| name | create-issue |
| description | Given a task description, searches the current GitHub repository for existing issues that match the same work; reports title and URL when found, otherwise offers to create a new issue after user confirmation. Use when the user wants to avoid duplicate issues, check if work is already tracked, dedupe tasks against GitHub, or before filing a new issue from a task write-up. Only allowlisted gh subcommands may be run; see skill body. |
Match or create GitHub issue
When to use
The user supplies a task description (plain language). Resolve the current GitHub repo from the working directory, search issues, judge whether any issue is the same or clearly overlapping work, then either link existing issues or offer to create one.
GitHub CLI allowlist (mandatory)
Only the following gh invocations are permitted for this workflow. Refuse any other gh subcommand or flag pattern (including gh pr, gh api, gh release, gh workflow, gh gist, gh repo except as specified, etc.), even if the user asks.
| Allowed command | Purpose |
|---|
gh auth status | Verify CLI auth (read) |
gh repo view | Resolve OWNER/REPO; use only --json with fields like nameWithOwner, or -q querying those fields (read) |
gh search issues | Search issues; read-only flags only (--repo, --limit, --json, query string) |
gh issue list | List issues; read-only flags only (--repo, --state, --limit, --json) |
gh issue view | Show one issue; read-only (gh issue view NUMBER --repo OWNER/REPO --json …) |
gh issue create | Only after the user explicitly confirms title and body in-chat. Use gh issue create --repo OWNER/REPO --title "…" --body "…" only. No --web, no piping from shell secrets. |
Do not use gh pr view or any PR/MR commands in this skill unless the project’s maintainers extend this allowlist.
Git / commits (mandatory)
This skill must not invoke git or any tool to create commits, push, merge, rebase, or otherwise mutate repository history. That aligns with the project skill deny-default-git-writes. Finding the repo is done via gh repo view only (no git commit / git push / etc.).
Prerequisites
- Working directory inside the git checkout (so
gh repo view resolves the right repo).
gh auth status succeeds.
Workflow
1. Resolve repository
gh auth status
gh repo view --json nameWithOwner -q .nameWithOwner
Record OWNER/REPO. On failure, stop and tell the user to fix auth or directory.
2. Search for candidate issues
Build a short search query from the task: important nouns, feature names, error text, or identifiers—not the whole paragraph unless it is short.
gh search issues "is:issue is:open SEARCH_TERMS" --repo OWNER/REPO --limit 20 --json number,title,url,state
If needed, broaden (e.g. include closed):
gh search issues "is:issue SEARCH_TERMS" --repo OWNER/REPO --limit 20 --json number,title,url,state
Optional fallback when search is thin:
gh issue list --repo OWNER/REPO --state all --limit 30 --json number,title,url,state
Use gh issue view only when you need the body to judge overlap; stay within the allowlist.
3. Decide if something matches
Treat as a match when an issue is the same problem, deliverable, or scoped change—not the same vague area.
- Strong match: link it.
- Weak / related: mention as related, not duplicate.
- No match: offer creation.
4. Respond
If matched: list title and full issue URL (url from JSON, or https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/issues/N).
If not matched: propose title + body; only run gh issue create after explicit user confirmation.
5. Labels and assignees
Do not add labels or assignees unless the user asks (that could require non-allowlisted gh commands—default is omit).
Safety
- No secrets or credentials in issue bodies.
- Do not close, edit, or bulk-modify issues (would require commands outside this allowlist).
