GitHub issue template generator — bug report, feature request, question

Choose bug report, feature request or question and the tool writes a GitHub issue template, either as a YAML issue form with required fields or as a Markdown file with front matter, ready for .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.

Live demo · real result from this tool
Template
Format

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml

# Save as .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.ymlname: Bug reportdescription: Report something that is not workingtitle: "[Bug]: "labels: ["bug"]body:  - type: markdown    attributes:      value: "Thanks for taking the time to report a bug. Please search existing issues first."  - type: textarea    id: description    attributes:      label: "What happened?"      description: "Describe the bug and what you expected instead."    validations:      required: true  - type: textarea    id: steps    attributes:      label: Steps to reproduce      description: "1. Go to …\n2. Click …\n3. See the error"
    validations:
      required: true
  - type: input
    id: version
    attributes:
      label: Version
      placeholder: "e.g. 1.4.2"
    validations:
      required: true
  - type: textarea
    id: logs
    attributes:
      label: Relevant log output
      description: "Paste any logs; they are formatted as code automatically."
      render: shell
    validations:
      required: false

Processed on your device — nothing is uploaded.

How to use the issue template generator

  1. Choose the Template: Bug report, Feature request or Question.
  2. Choose the Format: Issue form (YAML) or Markdown.
  3. Leave Labels blank for the default (bug, enhancement or question), or type your own, separated by commas.
  4. Add Assignees if one person should get every new issue of this kind. A leading @ is removed.
  5. Leave Title prefix blank for the default, such as [Bug]: , or type your own. Then save the file under the name shown, in .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/.

What it does and when to use it

Vague issues such as “it doesn’t work” cost maintainers a round of questions. A template asks for the details up front: what happened, how to reproduce it, which version. Feature requests start from the problem rather than a solution, and questions ask what the person has already tried.

Templates are one part of a project’s community files. The pull request template generator does the same for code changes, the SECURITY.md generator keeps vulnerability reports out of public issues, and the CONTRIBUTING.md generator explains how issues fit into your workflow.

How it works

Both formats share a name, a description, a default title and labels. The fields differ by template:

  • Bug report: a welcome note, What happened? and Steps to reproduce (required), a required Version input, and an optional log box rendered as shell.
  • Feature request: The problem and Proposed solution (required), Alternatives considered (optional).
  • Question: Your question (required), What you have tried and Version (optional).

The form format uses the body field types from GitHub’s issue forms syntax. The Markdown format writes front matter (name, about, title, labels, assignees) above headings with prompts.

Worked examples

Default bug report form (bug_report.yml), first lines:

name: Bug report
description: Report something that is not working
title: "[Bug]: "
labels: ["bug"]
body:

The last field ends with render: shell and required: false.

Feature request in Markdown (feature_request.md). The front matter contains labels: [enhancement] and assignees: [], and the body has the headings The problem, Proposed solution, Alternatives considered and Additional context.

Question form with custom settings. Labels help wanted, question, assignee @asha, title prefix Q: . The form gets labels: ["help wanted", "question"], assignees: ["asha"] and title: "Q: ".

Limits and tips

  • You cannot set an empty title prefix; a blank field means the default.
  • Dropdowns and checkboxes, such as an operating-system picker, are not generated. Add them by hand using the syntax page above.
  • After committing, open the New issue page yourself. GitHub shows an error there if a form file has a mistake.

Frequently asked questions

Should I pick an issue form or a Markdown template?
An issue form shows real input boxes and can make fields required, so reporters cannot skip the version or the steps. A Markdown template only pre-fills the text box, which reporters may delete. Forms suit most public projects; Markdown is simpler to edit by hand.
Where do the files go?
Into the .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE folder on the default branch. Each template is its own file, so generate the bug report, feature request and question one after another and save all three. GitHub then shows a chooser when someone clicks New issue.
What happens if a label does not exist?
Labels are only useful if they exist in the repository, so create bug, enhancement and question (or your own labels) under Issues, Labels before you rely on them.
Can I turn off blank issues?
Yes, with a separate config.yml in the same folder containing blank_issues_enabled set to false. This tool does not write that file.
What does render shell do in the bug form?
It formats whatever the reporter pastes into the log field as a code block, so long logs stay readable and are not turned into Markdown by accident.

How do we know nothing is uploaded? Test it yourself on the privacy proof page.

Written by the ToolsRift team · Last updated

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