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GitHub Issues Cheatsheet

For GitHub Issues

  1. You can create a tasklist in GitHub issues using the checkbox option available in markdown. To do so,

    - [ ] task 1
    - [ ] task 2
    - [ ] task 3

    The following code gets rendered as

    • task 1
    • task 2
    • task 3

    You can check these boxes directly in the issues. If a task is particularly huge, you can create a separate issue from the task. To do so, hover on the Task to the right, you will see the option of Convert to issue Task in GitHub issue to a separate issue

  2. You can directly paste images in GitHub issues. If you have a screen clip in your clipboard, simply use Ctrl + V to paste the image in the issue.

For markdown

  1. You can use bullets, numbered lists, check list, etc.
  2. You can also use tables in markdown. There are a lot of utilities available online which can directly convert tables in Excel to markdown. A very popular once sponsored by Microsoft is available here. -- Table to Markdown
  3. You can also directly add images in Markdown. Images work in the same way as hyperlinks.

Making commits in GitHub

  1. GitHub uses the # notation to keep a track of PRs and issues. In order to mention a PR or issue in a new GitHub issue, all you need to do is to mention the number followed by the #.

  2. If there is a GitHub issue involving a certain problem, and the commit that you are about to make fixes that problem, you can use a special commit message to auto-close that issue. To do so, have your commit message say,

    fixes #issue-number --> fixes #24 OR
    fixed #issue-number --> fixed #24 OR
    fix issue-number --> fix #24

    GitHub will automatically understand the issue or the PR you are referring to and close the issue when you make the push.