Parent Issue Rules

Parent issues allow you to define common rules and guidelines that GitAuto will apply when generating tests for child issues. This ensures consistency across all your test generation tasks.

What are Parent Issues?

Parent issues serve as templates that contain shared rules, coding standards, and guidelines. When you create child issues for test generation, GitAuto uses the parent issue content as a system prompt, ensuring all generated tests follow the same standards.

Benefits:

  • Consistent test quality across your entire codebase
  • No need to repeat common instructions in each issue
  • Easy to update rules for all future test generations
  • Better organization of related test generation tasks

How to Use Parent Issues

Screenshot showing an example parent issue with test coding rules, file path rules, and constant rules clearly defined. The image displays a GitHub issue with well-structured sections for different types of rules.
  1. Create a new GitHub issue in your repository
  2. Add comprehensive rules and guidelines (see examples below)
  3. Keep the issue open - GitAuto only shows open issues as parent options
  4. Select this issue as the parent when using the dashboard
  5. All child issues will inherit these rules automatically

Example Parent Issue Rules

Here's a comprehensive example of what to include in your parent issue:

## Test Coding Rule

  • Do not use `class` in test code. Always prefer plain `function` style, even for mocks.
  • Ensure **comprehensive test coverage**, including extreme edge cases.
  • No comments in the code.
  • No corresponding URLs in the code.

## Test File Path Rule

  • Place test files next to the target files instead of creating a separate tests folder. Do not use dedicated test directories like `tests/` or `__tests__`
  • Name test files with the pattern `test_{original_filename}.py`

## Test Constant Rule

  • Use `OWNER` in `tests/constants.py` for an owner
  • Use `REPO` in `tests/constants.py` for a repo
  • Use `FORKED_REPO` in `tests/constants.py` for a forked repo if necessary
  • Use `TOKEN` in `tests/constants.py` for a token
  • If you introduce any test constant used more than once, define it in tests/constants.py and reference it from there.

Best Practices

Structure Your Rules

Organize your rules into clear sections using markdown headers. This makes them easier to read and maintain.

Be Specific

Include specific examples and patterns. The more detailed your rules, the more consistent your generated tests will be.

Update Regularly

As you learn what works best for your project, update the parent issue rules. All future child issues will use the updated rules.

Language-Specific Rules

Create separate parent issues for different programming languages if your repository is multilingual.

Limitations

  • 100 Child Issue Limit: Each parent issue can have a maximum of 100 child issues attached to it.
  • Open Issues Only: Only open GitHub issues appear in the parent issue dropdown.
  • Repository Scope: Parent issues must be in the same repository as the files you're testing.

When You Reach the Limit

When you approach 100 child issues, you have several options:

  • Close completed child issues to free up slots
  • Create a new parent issue by copying the rules from the current one
  • Archive old child issues that are no longer relevant
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