| name | issue-create |
| description | File a new GitHub issue with duplicate search, scope decision, label discovery, and preview before posting. Prevents fragmented or silently-filed issues. |
| allowed-tools | Bash(gh issue *), Bash(gh search *), Bash(gh label *), Bash(gh repo *), Read, Edit, Write |
/issue-create — File a New GitHub Issue
Search for duplicates, decide scope, pick labels, preview the body to the user, then file.
PURPOSE
File new issues without fragmenting discussion or losing scope clarity.
CRITICAL
- Search for duplicates first — comment on an existing thread instead of fragmenting.
- Preview before filing — show title + body + labels to the user. No silent
gh issue create.
- Pick scope deliberately — focused vs umbrella. Default focused.
- Use real labels — discover via
gh label list. Never invent labels.
ASSUMES
gh CLI authenticated; repo accessible.- Repo has labels worth using (skill auto-discovers).
STANDARD PATH
1. Search for duplicates
gh search issues "<keywords>" --repo <owner>/<repo>
gh issue list --repo <owner>/<repo> --search "<keywords>" --state all
If a relevant issue exists, comment there instead and stop. See DETAIL: Duplicate Handling.
2. Decide scope
Focused ("fix X in file Y") vs umbrella (cross-cutting, with checkboxes). Prefer focused unless the work spans multiple PRs.
3. Pick labels
gh label list --repo <owner>/<repo>
Apply: kind (bug / enhancement / chore), area (mcp-server / client / etc.), priority (p0/p1/p2/p3).
4. Draft body
Include: context, current behavior, expected behavior, file:line refs, cross-links to related issues / PRs.
5. Preview to user
Show title + body + labels. Wait for confirmation.
6. File
gh issue create --repo <owner>/<repo> --title "..." --body "..." --label "..."
Print the URL.
EDGE CASES
- [Existing issue found during search] — read DETAIL: Duplicate Handling
- [Scope unclear — focused or umbrella?] — read DETAIL: Scope Decision
- [Labels missing for the area] — read DETAIL: Missing Labels
DETAIL: Duplicate Handling
When gh search surfaces a candidate:
- Read the candidate's body + comments — don't judge by title alone.
- If it covers the same work: comment there with your context, cross-link, stop.
- If it's adjacent but distinct: file new, cross-link both directions in body.
- If unclear: show both to the user and ask.
Fragmenting discussion across near-duplicates is worse than over-linking.
DETAIL: Scope Decision
Focused — one fix, one file or one tight area, one PR closes it. Default.
Umbrella — cross-cutting, multiple PRs, tracked via checkboxes. Use when:
- Work genuinely spans 3+ files or domains
- You expect 2+ PRs against it
- Triage needs a single anchor for related conversations
When in doubt, file focused. Splitting an umbrella later is cheap; merging focused issues later is also cheap (/issue-restructure merge).
DETAIL: Missing Labels
If the repo has no label matching the area / kind / priority:
- File without that label rather than inventing one.
- Mention in the body: "No
area:* label exists yet — suggest creating one."
- Don't
gh label create from this skill — that's a repo-config decision for the maintainer.
RELATED
/issue-close — Close an issue (resolved / superseded / duplicate)./issue-update — Edit body / labels, reopen, comment./issue-restructure — Split one issue into many, or merge many into one./harness-issue — File upstream against harness-kit specifically.
