GitHubGitHub open issues in the MacBook notch
Open issues are the backlog, counted properly. GitHub's own `open_issues_count` includes pull requests, and this one does not.
Why the obvious field is the wrong field
In GitHub's data model a pull request is an issue. The repository object's
open_issues_count therefore adds your open pull requests to your open
issues, and a repository with an active contribution flow reads as though its
backlog has doubled overnight.
Notch Metrics counts issues through the search API with is:issue is:open,
which excludes pull requests by type rather than by filtering them out
afterwards. The number in your notch is the backlog you would see on the
Issues tab.
Reading it
A figure that climbs steadily is triage falling behind, not necessarily quality falling. A figure that drops in one step is usually a bulk close, so check before celebrating. Pair it with the open pull requests widget and the two together say whether the project is blocked on maintainers or on contributors.
The widget asks which repository to count.
What GitHub open issues means, exactly
Open issues, excluding pull requests.
A whole number.
How the widget behaves
- Buckets
- hourly, daily, weekly and monthly
- Shape
- A figure, with no sparkline
- Against last period
- No
- Fetched from
- api.github.com
What the widget asks you for
- Repository
- Which repository this tile counts.
- owner/name
Questions
- How is GitHub open issues calculated?
- Open issues, excluding pull requests. Notch Metrics reports that number, unchanged, in the MacBook notch.
- Can I see GitHub open issues over time?
- GitHub open issues is a snapshot of right now, so the widget shows the figure without a sparkline. The windows it accepts are 24 hours, 7, 30 and 90 days, and 12 months.
- What unit is GitHub open issues in?
- A whole number.
- What does it cost to put GitHub open issues in the notch?
- $9 a month, or $49 a year, with every connector included and no per-integration charge. The seven-day trial needs no card, so you can see your own open issues before deciding.