue is created or updated, you need to know which code repositories contain the affected code: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Affected Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 3
      minConfidence: 0.7
      identificationHints: "Focus on repositories containing the components mentioned in the issue"
  
  - id: "clone-repos"
    name: "Clone Identified Repositories"
    action: "git.clone"
    params:
      repoFullName: "{{outputs.identify-repos.[0].repoFullName}}"
      branch: "main"
  
  - id: "analyze-issue"
    name: "Analyze Issue in Code Context"
    action: "agent.session"
    params:
      goal: "Analyze the Jira issue and provide technical recommendations"
      agentIds: ["senior-developer"]
      instruction: "Review the issue in context of the cloned repository: {{outputs.identify-repos.[0].repoFullName}}"

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Cross-Repository Bug Investigation

For bugs that might span multiple repositories: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Related Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 5
      minConfidence: 0.5
      identificationHints: "Include frontend, backend, shared libraries, and database schemas"
  
  - id: "investigate-bug"
    name: "Cross-Repository Bug Investigation"
    action: "agent.session"
    params:
      goal: "Investigate the bug across all affected repositories"
      agentIds: ["debugging-agent", "architect-agent"]
      instruction: "Analyze the bug in these repositories: {{#each outputs.identify-repos}}{{.repoFullName}} {{/each}}"

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Feature Development Planning

When planning new features that touch multiple systems: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Feature Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 4
      minConfidence: 0.6
      identificationHints: "Include user interface, business logic, API endpoints, and data models"
  
  - id: "plan-feature"
    name: "Multi-Repository Feature Planning"
    action: "agent.session"
    params:
      goal: "Create implementation plan across all affected repositories"
      agentIds: ["product-manager", "senior-developer", "architect-agent"]
      instruction: "Plan the feature implementation across: {{#each outputs.identify-repos}}{{.repoFullName}} {{/each}}"

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Basic Usage

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Simple Repository Identification

The most basic usage identifies a single repository: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 1

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Multi-Repository Identification

Identify multiple repositories for complex workflows: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 3
      minConfidence: 0.7

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With Identification Hints

Provide additional context to guide the identification process: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 2
      minConfidence: 0.6
      identificationHints: "Focus on frontend components and user interface code"

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Parameters

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Required Parameters

None - all parameters have sensible defaults.

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Optional Parameters

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maxResults
number
Maximum number of repositories to return (top-K). Controls how many candidate repositories are returned. Use 1 for single-repo workflows, higher values for multi-repo scenarios.
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minConfidence
number
Minimum confidence threshold (0..1). Filters out low-confidence matches. Higher values (0.7+) ensure only strong matches are returned.
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identificationHints
string
Optional hints to bias identification. Additional context that can help the AI make better decisions, especially when correlations are unclear.

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How Identification Works

The identification process follows a sophisticated multi-step logic:

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1. Correlation Check

First, the system looks for explicitly correlated repositories between your ticket repository and code repositories. These explicit correlations take precedence over all other identification methods.

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2. Context Analysis

The AI analyzes the ticket content including:
  • Title and description: Keywords, technologies, and domain-specific terms
  • Labels and components: Project-specific categorization
  • Assignee and reporter: Team and ownership context
  • Project structure: Related tickets and dependencies

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3. Repository Hints

Considers repository-level identification hints configured in your repository settings, such as:
  • Key technologies and frameworks
  • Domain-specific components
  • Team ownership and responsibilities
  • Project scope and boundaries

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4. Scoring and Ranking

Combines all signals to produce confidence scores:
  • Correlation strength: Explicit correlations get highest scores
  • Content relevance: AI analysis of ticket-repository alignment
  • Repository activity: Recent commits and development activity
  • Team alignment: Developer and team associations

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5. Filtering and Selection

Applies the minimum confidence threshold and returns the top-ranked repositories up to the specified maxResults.

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Output and Context

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Step Output

The repo.identify action provides output that can be used by subsequent steps:
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repositories
array
required
Array of identified repositories with confidence scores and reasoning.
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repositories.[].repoFullName
string
required
Full repository name in “owner/repo” format.
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repositories.[].confidence
number
required
Confidence score (0-1) indicating how well the repository matches the context.
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repositories.[].reasoning
string
required
Explanation of why this repository was selected, including correlation details and AI analysis.

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Available Variables

Use these variables in subsequent steps:
  • {{outputs.identify-repos.[0].repoFullName}}: First identified repository
  • {{outputs.identify-repos.[0].confidence}}: Confidence score for first repository
  • {{outputs.identify-repos.[0].reasoning}}: Reasoning for first repository selection

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Template Examples

Basic Repository Reference: 
repoFullName: "{{outputs.identify-repos.[0].repoFullName}}"
Conditional Fallback: 
repoFullName: "{{#if outputs.identify-repos.[0]}}{{outputs.identify-repos.[0].repoFullName}}{{else}}{{trigger.repository.fullName}}{{/if}}"
Multiple Repository Handling: 
# For workflows that need to process multiple repositories
repositories:
  - "{{outputs.identify-repos.[0].repoFullName}}"
  - "{{outputs.identify-repos.[1].repoFullName}}"
Important: If your step ID contains hyphens (e.g., identify-repos), use bracket notation: {{outputs.[identify-repos].[0].repoFullName}}

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Integration with Other Actions

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Following with Git Clone

After identifying repositories, you can clone them using the git.clone action: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 1
      minConfidence: 0.7
  
  - id: "clone-repo"
    name: "Clone Repository"
    action: "git.clone"
    params:
      repoFullName: "{{outputs.identify-repos.[0].repoFullName}}"
      branch: "{{trigger.pullRequest.headBranch}}"

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Multi-Repository Workflows

For workflows that need to work with multiple repositories: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 3
      minConfidence: 0.6
  
  - id: "analyze-repos"
    name: "Analyze Repositories"
    action: "agent.session"
    params:
      goal: "Analyze the identified repositories for cross-dependencies and integration points"
      agentIds: ["architect-agent", "senior-developer"]
      instruction: "Review the repositories: {{outputs.identify-repos.[0].repoFullName}}, {{outputs.identify-repos.[1].repoFullName}}"

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Best Practices

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1. Set Up Explicit Correlations

  • Always create explicit correlations between ticket repositories and code repositories
  • This provides the most reliable identification results
  • Correlations take precedence over AI-based heuristics
  • Use the repository mapping interface to establish these relationships

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2. Use Descriptive Repository Hints

  • Include key technologies, domains, and components in repository configuration
  • Use consistent terminology across related repositories
  • Update hints when repository scope changes
  • Consider team ownership and project boundaries

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3. Configure Appropriate Confidence Thresholds

  • 0.2-0.4: Low threshold, includes more candidates (default)
  • 0.5-0.7: Medium threshold, balanced selection
  • 0.8-1.0: High threshold, only strong matches
  • Start with default (0.2) and adjust based on results

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4. Position in Workflow

  • Place repo.identify early in your workflow, right after the trigger
  • Use identified repositories in subsequent git.clone or agent steps
  • Consider fallback logic for cases where no repositories are identified

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5. Monitor and Refine

  • Review identification results regularly
  • Adjust correlation settings based on accuracy
  • Update repository hints as projects evolve
  • Use workflow logs to understand identification reasoning

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Common Use Cases

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Issue Triage Workflows

Automatically identify relevant repositories for issue analysis: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 1
      minConfidence: 0.6
  
  - id: "analyze-issue"
    name: "Analyze Issue"
    action: "agent.session"
    params:
      goal: "Analyze the issue and provide technical recommendations"
      agentIds: ["senior-developer"]
      instruction: "Review the issue in context of repository: {{outputs.identify-repos.[0].repoFullName}}"

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Cross-Repository Analysis

Identify multiple repositories for comprehensive analysis: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 3
      minConfidence: 0.5
      identificationHints: "Include frontend, backend, and shared libraries"
  
  - id: "cross-repo-analysis"
    name: "Cross-Repository Analysis"
    action: "agent.session"
    params:
      goal: "Analyze dependencies and integration points between repositories"
      agentIds: ["architect-agent"]

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Feature Development

Identify repositories for new feature implementation: 
steps:
  - id: "identify-repos"
    name: "Identify Repositories"
    action: "repo.identify"
    params:
      maxResults: 2
      minConfidence: 0.7
      identificationHints: "Focus on user interface and business logic components"
  
  - id: "plan-feature"
    name: "Plan Feature Implementation"
    action: "agent.session"
    params:
      goal: "Create implementation plan for the new feature"
      agentIds: ["product-manager", "senior-developer"]

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Advanced Configuration

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Repository-Level Hints

Configure identification hints in your repository settings:
  1. Access Repository Settings: Go to repository configuration
  2. Set Identification Hints: Add descriptive text about the repository’s purpose
  3. Use Consistent Terminology: Align with ticket labels and project terminology
  4. Update Regularly: Keep hints current with repository evolution

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Correlation Management

Manage explicit correlations between repositories:
  1. Map Ticket Repositories: Connect Jira projects to code repositories
  2. Establish Relationships: Define which code repositories relate to which ticket systems
  3. Review Accuracy: Regularly validate correlation effectiveness
  4. Adjust as Needed: Update correlations when project structure changes

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Next Steps

Now that you understand the repo.identify action, explore these related topics: Ready to automate repository selection? Start by setting up explicit correlations and then add the repo.identify action to your workflows for intelligent, context-aware repository identification.