Official agent skill

GitHub Issues

by github in github/awesome-copilot

Create, update, and manage GitHub issues using MCP tools. An agent skill from github/awesome-copilot.

OfficialMITAuto-check passedTesting & QA

Install GitHub Issues

skills CLI
$ npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill github-issues -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install github/awesome-copilot github-issues --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/github-issues .claude/skills/github-issues && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
github-issues
GitHub stars
40k
Used in
2 other repos
Token cost
~2.3k tokens
SKILL.md length
770 words
Files
11 (incl. references)
Skills in repo
417
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Create, update, and manage GitHub issues using MCP tools. An agent skill from github/awesome-copilot.

  • Works in 5 steps: Determine action: Create, update, or… → Gather context: Get repo info, existing… → Structure content: Use appropriate… → …
  • Users want to create bug reports
  • SKILL.md covers Available Tools, Workflow, Creating Issues and Updating Issues, plus 4 more sections
  • Calls gh

What it does

GitHub Issues is an agent skill from github/awesome-copilot, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Create, update, and manage GitHub issues using MCP tools. Use this skill when users want to create bug reports, feature requests, or task issues, update existing issues, add labels/assignees/milestones, manage repository labels, set issue fields (dates, priority, custom fields), set issue types, manage issue workflows, link issues, add dependencies, or track blocked-by/blocking relationships. Triggers on requests like "create an issue", "file a bug", "request a feature", "update issue X", "set the priority", "set…

Its SKILL.md is about 2.3k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 11 other files, including reference files (for example `references/dependencies.md`, `references/images.md` and `references/issue-fields.md`).

It sits in Testing & QA, covering MCP servers, QA and bug reports and Project management. It works with GitHub and Model Context Protocol. The repository describes itself as: Community-contributed instructions, agents, skills, and configurations to help you make the most of GitHub Copilot. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Users want to create bug reports
  • Feature requests
  • Update existing issues
  • Add labels/assignees/milestones

Example prompts

  • “create an issue”
  • “file a bug”
  • “request a feature”
  • “/github-issues”

Workflow steps

5 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Determine action: Create, update, or query?
  2. Gather context: Get repo info, existing labels, milestones if needed
  3. Structure content: Use appropriate template from references/templates.md
  4. Execute: Use MCP tools for reads, gh api for writes
  5. Confirm: Report the issue URL to user

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 727ff2e. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Shell commands in SKILL.md call:

    • gh

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md. Its commands use gh, which can reach the network depending on how they are called.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

GitHub Issues loads about 2.3k tokens when it runs, and up to ~13k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 175 tokens; SKILL.md has 770 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~175
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.3k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~13k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from github/awesome-copilot at commit 727ff2e, republished under its MIT licence (© github). 770 words, ~2,298 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/github-issues/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 10 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
github-issues
description
Create, update, and manage GitHub issues using MCP tools. Use this skill when users want to create bug reports, feature requests, or task issues, update existing issues, add labels/assignees/milestones, manage repository labels, set issue fields (dates, priority, custom fields), set issue types, manage issue workflows, link issues, add dependencies, or track blocked-by/blocking relationships. Triggers on requests like "create an issue", "file a bug", "request a feature", "update issue X", "set the priority", "set the start date", "create a label", "rename a label", "list repo labels", "link issues", "add dependency", "blocked by", "blocking", or any GitHub issue management task.

GitHub Issues

Manage GitHub issues using the @modelcontextprotocol/server-github MCP server.

Available Tools

MCP Tools (read operations)
ToolPurpose
mcp__github__issue_readRead issue details, sub-issues, comments, labels (methods: get, get_comments, get_sub_issues, get_labels)
mcp__github__list_issuesList and filter repository issues by state, labels, date
mcp__github__search_issuesSearch issues across repos using GitHub search syntax
mcp__github__projects_listList projects, project fields, project items, status updates
mcp__github__projects_getGet details of a project, field, item, or status update
mcp__github__projects_writeAdd/update/delete project items, create status updates
MCP Tools (write operations)
ToolPurpose
mcp__github__issue_writeCreate or update an issue (methods: create, update). Supports title, body, type, labels, assignees, milestone, and issue fields
mcp__github__add_issue_commentAdd a comment or a reaction to an issue
mcp__github__sub_issue_writeAdd, remove, or reprioritize a sub-issue
CLI / REST API (write operations)

gh api performs the same writes and is the form used in the examples below. Reach for it when the MCP server is not connected, or when you need a REST field the MCP tools do not expose.

OperationCommand
Create issuegh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues -X POST -f title=... -f body=...
Update issuegh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{number} -X PATCH -f title=... -f state=...
Add commentgh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{number}/comments -X POST -f body=...
Close issuegh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{number} -X PATCH -f state=closed
Set issue typeInclude -f type=Bug in the create call (REST API only, not supported by gh issue create CLI)

Note: gh issue create works for basic issue creation but does not support the --type flag. Use gh api when you need to set issue types.

Workflow

  1. Determine action: Create, update, or query?
  2. Gather context: Get repo info, existing labels, milestones if needed
  3. Structure content: Use appropriate template from references/templates.md
  4. Execute: Use MCP tools for reads, gh api for writes
  5. Confirm: Report the issue URL to user

Creating Issues

Use gh api to create issues. This supports all parameters including issue types.

bash
gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues \
  -X POST \
  -f title="Issue title" \
  -f body="Issue body in markdown" \
  -f type="Bug" \
  --jq '{number, html_url}'
Optional Parameters

Add any of these flags to the gh api call:

-f type="Bug"                    # Issue type (Bug, Feature, Task, Epic, etc.)
-f 'labels[]=bug'                # Labels (repeat for multiple)
-f 'assignees[]=username'        # Assignees (repeat for multiple)
-f milestone=1                   # Milestone number

Quote the whole name[]=value pair. [] is a glob pattern in zsh, the default shell on macOS, so an unquoted -f labels[]=bug never reaches gh:

zsh: no matches found: labels[]=bug

Issue types are organization-level metadata. To discover available types, use:

bash
gh api graphql -f query='{ organization(login: "ORG") { issueTypes(first: 10) { nodes { name } } } }' --jq '.data.organization.issueTypes.nodes[].name'

Prefer issue types over labels for categorization. When issue types are available (e.g., Bug, Feature, Task), use the type parameter instead of applying equivalent labels like bug or enhancement. Issue types are the canonical way to categorize issues on GitHub. Only fall back to labels when the org has no issue types configured.

Title Guidelines
  • Be specific and actionable
  • Keep under 72 characters
  • When issue types are set, don't add redundant prefixes like [Bug]
  • Examples:
    • Login fails with SSO enabled (with type=Bug)
    • Add dark mode support (with type=Feature)
    • Add unit tests for auth module (with type=Task)
Show full SKILL.md (318 more words)Show less
Body Structure

Always use the templates in references/templates.md. Choose based on issue type:

User RequestTemplate
Bug, error, broken, not workingBug Report
Feature, enhancement, add, newFeature Request
Task, chore, refactor, updateTask

Updating Issues

Use gh api with PATCH:

bash
gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{number} \
  -X PATCH \
  -f state=closed \
  -f title="Updated title" \
  --jq '{number, html_url}'

Only include fields you want to change. Available fields: title, body, state (open/closed), labels, assignees, milestone.

Examples

Example 1: Bug Report

User: "Create a bug issue - the login page crashes when using SSO"

Action:

bash
gh api repos/github/awesome-copilot/issues \
  -X POST \
  -f title="Login page crashes when using SSO" \
  -f type="Bug" \
  -f body="## Description
The login page crashes when users attempt to authenticate using SSO.

## Steps to Reproduce
1. Navigate to login page
2. Click 'Sign in with SSO'
3. Page crashes

## Expected Behavior
SSO authentication should complete and redirect to dashboard.

## Actual Behavior
Page becomes unresponsive and displays error." \
  --jq '{number, html_url}'
Example 2: Feature Request

User: "Create a feature request for dark mode with high priority"

Action:

bash
gh api repos/github/awesome-copilot/issues \
  -X POST \
  -f title="Add dark mode support" \
  -f type="Feature" \
  -f 'labels[]=high-priority' \
  -f body="## Summary
Add dark mode theme option for improved user experience and accessibility.

## Motivation
- Reduces eye strain in low-light environments
- Increasingly expected by users

## Proposed Solution
Implement theme toggle with system preference detection.

## Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] Toggle switch in settings
- [ ] Persists user preference
- [ ] Respects system preference by default" \
  --jq '{number, html_url}'

Common Labels

Use these standard labels when applicable:

LabelUse For
bugSomething isn't working
enhancementNew feature or improvement
documentationDocumentation updates
good first issueGood for newcomers
help wantedExtra attention needed
questionFurther information requested
wontfixWill not be addressed
duplicateAlready exists
high-priorityUrgent issues

Tips

  • Always confirm the repository context before creating issues
  • Ask for missing critical information rather than guessing
  • Link related issues when known: Related to #123
  • For updates, fetch current issue first to preserve unchanged fields

Extended Capabilities

The following features require REST or GraphQL APIs beyond the basic MCP tools. Each is documented in its own reference file so the agent only loads the knowledge it needs.

CapabilityWhen to useReference
Advanced searchComplex queries with boolean logic, date ranges, cross-repo search, issue field filters (field.name:value)references/search.md
Sub-issues & parent issuesBreaking work into hierarchical tasksreferences/sub-issues.md
MilestonesCreate, read, update, close, reopen, delete milestones and manage milestone issuesreferences/milestones.md
LabelsDiscover, create, rename, recolor, and delete repository labels; add or replace labels on an issuereferences/labels.md
Issue dependenciesTracking blocked-by / blocking relationshipsreferences/dependencies.md
Issue types (advanced)GraphQL operations beyond MCP list_issue_types / type paramreferences/issue-types.md
Projects V2Project boards, progress reports, field managementreferences/projects.md
Issue fieldsCustom metadata: dates, priority, text, numbers (private preview)references/issue-fields.md
Images in issuesEmbedding images in issue bodies and comments via CLIreferences/images.md

© github, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 10 other files (references) in skills/github-issues of github/awesome-copilot.

  • SKILL.md
  • references/dependencies.md
  • references/images.md
  • references/issue-fields.md
  • references/issue-types.md
  • references/labels.md
  • references/milestones.md
  • references/projects.md
  • references/search.md
  • references/sub-issues.md
  • references/templates.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 727ff2e

Used in 2 other repositories

We found 2 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 2 other GitHub owners. This page covers the copy in github/awesome-copilot, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

Compare with similar skills

GitHub Issues next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

GitHub Issues compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
GitHub Issues this skillgithub/awesome-copilot40k2 repos~2.3kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Agentacct Workflowmikehasa/agentacct765—~1.6kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Glance TestDebugBase/glance156—~827Automated safety check: PassMIT
Windows QA EngineerCodeAlive-AI/ai-driven-development155—~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Testing Scope MCPdaydreamlive/scope452—~1.2kAutomated safety check: PassCustom licence
MCP Smoke TestSepineTam/mcp-for-stata263—~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassAGPL-3.0

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Questions about GitHub Issues

What does GitHub Issues do?

Create, update, and manage GitHub issues using MCP tools. An agent skill from github/awesome-copilot. GitHub Issues is an agent skill from github/awesome-copilot, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Create, update, and manage GitHub issues using MCP tools.

When should I use GitHub Issues?

GitHub Issues fits situations like: users want to create bug reports; feature requests; update existing issues; add labels/assignees/milestones.

How do I install GitHub Issues in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill github-issues -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/github-issues in github/awesome-copilot) into .claude/skills/github-issues in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install GitHub Issues in Codex?

Run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill github-issues -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/github-issues in github/awesome-copilot) into .agents/skills/github-issues in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use GitHub Issues in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill github-issues -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/github-issues, .gemini/skills/github-issues, .github/skills/github-issues and .opencode/skills/github-issues in your project.

What does GitHub Issues need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, GitHub Issues needs the command-line tools its instructions call (gh).

Does GitHub Issues access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Its commands use gh, which can reach the network depending on how they are called. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is GitHub Issues safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does GitHub Issues use?

GitHub Issues is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does GitHub Issues use?

About 2.3k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 9.2k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 11k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to GitHub Issues?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with GitHub Issues: Agentacct Workflow (mikehasa/agentacct, 765 stars), Glance Test (DebugBase/glance, 156 stars), Windows QA Engineer (CodeAlive-AI/ai-driven-development, 155 stars) and Testing Scope MCP (daydreamlive/scope, 452 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains GitHub Issues?

github (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in github/awesome-copilot, which has 39,748 GitHub stars. The repository holds 417 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 7, 2026.

Source: github/awesome-copilot on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.