github-issue-analysis

name	github-issue-analysis
description	Patterns for analyzing GitHub issues to determine if they are still relevant or have been fixed.

GitHub Issue Analysis Skill

Systematic methodology for analyzing GitHub issues to determine current relevance and appropriate action.

Purpose

Analyze GitHub issues to determine:

• Is the issue still reproducible/relevant?
• Has it been fixed (find the PR/commit)?
• Does context need updating?
• Should it become a Linear ticket?

Analysis Methodology

Phase 1: Issue Data Collection

# Fetch complete issue details
gh issue view {issue_number} --json \
  title,body,labels,comments,createdAt,updatedAt,state,author

Extract from issue:

• Title: Main topic/symptom
• Body: Detailed description, steps to reproduce
• Labels: bug, enhancement, documentation, etc.
• Comments: Additional context, workarounds mentioned
• Created Date: Age of issue (older = more likely fixed)
• Updated Date: Last activity

Phase 2: Keyword Extraction

From issue title and body, extract:

1. Component Keywords: UI elements, features mentioned

   • Example: "drawer", "sidebar", "modal", "canvas"

2. Error Keywords: Error messages, stack traces

   • Example: "undefined", "null", "404", "500"

3. File/Function Keywords: Specific code references

   • Example: "buildWidget", "AppDrawer.jsx"

4. Behavior Keywords: What's happening vs expected

   • Example: "redirects", "crashes", "freezes", "disappears"

Phase 3: Codebase Search

Search for evidence the issue was addressed:

Search for Related Commits

# Search commit messages for issue keywords
git log --oneline --all --since="2025-01-01" --grep="{keyword}"

# Search for GitHub issue references in commits
git log --oneline --all --grep="#{issue_number}"

# Search for related file changes
git log --oneline --all --since="2025-01-01" -- "**/path/to/component*"

Search for Code Changes

# Check if the problematic code pattern still exists
rg "{error_pattern}" --type ts

# Check if fix patterns were added
rg "stopPropagation|preventDefault" --type tsx

# Check if component was refactored/deleted
ls -la src/components/{component}/

Search for Related PRs

# Find PRs that mention the issue
gh pr list --state all --search "#{issue_number}" --json number,title,state,mergedAt

# Find PRs that touched related files
gh pr list --state merged --search "{component_name}" --json number,title,mergedAt

Phase 4: Issue Classification

Based on analysis, classify the issue:

Classification: CLOSE_FIXED

Criteria:

• Found commit/PR that explicitly addresses the issue
• Error message/pattern no longer exists in code
• Component was refactored with new implementation
• Issue is very old (6+ months) and core feature works

Action:

gh issue close {number} --comment "$(cat <<'EOF'
Closing this issue - it has been addressed.

**Resolution:**
- Fixed in PR #{pr_number} / commit {commit_hash}
- The {component} was refactored in {month}
- The original error pattern no longer exists

If you're still experiencing this issue, please open a new issue with current reproduction steps.
EOF
)"

Classification: CLOSE_OUTDATED

Criteria:

• Feature/component no longer exists
• Architecture has fundamentally changed
• Issue references deprecated functionality
• Context is too old to be actionable (12+ months, no activity)

Action:

gh issue close {number} --comment "$(cat <<'EOF'
Closing this issue as outdated.

**Reason:**
- {component/feature} has been significantly refactored since this was reported
- The original context no longer applies to current architecture
- This issue is {age} old with no recent activity

If this is still a problem, please open a new issue with:
1. Current reproduction steps
2. Expected vs actual behavior
3. Screenshots/logs if applicable
EOF
)"

Classification: CLOSE_CANNOT_REPRODUCE

Criteria:

• Issue lacks sufficient detail to investigate
• No reproduction steps provided
• Reporter hasn't responded to questions
• Appears to be one-off or environment-specific

Classification: CREATE_TICKET

Criteria:

• Issue is clearly still relevant
• Codebase search shows problem likely still exists
• Clear reproduction steps or obvious bug
• Feature request is still applicable

Action: Create Linear ticket and link back to GitHub issue.

Phase 5: Linear Ticket Creation

When creating a ticket, use this template:

## GitHub Issue: #{issue_number}

**Original Report:** {github_url}
**Reported:** {created_date}
**Reporter:** {author}

## Summary
{Updated summary based on current codebase understanding}

## Current State
{What exists in the codebase today}

## Problem
{Clear description of what's wrong}

## Expected Behavior
{What should happen}

## Steps to Reproduce
{Updated steps if original are outdated}

## Technical Notes
- Relevant files: {file_paths}
- Related components: {components}
- Potential approach: {suggestions}

## Original Description
{Include original issue body for reference}

Phase 6: Link GitHub to Linear

After creating Linear ticket:

gh issue comment {github_issue_number} --body "$(cat <<'EOF'
Linear ticket created: [{ticket_id}]({linear_url})

This issue is now being tracked in Linear for prioritization and implementation.
EOF
)"

Decision Tree

START: Analyze GitHub Issue #{number}
  |
  +-- Is issue < 3 months old?
  |   +-- YES: Higher priority to investigate thoroughly
  |   +-- NO: Check if still relevant to current architecture
  |
  +-- Does issue reference existing component/feature?
  |   +-- YES: Search for related fixes
  |   +-- NO: CLOSE_OUTDATED (component removed)
  |
  +-- Found related PR/commit that fixes it?
  |   +-- YES: CLOSE_FIXED (cite the PR)
  |   +-- NO: Continue investigation
  |
  +-- Does error pattern still exist in code?
  |   +-- YES: Likely still an issue
  |   +-- NO: CLOSE_FIXED (pattern removed)
  |
  +-- Is issue clearly described with reproduction steps?
  |   +-- YES: CREATE_TICKET
  |   +-- NO: Can we infer the problem?
  |       +-- YES: UPDATE_AND_CREATE
  |       +-- NO: CLOSE_CANNOT_REPRODUCE
  |
  +-- END: Take appropriate action

Age-Based Heuristics

Issue Age	Default Assumption	Override If
0-3 months	Likely still relevant	Clear fix found
3-6 months	Investigate carefully	Component unchanged
6-12 months	Likely outdated	Critical bug, still reproducible
12+ months	Probably outdated	Security issue, data loss

Integration

Used by:

• github-issue-triager agent - Primary consumer
• /issue-triage command - Via agent

Quality Checklist

Before taking action on an issue:

• Fetched complete issue details
• Searched codebase for related code
• Searched git history for fixes
• Checked if component still exists
• Classified issue appropriately
• Prepared appropriate comment/ticket
• Included relevant evidence (PRs, commits)