Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Create GitHub Issue agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The create-github-issue skill teaches a coding agent to file GitHub issues in your repository the way your project expects them to be filed. Instead of writing a free-form issue, the agent reads your repository's issue templates and label list, fills in the template, and posts the issue with the GitHub CLI (gh). This guide explains what a skill is, how to install this one, how to trigger it, and what to check before it publishes anything.
Create GitHub Issuetailcallhq/forgecode · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the create-github-issue skill ZIP from the directory page.
- 2Unzip into a skills folder. Unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or into the project's .claude/skills/ folder for one repository.
- 3Check repository files. Confirm the repo has .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ with your templates and a .github/labels.json file.
- 4Authenticate the GitHub CLI. Make sure gh is installed and authenticated to the target repository.
- 5Make a natural request. Ask the agent to file a bug report or feature request, and include logs or steps to reproduce if you have them.
- 6Review the result. Open the issue link the agent returns and check the title, labels and sections.
What is an agent skill and what does this one do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file with instructions that an AI agent loads when a request matches the skill's description. This skill's description says it applies when you ask to create a GitHub issue, file a bug report, submit a feature request, or open an issue in a GitHub repository.
When it runs, the agent first looks at the repository's issue templates and label list, then fills in the template's sections, picks matching labels, writes a concise title, and creates the issue with gh issue create. It then gives you the issue link. The skill's purpose is to keep issues consistent with the project's required structure.
- Lists templates in .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ and reads the one that fits the issue type
- Reads .github/labels.json and only applies labels defined there
- Gathers context from git status, recent commits and existing issue search
- Writes the body to a temporary file and creates the issue with gh
- Returns the issue URL with a short summary
Install the create-github-issue skill
The skill is distributed as a ZIP file from the directory page. Download the ZIP and unzip it into one of the following locations, depending on whether you want it available everywhere or only in one project.
Alternatively, in the Claude apps you can upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal install: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ so the skill is available across your projects
- Project install: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder so it applies only to that repository
- Claude apps: upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Prepare your repository
The skill depends on files your repository must already have. It reads the templates and labels rather than assuming their structure, so without them there is nothing for it to follow.
You also need the GitHub CLI (gh) installed and authenticated to the target repository, plus git available so the agent can read status and recent commits.
- .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ containing your issue template files, such as bug_report.yml or feature_request.yml
- A .github/labels.json file listing the labels the agent may use
- GitHub CLI (gh) authenticated to the target repository
- git installed in the environment
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. Describe what you want in plain language and mention a GitHub issue, bug report or feature request. The more concrete the details you give, the better the body will match the template.
Include logs, error text or reproduction steps in your request when you have them. The skill asks the agent to place these in the matching template sections.
- "File a bug report for the login timeout we saw in the last run, include the error log."
- "Open a feature request for exporting reports as CSV."
- "Create a GitHub issue in this repo to track the flaky test in the payments module."
- "Submit a draft issue proposing a new caching layer, I want to review it later."
Optional fields: assignees, milestones and drafts
The skill's execution step lists optional flags for the gh issue create command. You can ask for them in your request and the agent can add them. Draft issues are intended for proposals or research.
- Assignee: maps to --assignee "username"
- Milestone: maps to --milestone "name"
- Draft: maps to --draft, intended for proposals or research
gh issue create --title "[Prefix]: Descriptive Title" --body-file .forge/FORGE_ISSUE_BODY.md --label "type: <type>, work: <complexity>"Safety: scripts, network and what becomes public
This skill runs scripts and uses the network. It calls gh and git, and gh posts the issue to GitHub. The skill tells the agent not to ask for confirmation when your intent is clear, which means the issue is published immediately. Review what you ask for before you send the request.
Issue bodies may include git history, logs and code snippets. If the repository is public, anything in the body is public once posted. Do not use this skill for private or sensitive bug reports unless the repository is private and the audience is appropriate.
- Posting is immediate; there is no review step built into the skill
- Logs and code snippets you provide or the agent gathers can end up in the public issue
- Check which repository is targeted before asking for an issue to be filed
What people use it for
- Filing a bug report with logs and steps to reproduce from inside a coding session
- Submitting a feature request that follows the project's feature template
- Opening a draft issue to propose research or an architecture change
- Tracking a flaky test or known problem with labels that match the project's label list
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the create-github-issue skill?
Download the ZIP from the directory page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one repository. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What does the create-github-issue skill require?
It needs the GitHub CLI (gh) authenticated to the target repository, git available, and a repository that contains .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ files and a .github/labels.json file. Without the templates and labels, the skill has nothing to follow.
Is the create-github-issue skill free?
The source for this skill is licensed under Apache-2.0. Check the licence terms on the directory page for the distribution you download. Pricing for GitHub CLI and GitHub itself is outside this skill.
Why does the agent need my repository's templates?
The skill is designed to read .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ and .github/labels.json at run time rather than rely on built-in templates. This keeps issues matching your project's current structure and labels, which the skill notes can change often.
Will the agent ask me to review the issue before posting?
Not when your intent is clear. The skill tells the agent not to ask for confirmation, so the issue is published immediately. If you want to review the text first, ask the agent to show you the body before creating it, or avoid this skill for that workflow.
What should I do if the skill does not create an issue?
Check that gh is installed and authenticated to the target repository, that git is available, and that .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ and .github/labels.json exist in the repo. The skill only uses labels defined in labels.json, so a label you request that is not in that file will not be applied.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if your repository has issue templates and a labels file under .github/ and you want the agent to file bug reports and feature requests that match them. Skip it if your repo lacks those files, or if you need to review issue text before it is public or are filing sensitive reports.
Download the skill