GitHub Issue Reader
Overview
Fetch complete GitHub issue information to provide context for planning and implementation. This skill retrieves all relevant data from a GitHub issue including the description, all comments and discussion, metadata (labels, assignees, milestones), and related items (linked pull requests and cross-referenced issues).
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
- •Creating a plan to fix or implement an issue
- •Understanding the full context and discussion around an issue
- •Gathering requirements from an issue before starting work
- •Reviewing an issue's history and related work
- •Analyzing cross-references and linked pull requests
Quick Start
Fetch issue information using the fetch_issue.py script with any of these formats:
# Current repository issue by number scripts/fetch_issue.py 123 # Specific repository issue scripts/fetch_issue.py owner/repo#456 # Issue by full URL scripts/fetch_issue.py https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/789
The script outputs formatted markdown containing all issue information.
Usage Instructions
Prerequisites
Ensure the GitHub CLI (gh) is installed and authenticated:
gh auth status
If not authenticated, run:
gh auth login
Fetching Issue Information
Execute the fetch_issue.py script with an issue reference. The script accepts three formats:
- •Issue number (for current repository):
123 - •Owner/repo format:
owner/repo#123 - •Full URL:
https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/123
The script will fetch and output:
- •Issue number, title, and URL
- •Current state (open/closed)
- •Author and timestamps (created, updated, closed)
- •Labels, assignees, and milestone
- •Full issue description
- •All comments with authors and timestamps
- •Cross-referenced issues
- •Linked pull requests
Example Output Structure
# Issue #123: Add new feature for X **URL**: https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/123 **State**: open **Author**: username **Created**: 2024-10-15T10:30:00Z **Labels**: enhancement, priority-high **Assignees**: developer1, developer2 ## Description [Full issue description] ## Comments (3) ### Comment 1 by user1 (2024-10-16T09:00:00Z) [Comment body] ## Linked Pull Requests - PR #124 - Fix for issue #123 ## Cross-Referenced Issues - #120 - Related issue
Integration with Planning Workflows
When using this skill as part of a planning workflow:
- •Invoke the skill with the issue reference
- •Review the complete issue context provided
- •Use the information to create an accurate implementation plan
- •Reference specific comments or requirements from the issue
- •Check linked PRs for existing work or context
Error Handling
The script handles common errors:
- •gh CLI not found: Install GitHub CLI from https://cli.github.com
- •Not authenticated: Run
gh auth login - •Issue not found: Verify the issue number and repository
- •Rate limiting: Wait and retry, or check GitHub API rate limits
Resources
scripts/fetch_issue.py
Python script that uses the GitHub CLI to fetch comprehensive issue data. Can be executed directly without loading into context.
Usage: scripts/fetch_issue.py <issue-reference>
Returns: Formatted markdown with complete issue information
Requirements:
- •GitHub CLI (
gh) installed and authenticated - •Python 3.6+
- •Internet connection