sygnaltech How to Search Issues
Use the Bash tool to run Node.js scripts that call the GitHub API:
Search all public GitHub issues:
node -e "
const { searchIssues } = require('./src/generators/github-debug/github-api.js');
searchIssues('your search query', { limit: 10 })
.then(issues => console.log(JSON.stringify(issues, null, 2)))
.catch(err => console.error(err.message));
"
Search in a specific repository:
node -e "
const { searchIssues } = require('./src/generators/github-debug/github-api.js');
searchIssues('error message', { repo: 'owner/repo', limit: 10 })
.then(issues => console.log(JSON.stringify(issues, null, 2)))
.catch(err => console.error(err.message));
"
Search with filters:
node -e "
const { searchIssues } = require('./src/generators/github-debug/github-api.js');
searchIssues('TypeError', {
language: 'javascript',
state: 'all',
limit: 10
})
.then(issues => console.log(JSON.stringify(issues, null, 2)))
.catch(err => console.error(err.message));
"
Get specific issue details:
node -e "
const { getIssue } = require('./src/generators/github-debug/github-api.js');
getIssue('owner/repo', 123)
.then(issue => console.log(JSON.stringify(issue, null, 2)))
.catch(err => console.error(err.message));
"
Extract error pattern from stack trace:
node -e "
const { extractErrorPattern } = require('./src/generators/github-debug/github-api.js');
const errorText = \`YOUR_ERROR_TEXT_HERE\`;
console.log(extractErrorPattern(errorText));
"
Workflow
When a user reports an error or bug:
- Extract the error signature: Identify the key error message or type
- Search GitHub issues: Use searchIssues() with relevant keywords
- Analyze results: Look for:
- Similar error messages
- Same package/library versions
- Matched stack traces
- Resolution status (open vs closed)
- Report findings: Present:
- Issue title and URL
- Current state (open/closed)
- Key comments or workarounds
- Version information if available
- Provide recommendations: Suggest fixes, upgrades, or workarounds
Search Tips
- Be specific: Use exact error messages when possible
- Try variations: Search multiple ways (error type, function name, symptom)
- Filter by repo: If you know which library is causing the issue
- Check state: Search closed issues for fixes, open for active problems
- Language filter: Narrow results to specific programming languages
Output Format
When presenting results, format them clearly:
Found X relevant issues:
1. [OPEN] Issue Title (#123)
URL: https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/123
Summary: Brief description of the issue
Status: Open since 2024-01-15 | 45 comments
2. [CLOSED] Similar Issue (#456)
URL: https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/456
Summary: Same error, fixed in v2.1.0
Status: Closed | Fixed by PR #457
Authentication (Optional)
For higher rate limits (5,000 requests/hour instead of 60), users can set:
export GITHUB_TOKEN=your_personal_access_token
Without authentication, searches still work but with lower rate limits.
Common Use Cases
- Debugging dependency errors: Search the package's repo for the error
- Build failures: Search CI/CD related issues
- API errors: Find known API bugs or breaking changes
- Performance issues: Search for performance-related discussions
- Feature requests: Check if a feature is already requested
Example Interaction
User: "I'm getting 'TypeError: Cannot read property 'map' of undefined' in React"
When to Use This Skill
Trigger this skill when users are:
- Debugging dependency errors
- Debugging build failures
- Dealing with unexplained behavior in specific systems