dev

cmd/create.go

@@ -137,8 +137,14 @@ var createCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 		path := filepath.Join(openDir(root), filename)
 
-		if err := issue.Write(path, iss); err != nil {
-			return err
+		var writeErr error
+		if openEditor {
+			writeErr = issue.WriteTemplate(path, iss)
+		} else {
+			writeErr = issue.Write(path, iss)
+		}
+		if writeErr != nil {
+			return writeErr
 		}
 
 		if openEditor {

cmd/util_test.go

@@ -93,12 +93,16 @@ func injectStdin(t *testing.T, content string) {
 	if _, err := w.WriteString(content); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	w.Close()
+	if err := w.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	old := os.Stdin
 	os.Stdin = r
 	t.Cleanup(func() {
 		os.Stdin = old
-		r.Close()
+		if err := r.Close(); err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
 	})
 }
 

internal/issue/issue.go

@@ -68,6 +68,53 @@ func Write(path string, iss *Issue) error {
 	return os.WriteFile(path, buf.Bytes(), 0644)
 }
 
+// WriteTemplate writes an issue file with all user-editable fields expanded
+// (even when empty) and a comment marking where the body begins. Used when
+// opening a new issue in the editor so the user sees the full schema.
+func WriteTemplate(path string, iss *Issue) error {
+	type tpl struct {
+		Title     string   `yaml:"title"`
+		State     string   `yaml:"state"`
+		Labels    []string `yaml:"labels"`
+		Assignees []string `yaml:"assignees"`
+		Milestone string   `yaml:"milestone"`
+	}
+	labels := iss.Labels
+	if labels == nil {
+		labels = []string{}
+	}
+	assignees := iss.Assignees
+	if assignees == nil {
+		assignees = []string{}
+	}
+	t := tpl{
+		Title:     iss.Title,
+		State:     iss.State,
+		Labels:    labels,
+		Assignees: assignees,
+		Milestone: iss.Milestone,
+	}
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	buf.WriteString("---\n")
+	enc := yaml.NewEncoder(&buf)
+	enc.SetIndent(2)
+	if err := enc.Encode(t); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_ = enc.Close()
+	buf.WriteString("# Body goes below this line\n")
+	buf.WriteString("---\n")
+	if iss.Body != "" {
+		buf.WriteString("\n")
+		body := iss.Body
+		if !strings.HasSuffix(body, "\n") {
+			body += "\n"
+		}
+		buf.WriteString(body)
+	}
+	return os.WriteFile(path, buf.Bytes(), 0644)
+}
+
 func Filename(iss *Issue) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%d-%s.md", iss.Number, Slug(iss.Title))
 }

internal/issue/issue_test.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package issue
 import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -209,6 +210,63 @@ func TestWriteParse(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestWriteTemplate(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("empty issue shows all fields and separator", func(t *testing.T) {
+		path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "issue.md")
+		iss := &Issue{State: "open"}
+		if err := WriteTemplate(path, iss); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("WriteTemplate: %v", err)
+		}
+		raw, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		content := string(raw)
+		for _, want := range []string{"title:", "state:", "labels:", "assignees:", "milestone:", "# Body goes below this line"} {
+			if !strings.Contains(content, want) {
+				t.Errorf("template missing %q\ngot:\n%s", want, content)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("parses back with empty body", func(t *testing.T) {
+		path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "issue.md")
+		iss := &Issue{Title: "Draft", State: "open"}
+		if err := WriteTemplate(path, iss); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("WriteTemplate: %v", err)
+		}
+		got, err := Parse(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Parse: %v", err)
+		}
+		if got.Title != "Draft" {
+			t.Errorf("Title = %q, want %q", got.Title, "Draft")
+		}
+		if got.Body != "" {
+			t.Errorf("Body = %q, want empty", got.Body)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("preserves populated fields", func(t *testing.T) {
+		path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "issue.md")
+		iss := &Issue{
+			Title:     "My Issue",
+			State:     "open",
+			Labels:    []string{"bug", "urgent"},
+			Assignees: []string{"alice"},
+			Milestone: "v1.0",
+		}
+		if err := WriteTemplate(path, iss); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("WriteTemplate: %v", err)
+		}
+		got, err := Parse(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Parse: %v", err)
+		}
+		checkIssue(t, got, iss)
+	})
+}
+
 func TestFilename(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name string