github-issues Skill (awesome-copilot): Manage GitHub Issues

Makes your agent file, update and organise GitHub issues using the GitHub CLI and the GitHub MCP server.

Installs: 17.6K; on skills.sh
Stars: 40.7K; on GitHub
Files: 10; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

github-issues tells the agent how to handle GitHub issue work. It creates and updates issues, picks a template, sets type, labels, assignees and milestone, and links issues as sub-issues or blocked-by. It also searches with GitHub query syntax and manages labels, milestones, issue fields and Projects.

It reads with the GitHub MCP server's tools and writes with the GitHub CLI command gh api, so you need gh installed and signed in. Requests such as "create an issue", "file a bug" or "set the priority" trigger it. Writes go to GitHub for real, and the reference files include delete commands for labels, milestones and project items.

Good for

Developers who want bug reports and feature requests filed in a consistent format
Maintainers who manage labels, milestones, issue types, sub-issues and dependencies from chat
Teams using GitHub Projects who want issue and project fields set by the agent

Install github-issues

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the github-issues skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill github-issues

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Node.js.

From its listing on skills.sh. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Create, update, and manage GitHub issues using MCP tools. Use this skill when users want to create bug reports, feature requests, or task issues, update existing issues, add labels/assignees/milestones, manage repository labels, set issue fields (dates, priority, custom fields), set issue types, manage issue workflows, link issues, add dependencies, or track blocked-by/blocking relationships. Triggers on requests like "create an issue", "file a bug", "request a feature", "update issue X", "set the priority", "set the start date", "create a label", "rename a label", "list repo labels", "link issues", "add dependency", "blocked by", "blocking", or any GitHub issue management task.

Sections in SKILL.md

Available Tools
MCP Tools (read operations)
MCP Tools (write operations)
CLI / REST API (write operations)
Workflow
Creating Issues
Optional Parameters
Title Guidelines
Body Structure
Updating Issues
Examples
Example 1: Bug Report
Steps to Reproduce
Expected Behavior
Actual Behavior
Example 2: Feature Request

Key facts

Author: github
Repo: github/awesome-copilot
License: MIT (as listed by the crawl)
Installs on skills.sh: 17,585 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars: 40,666 (repo, Nov 2, 2026)
Last commit: 2026-10-30
Files: 11 files including SKILL.md
Needs: GitHub CLI (gh api) signed in; GitHub MCP server for reads
Source: Community-created collection; sources are third-party developers

What it includes

Uses gh api to post an issue with title, body, type, labels, assignees and milestone
Prefers issue types over labels such as bug. Titles are kept under 72 characters without redundant [Bug] prefixes.
Try: “Create a bug issue - the login page crashes when using SSO”
Runs code · Create an issue
PATCH an issue: title, body, state, labels, assignees, milestone
Fetches the current issue first so unchanged fields are kept.
Runs code · Update or close an issue
MCP tools issue_read, list_issues and search_issues, plus advanced search syntax
The search reference covers boolean queries, date ranges, cross-repo search and issue-field filters.
Network · Read and search issues
Bug Report, Feature Request and Task templates, plus a minimal one
Chosen from the words in your request, such as "broken" or "add".
Templates
List, create, rename, recolor and delete repository labels; set labels on an issue
Includes gh label delete --yes. The reference says to ask before deleting and warns that a DELETE on an issue's labels endpoint clears them all.
Delete · Labels
Create, update, close, reopen and delete milestones, and manage their issues
Deleting a milestone is only to be done when you explicitly ask.
Delete · Milestones
Add or reorder sub-issues and set blocked-by / blocking links
Uses REST, GraphQL or the sub_issue_write tool.
Write · Sub-issues and dependencies
Set Bug, Feature or Task types and custom fields like dates and priority
Issue fields are in private preview per the reference. It prefers issue fields over project fields.
Write · Issue types and issue fields
List, read, add, update and delete project items; write status updates
Writing needs the project OAuth scope; the reference shows gh auth refresh -h github.com -s project.
Delete · Projects V2
Creates a branch and uploads image files with the Contents API to link in an issue
This commits files to a branch in the repo. The reference also lists a browser upload as the most reliable way.
Write · Images in issues

From the official docs

Permissions

High risk

The skill acts on GitHub as you, and its guides include commands that delete labels, milestones and project items. Use a login limited to the repos you need and ask the agent to confirm before any delete.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It can delete labels, milestones and project items
The reference files include delete commands (labels, milestones, project items) and tell the agent to delete only when you ask. Our advice: also tell it to ask before any delete, and use a login that reaches only the repos you need. github.com
Writes hit your real repos
gh api creates, edits and closes issues as you. Check the repo name in each command, since the examples in SKILL.md name github/awesome-copilot. github.com
Image upload commits files to a branch
The images guide creates a branch and uploads image files with the Contents API. Use the browser upload if you do not want commits. github.com
Projects writes need more token access
gh auth refresh -h github.com -s project widens your login's scope. Do it only if you need Projects. github.com

Technical details

Talks to	api.github.com
Scopes	GitHub repo access via gh login project scope for Projects writes

Questions

What does the github-issues skill do?

It teaches the agent to create, update, search and organise GitHub issues. That includes types, labels, milestones, sub-issues, blocked-by links, issue fields and Projects, with templates for bug reports, feature requests and tasks.

How do I install it?

Use the install box above. The repo is a collection of third-party customisations, and its README says to inspect any agent and its documentation before installing.

Do I need the GitHub CLI or an MCP server?

Writes use gh api, so install the GitHub CLI and sign in. Reads use the GitHub MCP server tools named in SKILL.md, and SKILL.md says to use gh api if the MCP server is not connected.

Does it work in Claude Code, Codex and Cursor?

The repo README is aimed at GitHub Copilot and does not list other clients.

Can it delete things?

Yes. The reference files include commands that delete labels, milestones and project items. They say to delete only when you explicitly ask, and a plain label DELETE call clears all labels from an issue.

Why does adding a project item fail?

The projects reference says the default gh login often has only read:project. Run gh auth refresh -h github.com -s project to add write access.

Why do I get "no matches found: labels[]=bug" in zsh?

In zsh, [] is a glob pattern. SKILL.md says to quote the whole pair, for example -f 'labels[]=bug'.

Is it safe to run?

It acts on your GitHub account with whatever access your gh login and MCP token have. It can create, edit and close issues, and delete labels, milestones and project items. Our advice: name the repo yourself and ask it to show a command before running any delete.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: github/awesome-copilot
Folder: skills/github-issues

github/awesome-copilot skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 8

github-issues SKILL.md · github.com
skills.sh listing · skills.sh
github/awesome-copilot · github.com
images.md · github.com
projects.md · github.com
labels.md · github.com
awesome-copilot README · github.com
milestones.md · github.com