11

Our company has a private GitHub repository for the project I'm working on. After a full summer of work, it looks like we'll be launching this week (wheee!). However, I want to include a "submit a bug" link in the program that leads to a form somewhere where the user can fill out a form that becomes an issue for us on GitHub. Googling around hasn't found any solution (or someone who has the same problem).

Is this possible (through some API, perhaps?) or will I have to manually enter the bugs my users report?

Improve this question
3
  • Not an answer as it is just links, but the Github API is what you are looking for. Specifically Creating Issues. If you do do this, it would be nice if you came back and added an example with code on how to use it.
    – Jacob Schoen
    Aug 1, 2012 at 17:53
  • 3
    Also not an answer: Consider simpler form (lower barrier for the user) that just sends you an email. As you're just launching, any user who takes the time to file a bug report is probably somebody you want to engage with personally, anyway. Dumping them off to Github is actually a waste of an opportunity.
    – grossvogel
    Aug 1, 2012 at 18:11
  • I think actually you should write that as an answer @JacobSchoe , since it's roughly a good approach, and currently the accepted answer here incorrectly tells people that the github API is "not going to help".
    – Harry Wood
    Feb 3, 2016 at 15:56

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
10

I don't think the API is going to help you in this case. Because the project is private no one that is not logged in AND has access to the project will be able to do anything with the project, including creating tickets.

If you use the Github API you'll have to include the username and password to an account that is a collaborator on the project. Probably not a great idea.

Your next option would be to create a public project with a similar name, but without the code. Then you can use that project to track the external customer bugs.

Improve this answer
1
  • 8
    It's quite common for a server-side script to authenticate with another system using private credentials. As long as the settings file with the password is kept secure somewhere, and your server itself is secure... this is standard stuff. Why "probably not a good idea"?
    – Harry Wood
    Feb 3, 2016 at 15:49
9

Someone on reddit created an open source Project called Gitreports where you can sign up and it will give you a unique URL you can give to your clients and they can submit bugs even to private repos without ever seeing code.

If this seems shady to you, you can host it yourself

Improve this answer
5

May be it can help. I had this need to allow non GitHub users to open new issues so I made a custom Google Apps Script linked to a Google Forms to open issues on the repository of the project.

User without GitHub account fill the form, then the apps script will push title and message in the repository issues. The apps script use OAuth2 to connect to my GitHub account to post the issues.

Bad side of this solution is, I'm the owner of issues created with the anonymous form. This was acceptable for me, I prefer to have the issue instead of log the issues in another system.

If you are interested you can check out my article : http://ez34.net/2016/12/publish-anonymous-issues-on-github.html

Stéphane

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    Nice suggestion to use use Apps Script from Google. Works well with OAuth and gives you full control over your own data. Tutorial works well even though it does no longer match the current version of Google Forms but was easy enough to adapt.
    – Andreas Pardeike
    May 16, 2021 at 9:48
0

The Redmine turnkey linux appliance is available free for your own hosting or through the Amazon cloud (just pay and turn it on). Redmine allows for ticket submission through email, so you're users could have your users send in the tickets that way. Redmine also allows for anonymous users to add tickets, if you set up the permissions that way.

Since the appliance is a complete linux box, you can have a cron job or push notification that runs a script and adds the new ticket to the private github repo. The github API also allows for getting issues, so you could have the script keep the redmine box up to date too.

Personally, I'd just use the Redmine appliance by itself and have it monitoring the remote github repo.

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.