1.**Read the issue.** Use `gh issue view "$NUMBER" --json title,body,author,labels,comments` to read the full issue and any existing comments and labels.
2.**List existing labels.** Use `gh label list` to confirm which labels exist in this repository. Only use labels that already exist; never create labels.
3.**Classify the issue.** Walk through the label categories in *Label selection rules* (type, area, platform, provider, priority/quality) and pick only labels supported by evidence.
4.**Apply the labels.** Add the selected labels in one command: `gh issue edit "$NUMBER" --add-label "label1" --add-label "label2"`.
5.**Draft the comment.** Compose a single friendly, concise comment summarizing the issue and asking the reporter for any additional information needed to complete the request.
6.**Post the comment** (see *Posting the comment*).
7.**Verify the comment landed** (see *Posting the comment*).
Apply at most 1 type label, 1-2 area labels, 1 platform label, and 1 provider label. Only add priority/quality labels when the issue clearly warrants them. Do not add labels speculatively; skip any category where the match is ambiguous.
### Category 1: Type label (pick the strongest match)
1.**Finalize the body once.** Do not iterate by posting multiple comments.
2.**Post exactly one top-level comment.**`gh issue comment "$NUMBER" --body-file -` (pipe the body via stdin, preferred) or `gh issue comment "$NUMBER" --body "..."`.
3.**Capture the comment URL** from the `gh` output.
4.**Verify by reading comments back only.** Run `gh issue view "$NUMBER" --json comments` and confirm a comment by you with the exact body appears. If it is initially missing, wait briefly and read comments again up to two more times. Do not verify by posting another comment; do not rely on stdout alone.
5.**Handle failure without duplicates.** If `gh` returned a comment URL, or the post result is ambiguous, never post again; report an unverified result if the comment remains missing. Retry `gh issue comment` once only when GitHub definitively rejected the first request and the read-back confirms no exact matching comment exists. If the retry fails or cannot be verified, report the failure rather than posting again.