> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Searching and Filtering Issues

> Guide to using GitHub search qualifiers and queries to filter and find issues and pull requests efficiently, with examples and tips for personal and team workflows.

How can we search and filter issues and pull requests on GitHub?

[GitHub's search bar](https://docs.github.com/en/issues/searching-for-issues-and-pull-requests/searching-issues-and-pull-requests) is a powerful filtering engine. While the UI provides handy dropdowns for authors, labels, and states, typing queries directly into the search box unlocks far more precise results. This guide explains the most useful qualifiers, shows examples you can copy, and gives quick tips for personal and team workflows.

## Why type queries instead of using the UI?

Typing queries lets you:

* Combine multiple qualifiers for very focused results.
* Search specific fields (title, body, comments).
* Exclude items with the NOT operator.
* Save time with reusable queries for your workflow or team dashboards.

## Common qualifiers and how to use them

| Qualifier                              | Purpose                                  | Example                         |
| -------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| `is:issue` / `is:pr`                   | Limit results to issues or pull requests | `is:issue is:open`              |
| `is:open` / `is:closed`                | Filter by open or closed state           | `is:pr is:closed`               |
| `assignee:@me`                         | Items assigned to the signed-in user     | `is:open is:issue assignee:@me` |
| `author:<username>`                    | Items created by a specific user         | `author:contoso is:pr`          |
| `label:<name>`                         | Filter by label                          | `label:bug is:open`             |
| `in:comments` / `in:title` / `in:body` | Restrict text search to a specific field | `is:pr in:comments sidebar`     |
| `linked:pr` / `-linked:pr`             | Items with or without linked PRs         | `label:bug -linked:pr`          |
| `-` (minus sign)                       | NOT operator to exclude results          | `label:bug -linked:pr`          |

## Quick, copy-ready search queries

```text theme={null}
# Basic issue state
is:issue is:open

# Find open issues assigned to you
is:open is:issue assignee:@me

# Closed pull requests authored by a teammate
is:closed is:pr author:contoso

# Pull requests where the word "sidebar" appears in comments
is:pr in:comments sidebar

# Open issues labeled "bug" that do NOT have a linked PR
is:open is:issue label:bug -linked:pr
```

## How these examples work (short explanations)

* `is:issue is:open` — shows open issues only.
* `assignee:@me` — restricts results to items assigned to the signed-in user.
* `is:closed is:pr author:contoso` — finds closed pull requests created by the user `contoso`.
* `is:pr in:comments sidebar` — finds pull requests where the term `sidebar` appears specifically in comments.
* `label:bug -linked:pr` — finds open bug issues that do not have any linked pull request (useful to identify work that still needs a code change).

<Callout icon="lightbulb" color="#1CB2FE">
  Tips:

  * Use `assignee:@me` to quickly surface what you need to work on.
  * Combine `author:<username>` and `is:closed` to review a teammate’s completed work.
  * `in:comments` is useful for finding context or discussion that isn’t in the title or body.
</Callout>

## Advanced tips for team workflows

* Save frequent searches as browser bookmarks or GitHub saved filters for dashboards.
* Combine time qualifiers (e.g., `created:>2023-01-01`) to scope searches by date.
* Use labels consistently across the repo so queries like `label:bug` reliably surface relevant issues.

## Links and references

* [Searching issues and pull requests — GitHub Docs](https://docs.github.com/en/issues/searching-for-issues-and-pull-requests/searching-issues-and-pull-requests)

Mastering these qualifiers helps you cut through noise and surface the exact work items you need to track, review, or act on.

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