| name | triage-issue |
| description | Intelligently triage bug reports and error messages by searching for duplicates in Jira using jira-cli and offering to create new issues or add comments to existing ones. When an agent needs to: (1) Triage a bug report or error message, (2) Check if an issue is a duplicate, (3) Find similar past issues, (4) Create a new bug ticket with proper context, or (5) Add information to an existing ticket. |
Triage Issue
Automatically triage bug reports and error messages by searching Jira for duplicates, identifying similar past issues, and helping create well-structured bug tickets or add context to existing issues using jira-cli.
Use this skill when: Users need to triage error messages, bug reports, or issues to determine if they're duplicates and take appropriate action.
All commands use --plain for clean output and --no-input to skip interactive prompts.
Workflow
Follow this 6-step process:
Step 1: Extract Key Information
Analyze the bug report or error message to identify search terms.
Extract:
- Error signature: Error type, error code, specific error message text
- Context: Component or system affected, environment, user actions
- Symptoms: Observable behavior, impact
Example:
- Input: "Users getting 'Connection timeout' error when trying to login on mobile app"
- Extracted: Error="Connection timeout", Component="login, mobile app", Symptom="can't login"
Step 2: Search for Duplicates
Execute multiple targeted searches to catch duplicates:
Error-Focused Search
jira issue list --jql 'project = PROJECT_KEY AND text ~ "error signature" AND type = Bug ORDER BY created DESC' --plain
Component-Focused Search
jira issue list --jql 'project = PROJECT_KEY AND text ~ "component keywords" AND type = Bug ORDER BY updated DESC' --plain
Symptom-Focused Search
jira issue list --jql 'project = PROJECT_KEY AND summary ~ "symptom keywords" AND type = Bug ORDER BY priority DESC, updated DESC' --plain
Search Tips
- Use key terms only, not full sentences
- Order by
created DESC or updated DESC for recent issues first
- Include resolved issues to find fix history
- Don't over-filter — search across all statuses
For detailed issue inspection:
jira issue view <KEY> --plain --comments 20
Step 3: Analyze Search Results
Duplicate Detection
High confidence duplicate (>90%):
- Exact same error message in summary or description
- Same component + same error type
- Recent issue (< 30 days) with identical symptoms
- Action: Recommend adding comment to existing issue
Likely duplicate (70-90%):
- Similar error with slight variations
- Same component but different context
- Action: Present as possible duplicate, let user decide
Possibly related (40-70%):
- Similar symptoms but different error
- Same component area but different specific error
- Action: Mention as potentially related
Likely new issue (<40%):
- No similar issues found
- Action: Recommend creating new issue
Check Fix History
If similar resolved issues are found, note:
- Who fixed it (assignee)
- When was it fixed
- Has it regressed (any reopened issues)
Step 4: Present Findings to User
Present findings and wait for user decision before taking any action.
For Likely Duplicate
Triage Results: Likely Duplicate
I found a very similar issue already reported:
PROJ-456 - Connection timeout during mobile login
Status: Open | Priority: High | Created: 3 days ago
https://redhat.atlassian.net/browse/PROJ-456
Similarity:
- Same error: "Connection timeout"
- Same component: Mobile app login
Recommendation: Add your details as a comment to PROJ-456
Would you like me to:
1. Add a comment to PROJ-456 with your error details
2. Create a new issue anyway
3. Show more details about PROJ-456
For No Duplicates
Triage Results: No Duplicates Found
I searched Jira for:
- "Connection timeout" errors
- Mobile login issues
No similar open or recent issues found.
Recommendation: Create a new bug ticket
Would you like me to create a new bug ticket?
For Possible Regression
Triage Results: Possible Regression
This looks like it might be a regression of a previously fixed issue:
PROJ-567 - [Same issue description]
Status: Resolved (Fixed) | Fixed: 3 months ago
https://redhat.atlassian.net/browse/PROJ-567
Recommendation: Create a new issue and reference PROJ-567
Should I create a new issue with this context?
Step 5: Execute User Decision
Option A: Add Comment to Existing Issue
jira issue comment add <KEY> $'## Additional Instance Reported\n\n**Error Details:**\n[error message or stack trace]\n\n**Context:**\n- Environment: [production, staging, etc.]\n- User Impact: [scope of impact]\n- Steps to Reproduce: [if provided]\n\n**Additional Notes:**\n[any unique aspects]'
Option B: Create New Issue
Ask which project and epic to use if not already known.
jira issue create -tBug \
-s "[Component] Error Type - Brief Symptom" \
-b $'**Description of the problem:**\n\n[1-2 sentence summary]\n\n**Error Details:**\n```\n[Error message or stack trace]\n```\n\n**How reproducible:**\n\n[Every time / Intermittent]\n\n**Steps to reproduce:**\n\n1. [Step 1]\n2. [Step 2]\n\n**Expected result:**\n\n[What should happen]\n\n**Actual result:**\n\n[What actually happens]\n\n**User Impact:**\n- Frequency: [how often]\n- Affected Users: [scope]\n\n**Related Issues:**\n- See also: PROJ-123 (similar but resolved)' \
-P <EPIC-KEY> -l OSAC --no-input
Summary Format: Use the pattern: [Component] Error Type - Brief Symptom
- "Mobile Login: Connection timeout during authentication"
- "Payment API: NullPointerException in refund processing"
- NOT "Error in production" (too vague)
If a related resolved issue was found, link it:
jira issue link <NEW-KEY> <OLD-KEY> "is caused by"
Step 6: Provide Summary
If Comment Added
Comment added to PROJ-456
https://redhat.atlassian.net/browse/PROJ-456
What I included:
- Your error details
- Environment context
- User impact information
Next Steps:
- The assignee will be notified
- Monitor PROJ-456 for updates
If New Issue Created
New Issue Created
PROJ-890 - Mobile Login: Connection timeout during authentication
https://redhat.atlassian.net/browse/PROJ-890
Type: Bug | Status: Open
What's Included:
- Complete error details
- Environment and reproduction steps
- References to related issues
Next Steps:
- Assign to appropriate team member
- Set priority based on user impact
Tips for Effective Triage
For Search
- Use multiple search queries with different angles
- Include both open and resolved issues
- Search for error signatures and symptoms separately
- Look at recent issues first (last 30-90 days)
For Issue Creation
- Write clear, specific summaries with component names
- Include complete error messages in code blocks
- Add environment and impact details
- Reference related issues found during search
For Duplicate Assessment
- Exact same error + same component + recent = high confidence duplicate
- Different error signatures = likely different issues
- When unsure, lean toward creating new issue (can be closed as duplicate later)
When NOT to Use This Skill
Don't use for:
- Feature requests (use spec-to-backlog)
- General task creation (use jira-task-management)
- Status reports (use generate-status-report)
Use only when: A bug or error needs to be triaged against existing Jira issues.
Rules
- Always present triage findings and wait for user confirmation before creating issues or adding comments
