github-inbox-triage

source	shipped
name	github-inbox-triage
description	Use when GitHub issues and pull requests need triage against colony priorities before planning
type	colony
domains	["github","triage","issues"]
agent_roles	["scout","queen"]
workflow_triggers	["plan"]
task_keywords	["github","issue","pull request","triage","inbox"]
priority	normal
version	1.0

Github Inbox Triage

Purpose

Reviews and triages all open GitHub issues and pull requests against the colony's project templates, contribution guidelines, and current priorities. Ensures the colony's inbox is organized, labeled, and actionable.

When to Use

• User says "check the inbox" or "triage issues"
• Colony start-of-session ritual
• Before planning to incorporate community feedback
• User wants to know what's waiting in GitHub

Instructions

1. Inbox Scan

1. Fetch all open issues via `gh issue list`
2. Fetch all open PRs via `gh pr list`
3. Read project contribution guidelines (CONTRIBUTING.md or similar)
4. Read current ROADMAP.md for active priorities
5. Load label schema from GitHub labels or colony config

2. Issue Triage

For each issue:
  CLASSIFY:
    - bug: Reports of broken behavior
    - feature: New capability requests
    - question: Support or clarification requests
    - maintenance: Code quality, refactoring, tooling

  PRIORITY:
    - critical: Blocking users or security issues
    - high: Affects significant user segment
    - medium: Standard priority
    - low: Nice to have

  ALIGNMENT:
    - Does it match current milestone goals?
    - Does it duplicate an existing issue?
    - Is it actionable with current context?

  LABEL: Apply appropriate labels automatically

3. PR Triage

For each PR:
  CHECK:
    - Does it follow contribution guidelines?
    - Are tests included?
    - Does CI pass?
    - Is it targeting the right branch?
    - Scope: Does it match a planned phase?

  REVIEW STATUS:
    - needs-review: Ready for review
    - needs-changes: Author needs to update
    - blocked: Waiting on something
    - ready-to-merge: All checks pass

  CONFLICT: Check for merge conflicts with current branch

4. Triage Report

 INBOX TRIAGE
   Issues: {total} open ({new} new since last triage)
   PRs: {total} open ({new} new since last triage)

   Critical Issues:
    #{N} {title} -- {classification}

   Aligned with Current Milestone:
    #{N} {title} -- maps to phase {X}
    #{N} {title} -- maps to phase {Y}

   PRs Needing Attention:
    PR#{N} {title} -- CI failing, needs changes
    PR#{N} {title} -- ready to merge

   Quick Wins (low effort, high value):
    #{N} {title} -- estimated effort: {level}

   Stale Items (>30 days no activity):
    #{N} {title} -- consider closing or bumping

5. Automated Actions

With --auto flag:
  - Apply labels to unlabeled issues
  - Comment on issues missing reproduction steps
  - Close duplicate issues with reference
  - Request changes on PRs failing guidelines
  - Stale items: comment warning, close after threshold

6. Integration with Colony

Issues aligned with milestone goals:
  -> Flag for potential phase inclusion
  -> Add to ROADMAP.md if significant enough

Bug reports with reproduction:
  -> Create emergency phase if critical
  -> Queue for next maintenance phase if not

Feature requests:
  -> Add to backlog if aligned with colony goal
  -> Politely close if out of scope

Key Patterns

• Batch, don't drip: Triage all items at once for consistent judgment.
• Align with goals: Every triage decision considers the colony's current milestone.
• Automate the easy stuff: Labeling, stale detection, and guideline checks don't need human judgment.

Output Format

 TRIAGE -- {repo}
   Issues: {open} open | PRs: {open} open
   Critical: {count} | Aligned: {count} | Quick wins: {count}
   Actions taken: {labels applied, comments posted}
   Recommended: {top 3 items to address}

Examples

Full triage:

"23 issues, 5 PRs scanned. 2 critical bugs found (auth bypass, data loss on save). 4 issues align with current milestone. Applied labels to 8 unlabeled issues. 3 PRs need CI fixes. Recommended: fix auth bypass immediately."

Quick check:

"3 new issues since yesterday. 1 feature request aligned with phase 4. 2 support questions auto-responded. No critical items."