GitHub Issue Notes

Add personal notes to GitHub Issues and Pull Requests. Notes are saved to your private Gist and synced across devices.

Features

• Personal Notes on Issues/PRs - Add private notes directly on GitHub Issue and PR pages
• Private Gist Storage - Notes are saved to your own GitHub Private Gist (only you can access)
• Auto-save - Notes are automatically saved as you type (1 second debounce)
• Dark Mode Support - Seamlessly adapts to GitHub's dark mode
• Cross-device Sync - Access your notes from any device via Gist

Installation

Chrome Web Store

Install from Chrome Web Store

Development Version

1. Clone this repository

   git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/github-issue-notes.git
   cd github-issue-notes

2. Install dependencies

   pnpm install

3. Build the extension

   pnpm build

4. Load in Chrome

   • Open chrome://extensions/
   • Enable "Developer mode"
   • Click "Load unpacked"
   • Select the .output/chrome-mv3 folder

Usage

Step 1: Get a GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT)

1. Go to GitHub Settings → Developer settings → Personal access tokens → Fine-grained tokens
   • Direct link: https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new

2. Configure the token:
   • Token name: GitHub Issue Notes (or any name you prefer)
   • Expiration: Choose your preferred expiration
   • Repository access: Select "Public Repositories (read-only)" (Gists don't require repo access)
   • Account permissions: Expand and set Gists to "Read and write"

3. Click "Generate token" and copy the token (you won't see it again!)

Note: Classic tokens with gist scope also work if you prefer.

Step 2: Configure the Extension

1. Click the extension icon in Chrome toolbar, then click "Open Settings"
   • Or right-click the extension icon → "Options"

2. Paste your PAT and click "Save"

Step 3: Connect Gist

1. Click the extension icon to open the popup
2. Click "Connect Gist"

3. Once connected, you'll see "Connected" with a link to your Gist

Note: If you already have a Gist with the file github-issue-notes.json, the extension will reuse it instead of creating a new one.

Step 4: Start Taking Notes!

1. Navigate to any GitHub Issue or PR page
2. Find the "Personal Notes" section in the sidebar (below Notifications)

3. Type your notes - they auto-save after 1 second of inactivity
4. You'll see "Saving..." then "Saved" to confirm

Permissions

Permission	Purpose
storage	Store your PAT and Gist ID locally in your browser
host_permissions (api.github.com)	Access GitHub Gist API to read/write your notes

Note: Your PAT is stored locally and is only sent to GitHub's official API. It is never exposed to web pages or third parties.

Privacy

• PAT: Stored locally in your browser, never sent to any server except GitHub API
• Notes: Stored in your private GitHub Gist (only you can access)
• No Analytics: This extension does not collect any usage data
• No Tracking: We don't track which Issues/PRs you visit

See PRIVACY.md for the full privacy policy.

FAQ

Why do I need a Personal Access Token?

The extension needs to access the GitHub Gist API to store your notes. GitHub requires authentication for this, and a PAT with Gists read/write permission is the minimal permission needed.

Where are my notes stored?

Your notes are stored in a private Gist in your GitHub account. You can view and edit this Gist directly at https://gist.github.com. The file is named github-issue-notes.json.

Can others see my notes?

No. The Gist is created as private, which means only you can see it when logged into your GitHub account.

What happens if I uninstall the extension?

Your notes remain in your GitHub Gist. If you reinstall the extension and reconnect with the same GitHub account, your notes will be restored.

Does it work on GitHub Enterprise?

Not currently. The extension only supports github.com.

Development

Tech Stack

• WXT - Web Extension Framework
• React - UI Library
• TypeScript - Type Safety
• Tailwind CSS v4 - Styling

Commands

pnpm dev          # Start development server (Chrome)
pnpm dev:firefox  # Start development server (Firefox)
pnpm build        # Production build
pnpm compile      # TypeScript type check
pnpm test         # Run tests
pnpm zip          # Create ZIP for store submission

Project Structure

entrypoints/
├── background.ts   # Service Worker - Gist API communication
├── content.tsx     # Content Script - Injects UI into GitHub pages
├── options/        # Options page - PAT management
└── popup/          # Popup - Gist connection

components/
└── NoteArea.tsx    # Note input component

utils/
├── messaging.ts    # Type-safe messaging between scripts
├── storage.ts      # Chrome storage wrapper
├── gist.ts         # GitHub Gist API client
└── notes.ts        # Notes data management

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or pull request.

License

MIT