GitHub Issues & Projects: API support for issues advanced search and more!

Today’s changelog announces API support for issues advanced search, timeline events for issue types, and an update on issue types settings.

You can now use GraphQL and the REST API to perform advanced queries for issues using the AND and OR keywords and nested searches.

For the REST API, you can set the advanced_search parameter to true. Check out the REST API documentation for more details.

http://api.github.com/search/issues?q={query}&advanced_search=true

For GraphQL, you can use the ISSUE_ADVANCED type. Check out the GraphQL documentation for more details.

query {
  search(query: "is:issue AND assignee:@me AND (label:support OR comments:>5)", type: ISSUE_ADVANCED, first: 10) {
    nodes {
      ... on Node {
        id
      }
    }
    issueCount
  }
}

Note that on September 4, 2025, all issue queries will use advanced search by default. This means that after this date:

  • You will no longer need to use the advanced_search parameter for the REST API.
  • The ISSUE GraphQL type will support advanced search.

🕐 Timeline events for issue types

You can now see events in the issue timeline when issue types are added, updated, and removed from an issue.

issue type timeline event

🌇 Issue types for private repositories only will be retired

We are retiring the “Private repositories only” setting for issue types. Over the next week, you will no longer be allowed select this setting to specify an issue type for use only in private repositories, and all existing issue types with this setting selected will be removed on March 26, 2025.

In order to continue using these issue types, you will need to unselect the “Private repositories only” setting in the issue types organization settings page before this date. They can then be edited, disabled, or deleted as needed.

issue types settings

✍ Tell us what you think!

Join the discussion within the GitHub Community.

See how to use GitHub for project planning with GitHub Issues, check out what’s on the roadmap, and learn more in the documentation.

GPT-4o Copilot March flight is ready for takeoff

Today, we released an upgrade to the GPT-4o Copilot preview model for code completion.

What’s changing

The GPT-4o Copilot model released last month has been upgraded through reinforcement learning to deliver even more useful code completions.

Availability

This upgraded model is available today in public preview under the same gpt-4o-copilot name, with general availability expected in mid-April 2025.

Getting ready

To get started in Visual Studio Code or JetBrains, follow the instructions for your preferred IDE.

If you’re a Copilot Business or Enterprise user, your administrator first needs to enable this model for your organization by opting in to Editor preview features in the Copilot policy settings on github.com.

See more

Personal custom instructions for Copilot are now generally available on github.com

Personal instructions in github.com

Personal instructions are now generally available for Copilot Chat on github.com! This means you can provide Copilot with important details about your preferences, such as your preferred language, response style, or even code standards.

To get started, open up Copilot Chat, click ..., and select Personal instructions. That’s it! Copilot will now incorporate your preferences for all chats in github.com.

💡 Looking for ideas? Here are some examples to kick things off:

  • Frameworks: “Use Vue 3 with the composition API.”
  • Language: “Always respond in Portuguese.”
  • Response preferences: “Each message should communicate a singular idea. That idea should be limited to ONE codeblock or paragraph.”
  • Code style and best practices: “Optimize code for readability and performance. Utilize SOLID principles.”
See more
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