Frequently asked questions

Is it free?

Yes.

Do I need an account?

No, not to browse. Signing in with GitHub lets you save issues and set the languages and level you're looking for, and it lets the signed-in app keep your themes.

What can SkillIssues do with my GitHub account?

Nothing. Sign-in only reads who you are (your GitHub id, username, profile name and avatar), and we throw the token away. We can't see your private repositories or act on your behalf. A SkillIssues session ends when you sign out, when it expires, or when you sign out everywhere. Revoking the app on GitHub doesn't end one, because there is no token to revoke.

Why isn't a repository I know listed?

It may be under the star floor, inactive for two years, archived, a fork, or without a main language. The repository lookup on the home page tells you which. See Suggest a repository.

Why does an issue say "unranked"?

Its maintainers haven't labelled its difficulty. We don't guess. See Difficulty ratings.

How fresh is the data?

Changes on GitHub usually show here within two hours. See How it works.

Why do I see the same few repositories?

The default feed gives each repository one slot and redraws the order daily, so the top should change from day to day. Filters or a language preference narrow the pool, which can make repeats more likely. See Finding issues.

Why does a page of results sometimes look short, or empty?

When you browse For you with filters that few repositories match, the catalog may stop looking after a couple of seconds and give you a short page along with a way to continue. That isn't the end of the results. The website keeps reading a few pages before it tells you nothing matches. If you use the API directly, see Public API.

An issue I opened or closed isn't showing the change.

Give it a couple of hours. If it's still wrong after that, report a bug with the issue's link.

Where do the numbers on my profile come from?

From GitHub's public search, read by your browser: every public pull request you've opened, the ones that were merged, and the repositories they went to. We don't hold a GitHub token for you, so we can't see anything private, and neither can the profile. Your browser keeps a copy for half an hour, and GitHub limits how often a browser can search, so the numbers may be a few minutes behind.

Is there a light mode?

Yes. The site starts dark. On the landing page and the docs, the theme button in the footer switches to light. In the app, the same button, or the switch beside your theme under Appearance in the profile menu, switches the theme you're using between its light and dark halves. Every built-in theme has both.

Can I use SkillIssues without the desktop app?

Yes. The desktop app only handles Git for you. See The desktop app.

Is there a leaderboard, or XP?

There's XP. Merged pull requests to repositories in the catalog earn it, read from public GitHub data without your token. See How XP works. The leaderboard isn't open yet. See Leaderboard.

Can I change how the app looks?

Yes, with themes. See Themes.

Can I delete my account?

Yes. Deleting an account removes your profile, preferences, saved issues and themes. See Privacy policy for how to ask.

How do I report a security problem?

Privately. Don't open a public issue. See Security.