A GitHub Action that requests more info when required content is not included in an issue. You can check out test runs here.

• Need More Info
  • Configuration
    • Example Workflow File
    • Config Properties
    • Example Config File
  • How It Works
    • Issue Event Webhook
    • Comment Event Webhook
  • Closing Issues
    • Example Issue Closing Workflow

The Action has two properties that have defaults and are not required.

• config-path: Path to the config file, defaults to .github/need-info.yml
• repo-token: Token for the repository, defaults to ${{ github.token }}

# .github/workflows/verify-info.yml
name: 'Need Info - Verify'
on:
  issues:
    types: [labeled]
    branches: [master]
  issue_comment:
    types: [created]
    branches: [master]
jobs:
  verify:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: benelan/need-info-action@v2
        # the rest is not required if using the defaults
        with:
          github-token: 'super-duper-secret-token-sshhh'
          config-path: '.github/configs/not-default.yml'

The following properties can be set in the configuration file.

# .github/need-info.yml
labelToAdd: 'need more info'
labelsToCheck:
  - 'bug'
  - 'enhancement'
requiredItems:
  - content:
      - '## Actual Behavior'
      - '## Expected Behavior'
    response: '- Use the appropriate format from the issue templates'
    requireAll: true
  - content:
      - 'jsbin.com'
      - 'codepen.io'
      - 'jsfiddle.net'
      - 'codesandbox.io'
    response: '- A sample that reproduces the issue'
    requireAll: false
# optional properties below
commentHeader: 'More information is required to proceed:'
commentFooter: 'This issue will be automatically closed in a week if the information is not provided. Thanks for your understanding.'
caseSensitive: true
excludeComments: true # don't parse markdown comments in the issue/comment
exemptUsers:
  - benelan
includedItems:
  - content:
    - 'https://esri.github.io/calcite-components/?path=/story/components-'
    - 'https://developers.arcgis.com/calcite-design-system/components/'
    response: '  - @benelan will confirm that the issue is reproducible in the documentation. In the meantime, **no action is required** on your end.'
    requireAll: false

The appropriate method is determined depending on whether the Action is triggered by an issue or comment event.

The issues event methods can be run on opened, edited, and/or labeled.

• The opened action checks if an issue has at least one of the labelsToCheck. The labeled action, checks if the added label is a label to check. If so, it checks the issue body for the requiredItems.
  • If the issue satisfies all of the requirements then the Action ends.
  • If any requirement is not satisfied then labelToAdd is added to the issue. The Action comments on the issue with the response for all of the requiredItems that were not provided. The Action also comments with the response for the includedItems that are in the issue. The includedItems can be used to explain why certain content cannot be accepted in place of required items, among other things.
• The edited action checks if an issue has the labelToAdd. If it does, it checks the issue body for the required items.
  • If the edited issue body now contains all of the required items, the labelToAdd is removed.

The issue_comment event method can be run on created and/or edited actions.

• If there is a comment on an issue with the labelToAdd then the Action checks the comment for any requiredItems.
  • If the comment satisfies any ONE required item then the labelToAdd is removed from the issue.
  • If the comment does not have any requiredItems then the Action ends.
• If the commented issue does not have the labelToAdd, or the commenter is not the original poster, then the Action ends.

Note: If there were multiple requiredItems that the commenter needed and they only provided one, the maintainer can manually ask for the additional items and add back the labelToAdd.

This Action can be used in conjunction with Close Stale Issues, which can be set up to close issues with the labelToAdd after a certain amount of time. You can check out a test run here.

# .github/workflows/close-issue.yml
name: 'Need Info - Close'
on:
  schedule:
    - cron: '30 1 * * *'
jobs:
  close:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/stale@v3
        with:
          days-before-stale: -1 # do not automatically label issues
          days-before-close: 7
          remove-stale-when-updated: false # do not automatically remove label
          stale-issue-label: 'need more info'
          stale-pr-label: 'need more info'
          close-issue-message: 'This issue has been automatically closed due to missing information. We will reopen the issue if the information is provided.'