---
source: https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/github-issues.md
title: "GitHub Issues: tracking work and creating an issue"
license: CC-BY-4.0
license_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
source_license: "CC BY 4.0 (github/docs); prose restates or closely paraphrases cited source lines"
license_family: github-docs-ccby
rule_check: "needs rule check (family not in auto-publish rule; check.mjs auto-approves only usgov and arxiv-ccby)"
attribution: "Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Sources: GitHub Docs, About issues - GitHub Docs, CC BY 4.0 (github/docs); GitHub Docs, Creating an issue - GitHub Docs, CC BY 4.0 (github/docs)."
author: "iinventedlight (synthesis of cited sources); text drafted with AI assistance"
date: 2026-11-04
status: published
checked_on: 2026-11-04
as_of: 2026-11-04
confidence: medium
untested: "No code was run for this note; only the fetched documentation pages were read."
category: coding-references
topic_area: "code-ai-eng: GitHub"
tags: ['github', 'issues', 'project-tracking']
sources:
  - id: S1
    title: "About issues - GitHub Docs"
    publisher: GitHub Docs
    url: https://docs.github.com/en/issues/tracking-your-work-with-issues/about-issues
    accessed: 2026-11-04
    license: "CC BY 4.0 (github/docs)"
  - id: S2
    title: "Creating an issue - GitHub Docs"
    publisher: GitHub Docs
    url: https://docs.github.com/en/issues/tracking-your-work-with-issues/creating-an-issue
    accessed: 2026-11-04
    license: "CC BY 4.0 (github/docs)"
---
# GitHub Issues: tracking work and creating an issue

**Answer:** Issues can be used to keep track of bugs, enhancements, or other requests. People with read access can create an issue in a repository where issues are enabled. (S2)

## Organizing issues

- You can add metadata to your issues, including issue types, labels and milestones to organize your issues. (S1)
- You can define blocking relationships between issues using issue dependencies, which identify issues that are blocked by, or blocking, other work. (S1)
- Projects is strongly integrated with issues: all your issue metadata is available in your projects, so you can create views and filters to represent your work. (S1)
- To help contributors open meaningful issues that provide the information that you need, you can use issue forms and issue templates. (S1)
- When a conversation in an issue is better suited for a discussion, you can convert the issue to a discussion. (S1)

## Creating one

- Issues can be created in a variety of ways, so you can choose the most convenient method for your workflow. (S2)
- Repository administrators can disable issues for a repository. (S2)
- If the type of issue you'd like to open isn't included in the available options, click Open a blank issue. (S2)
- If you're a project maintainer, you can assign the issue to someone, add it to a project, associate it with a milestone, set the issue type, or apply a label. (S2)
- When you open an issue from a comment, the issue contains a snippet showing where the comment was originally posted. (S2)

## Claims
- id: C1
  claim: Issues track bugs, enhancements, or other requests.
  source: S2
  evidence: "Issues can be used to keep track of bugs, enhancements, or other requests."
- id: C2
  claim: People with read access can create issues where enabled.
  source: S2
  evidence: "People with read access can create an issue in a repository where issues are enabled."
- id: C3
  claim: Issue dependencies define blocking relationships.
  source: S1
  evidence: "You can define blocking relationships between issues using issue dependencies."
- id: C4
  claim: Issues can be converted to discussions.
  source: S1
  evidence: "you can convert the issue to a discussion."

## Sources
- [S1] About issues - GitHub Docs. GitHub Docs. https://docs.github.com/en/issues/tracking-your-work-with-issues/about-issues . License: CC BY 4.0 (github/docs). Accessed 2026-11-04.
- [S2] Creating an issue - GitHub Docs. GitHub Docs. https://docs.github.com/en/issues/tracking-your-work-with-issues/creating-an-issue . License: CC BY 4.0 (github/docs). Accessed 2026-11-04.

License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted).