Mate Issues Skill

Sync GitHub issues to a local file mirror and assign tasks with context.

6|Updated Mar 4, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/bearcove/mate --skill mate-issues-skill
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: Mate Issues Skill
Source: https://github.com/bearcove/mate/tree/main
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/bearcove/mate --skill mate-issues-skill

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

This Skill removes the friction of managing GitHub issues while staying inside a tmux-based agent workflow by keeping a local, file-backed mirror of issues for review and delegation.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Local issue mirror: Mirrors issues into /tmp/mate-issues/<owner>/<repo>/ with structured directories for fast navigation.
  • Create/edit via files: Creates new issues from drafts in new/ and applies edits from all/ using .snapshots for change detection.
  • Issue-context assignments: Injects full synced issue content into mate assign using mate assign --issue <number> so the worker can act without manual copy/paste.
  • Relationship-aware context: Generates dependency summaries via DEPS.md and optional deps/ links to help plan multi-issue work.

Quick Start

Run mate issues in your target repository, then start work on a specific issue by providing its number to mate assign with issue context.

Frequently Asked Questions about Mate Issues Skill

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I sync GitHub issues locally so I can work on them offline in tmux?▼

Run mate issues in your target repository to create an offline file mirror under /tmp/mate-issues/<owner>/<repo>/ with structured directories like all/, open/, and closed/ for fast navigation and offline review.

Can I create new GitHub issues from local draft files instead of the web UI?▼

Yes, place draft files in the new/ directory within your local issue mirror structure, then run mate issues to sync them, which creates the actual GitHub issues and applies edits detected via .snapshots from the all/ directory.

How do I assign a GitHub issue to a tmux agent with full context?▼

Use mate assign --issue <number> to inject the full synced issue content directly into the worker agent, eliminating manual copy-paste and ensuring the tmux agent has complete context to act on the delegated task.

Does this GitHub issue sync workflow handle dependencies between multiple issues?▼

Yes, it generates dependency summaries via DEPS.md and optional deps/ links within the local file mirror, helping you plan multi-issue work by understanding relationships between synced GitHub issues before delegation.

What's the best way to manage GitHub issues without leaving a terminal-based agent workflow?▼

Use mate issues to maintain a repo-local file-backed mirror of GitHub issues, enabling you to review, create from drafts, edit, and delegate tasks entirely within a tmux-based agent setup without browser context switching.

Do I need a specific filesystem layout to sync and manage GitHub issues locally?▼

Yes, a consistent filesystem layout rooted at /tmp/mate-issues/<owner>/<repo>/ is required, including all/, open/, closed/, new/, .snapshots/ directories and an INDEX.md file for proper issue synchronization and change detection.