Git & GitHub Course
Git & GitHub
/
Beginner

GitHub Issues

Definition

A tracking system integrated into GitHub used to collect user feedback, report bugs, request features, and organize tasks for a repository.

Explain Like I'm New

A To-Do list combined with a message board. If a user finds a bug in your app, they open an 'Issue'. You can talk to the user in the comment section of the Issue, assign a developer to fix it, and eventually close the Issue when the bug is squashed.

Real World Example

A user clicks 'New Issue' on the Next.js repository to report that the server crashes when using a specific combination of plugins. The Vercel team responds, confirms the bug, and assigns it to an engineer.

Common Use Cases

  • •Bug tracking
  • •Feature requests
  • •Project planning

Terminal Output

bash / terminal
/* Anatomy of a great Bug Report (Issue): Title: [BUG] Login page crashes on Safari iOS Description: When attempting to log in using Safari on an iPhone 13, the page freezes and throws a TypeError in the console. Steps to Reproduce: 1. Open Safari on iOS 15. 2. Navigate to /login. 3. Click the 'Sign in with Google' button. Expected Behavior: The Google OAuth popup should appear. Actual Behavior: The screen turns white and becomes unresponsive. */

Interview Questions

basic

  • Can anyone open an Issue on a Public repository?

intermediate

  • How do you reference an Issue inside a commit message or Pull Request?

Flash Cards

Question

Anyone can open?

Click to reveal answer
Answer

Yes! Any GitHub user can open an issue on any public repository to report bugs or ask questions.

Question

Reference an issue?

Click to reveal answer
Answer

Use the hashtag followed by the issue number (e.g., `#42`). GitHub will automatically create clickable hyperlinks between the commit and the issue.