Manage projects with GitHub

GitHub Projects helps teams view and organize work across issues and pull requests. Learn how project configuration supports a team workflow.

Official GitHub Docs product visual: a GitHub Projects board view.

Capability	What to understand
Layout	Different views make a backlog, board, or planning table easier to scan.
Custom fields	Capture information specific to a team's workflow.
Labels and milestones	Categorize and group work around shared outcomes or timeframes.
Workflows	Automate predictable project updates.
Insights	Use project data to understand progress and productivity.

flowchart LR A[Issue or pull request] --> B[GitHub Project] B --> C[Fields and labels] C --> D[Board, table, or roadmap view] D --> E[Insights] F[Workflow] --> B

Original visual based on the project layouts, workflows, and insights described in the official GH-900 objectives.

Scenario practice

Scenario	A suitable feature
Triage incoming work by type	Labels and filters
Show progress through a shared workflow	Project view plus status field
Group work for a release	Milestone
Avoid repetitive project updates	Built-in workflow
See whether work is moving	Project insights

Complete Manage your work with GitHub Projects for hands-on context.

Project building blocks

GitHub Projects can bring work from issues and pull requests into a shared planning and tracking view. The project is a work-management layer; the linked items still retain their repository context.

Building block	Purpose	Example
Item	A tracked unit of work in the project	An issue, pull request, or draft item.
Field	A property used to organize or filter items	Status, priority, owner, iteration, or target date.
View	A way to see the same work from a different perspective	Table, board, or roadmap.
Layout	The visual arrangement used by a view	Columns on a board or rows in a table.
Filter	A rule that narrows visible items	Show only high-priority work assigned to one team.
Workflow	An automated project update	Set status when a linked item closes.

Select a layout

Layout	Best for	What to watch for
Table	Comparing many fields at once	Add the columns users need to make decisions.
Board	Visualizing a flow through status columns	Keep status definitions clear and mutually understood.
Roadmap	Viewing planned work across a time range	Keep date and iteration data current.

Labels, milestones, and custom fields

Feature	Scope	Good use
Label	Typically categorizes repository work	Classify a bug, feature, priority, or area.
Milestone	Groups work around a shared outcome or time boundary	Track work toward a release.
Custom field	Captures information in a Project	Track a project-specific priority, effort, or target date.
Assignee	Identifies a responsible person	Clarify ownership of a work item.
Saved reply	Reuses a frequent response	Speed up predictable communication without losing review.

Configure a useful project

1. Define the project outcome and the work items that belong in it.
2. Choose a first view that suits the team's workflow.
3. Add only the fields needed to make decisions.
4. Establish labels, status values, and milestone conventions.
5. Configure workflows for predictable updates.
6. Use filters and saved views to help different roles focus.
7. Review insights to identify stalled work or progress trends.

Project insights

Insights help convert project data into a progress view. Study the distinction between viewing an individual issue and using project-level information to reason about overall work.

Question	Relevant project capability
What work is blocked or still in progress?	Board or filtered project view.
Which release outcome does this work support?	Milestone and project fields.
Is progress improving over time?	Project insights.
Which work needs an owner?	Assignee field and filtered view.
Which recurring update should not be manual?	Project workflow.

Readiness check

• Select a table, board, or roadmap for three different planning questions.
• Distinguish labels, milestones, custom fields, and assignees.
• Explain how a workflow changes project data without replacing human ownership.
• Describe how project insights differ from a single issue or pull request.

Suggested answers

1. Layout selection: A table is useful for comparing several fields, a board is useful for work moving across status columns, and a roadmap is useful for viewing planned work over time.
2. Organization features: Labels categorize work, milestones group work around a release or shared outcome, custom fields capture project-specific information, and assignees identify who is responsible for a work item.
3. Project workflow: A workflow can update a field when a predictable event happens, such as a linked item closing. It reduces repetitive administration, but a team still owns prioritization, status definitions, and decisions.
4. Insights: A single issue or pull request describes one work item. Project insights use aggregated project information to help a team assess progress, trends, and productivity across its work.