diff --git a/uspecs/u/scripts/conf.sh b/uspecs/u/scripts/conf.sh
index b9a3bdf..c99b36d 100644
--- a/uspecs/u/scripts/conf.sh
+++ b/uspecs/u/scripts/conf.sh
@@ -31,12 +31,113 @@ esac
 _TEMP_DIRS=()
 _TEMP_FILES=()
 
-if [[ -n "${BASH_SOURCE[0]:-}" && -f "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" ]]; then
-    _script_dir=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)
-    # shellcheck source=_lib/utils.sh
-    source "$_script_dir/_lib/utils.sh"
-    checkcmds curl
-fi
+# checkcmds command1 [command2 ...]
+# Verifies that each listed command is available on PATH.
+# Prints an error message and exits with status 1 if any command is missing.
+checkcmds() {
+    local cmd
+    for cmd in "$@"; do
+        if ! command -v "$cmd" > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Error: required command not found: $cmd" >&2
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    done
+}
+
+# get_pr_info <pr_sh_path> <map_nameref> [project_dir]
+# Calls pr.sh info and parses the key=value output into the given associative array.
+# Keys populated: pr_remote, default_branch
+# project_dir: directory to run pr.sh from (defaults to $PWD)
+# Returns non-zero if pr.sh info fails.
+get_pr_info() {
+    local pr_sh="$1"
+    local -n _pr_info_map="$2"
+    local project_dir="${3:-$PWD}"
+    local output
+    output=$(cd "$project_dir" && bash "$pr_sh" info) || return 1
+    while IFS='=' read -r key value; do
+        [[ -z "$key" ]] && continue
+        _pr_info_map["$key"]="$value"
+    done <<< "$output"
+}
+
+# is_tty
+# Returns 0 if stdin is connected to a terminal, 1 if piped or redirected.
+is_tty() {
+    [ -t 0 ]
+}
+
+# is_git_repo <dir>
+# Returns 0 if <dir> is inside a git repository, 1 otherwise.
+is_git_repo() {
+    local dir="$1"
+    (cd "$dir" && git rev-parse --git-dir > /dev/null 2>&1)
+}
+
+# _GREP_BIN caches the resolved grep binary path for _grep.
+_GREP_BIN=""
+
+# _grep [grep-args...]
+# Portable grep wrapper. On Windows (msys/cygwin) resolves grep from the git
+# installation and fails fast if not found. On other platforms uses system grep.
+_grep() {
+    if [[ -z "$_GREP_BIN" ]]; then
+        case "$OSTYPE" in
+            msys*|cygwin*)
+                # Use where.exe to get real Windows paths, then pick the grep
+                # that lives inside the Git for Windows installation.
+                local git_path git_root candidate
+                git_path=$(where.exe git 2>/dev/null | head -1 | tr -d $'\r' | tr $'\\\\' / || true)
+                if [[ -z "$git_path" ]]; then
+                    echo "Error: git not found; cannot locate git's bundled grep" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
+                git_root=$(dirname "$(dirname "$git_path")")
+                # Try direct path first (works even if grep is not on PATH).
+                # Also try one level up to handle mingw64/bin/git.exe layout where
+                # two dirnames give .../mingw64 instead of the git installation root.
+                if [[ -x "$git_root/usr/bin/grep.exe" ]]; then
+                    _GREP_BIN="$git_root/usr/bin/grep.exe"
+                elif [[ -x "$(dirname "$git_root")/usr/bin/grep.exe" ]]; then
+                    git_root=$(dirname "$git_root")
+                    _GREP_BIN="$git_root/usr/bin/grep.exe"
+                else
+                    # Fall back to where.exe grep, pick the one under git root
+                    while IFS= read -r candidate; do
+                        candidate=$(echo "$candidate" | tr -d $'\r' | tr $'\\\\' /)
+                        if [[ "$candidate" == "$git_root/"* ]]; then
+                            _GREP_BIN="$candidate"
+                            break
+                        fi
+                    done < <(where.exe grep 2>/dev/null || true)
+                fi
+                if [[ -z "$_GREP_BIN" ]]; then
+                    echo "Error: grep not found under git root: $git_root" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
+                ;;
+            *)
+                _GREP_BIN="grep"
+                ;;
+        esac
+    fi
+    "$_GREP_BIN" "$@"
+}
+
+# sed_inplace file sed-args...
+# Portable in-place sed. Uses -i.bak for BSD compatibility.
+# Restores the original file on failure.
+sed_inplace() {
+    local file="$1"
+    shift
+    if ! sed -i.bak "$@" "$file"; then
+        mv "${file}.bak" "$file" 2>/dev/null || true
+        return 1
+    fi
+    rm -f "${file}.bak"
+}
+
+checkcmds curl
 
 error() {
     echo "Error: $1" >&2
diff --git a/uspecs/u/uspecs.yml b/uspecs/u/uspecs.yml
index 0d45d8a..e304f30 100644
--- a/uspecs/u/uspecs.yml
+++ b/uspecs/u/uspecs.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 version: 0.1.0-a0
 invocation_methods: [nlia]
 installed_at: 2026-02-21T18:48:11Z
-modified_at: 2026-02-25T17:31:04Z
-commit: 5390f2e8c7fe1b4d9e4e73120a623ab38f846ec6
-commit_timestamp: 2026-02-25T17:19:55Z
+modified_at: 2026-02-25T17:58:57Z
+commit: b810301a0ef29c56fadb02d3452346312d42e570
+commit_timestamp: 2026-02-25T17:56:59Z