| name | github-issue-reader |
| description | Load comprehensive GitHub issue information including title, description, comments, labels, assignees, milestones, and related items (linked PRs and cross-references). This skill should be used when planning to fix an issue, when detailed issue context is needed for implementation work, or when a plan command needs to understand the full scope of an issue. |
GitHub Issue Reader
Overview
Fetch complete GitHub issue information to provide context for planning and implementation. This skill retrieves all relevant data from a GitHub issue including the description, all comments and discussion, metadata (labels, assignees, milestones), and related items (linked pull requests and cross-referenced issues).
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
- Creating a plan to fix or implement an issue
- Understanding the full context and discussion around an issue
- Gathering requirements from an issue before starting work
- Reviewing an issue's history and related work
- Analyzing cross-references and linked pull requests
Quick Start
Fetch issue information using the fetch_issue.py script with any of these formats:
# Current repository issue by number
scripts/fetch_issue.py 123
# Specific repository issue
scripts/fetch_issue.py owner/repo#456
# Issue by full URL
scripts/fetch_issue.py https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/789
The script outputs formatted markdown containing all issue information.
Usage Instructions
Prerequisites
Ensure the GitHub CLI (gh) is installed and authenticated:
gh auth status
If not authenticated, run:
gh auth login
Fetching Issue Information
Execute the fetch_issue.py script with an issue reference. The script accepts three formats:
- Issue number (for current repository):
123 - Owner/repo format:
owner/repo#123 - Full URL:
https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/123
The script will fetch and output:
- Issue number, title, and URL
- Current state (open/closed)
- Author and timestamps (created, updated, closed)
- Labels, assignees, and milestone
- Full issue description
- All comments with authors and timestamps
- Cross-referenced issues
- Linked pull requests
Example Output Structure
# Issue #123: Add new feature for X
**URL**: https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/123
**State**: open
**Author**: username
**Created**: 2024-10-15T10:30:00Z
**Labels**: enhancement, priority-high
**Assignees**: developer1, developer2
## Description
[Full issue description]
## Comments (3)
### Comment 1 by user1 (2024-10-16T09:00:00Z)
[Comment body]
## Linked Pull Requests
- PR #124 - Fix for issue #123
## Cross-Referenced Issues
- #120 - Related issue
Integration with Planning Workflows
When using this skill as part of a planning workflow:
- Invoke the skill with the issue reference
- Review the complete issue context provided
- Use the information to create an accurate implementation plan
- Reference specific comments or requirements from the issue
- Check linked PRs for existing work or context
Error Handling
The script handles common errors:
- gh CLI not found: Install GitHub CLI from https://cli.github.com
- Not authenticated: Run
gh auth login - Issue not found: Verify the issue number and repository
- Rate limiting: Wait and retry, or check GitHub API rate limits
Resources
scripts/fetch_issue.py
Python script that uses the GitHub CLI to fetch comprehensive issue data. Can be executed directly without loading into context.
Usage: scripts/fetch_issue.py <issue-reference>
Returns: Formatted markdown with complete issue information
Requirements:
- GitHub CLI (
gh) installed and authenticated - Python 3.6+
- Internet connection