Reactions

Learn about GitHub reactions for engaging with content

GitHub Reactions

GitHub reactions are a quick way to express how you feel about comments, issues, pull requests, and discussions without having to write a full comment. They help reduce noise while still allowing you to show support or express feelings about content.

Available Reactions

GitHub provides several reaction types:

  • 👍 Thumbs up - Express agreement or approval
  • 👎 Thumbs down - Express disagreement or disapproval
  • 😄 Laugh - Something is funny
  • 😕 Confused - Something is unclear
  • ❤️ Heart - Show love or appreciation
  • 🎉 Hooray - Celebrate success
  • 👀 Eyes - Indicate you're watching or interested

How to Use Reactions

    1. Navigate to content: Go to an issue, PR, comment, or discussion
    2. Find the reaction button: Look for the smiley face icon
    3. Choose a reaction: Click the emoji that represents your feeling
    4. View reactions: See all reactions at the bottom of the content

Benefits of Using Reactions

  • Reduce comment noise: Express feelings without adding unnecessary comments
  • Quick feedback: Provide immediate feedback to contributors
  • Show engagement: Demonstrate community involvement
  • Gauge sentiment: Authors can quickly see community response
💡Tip

You can also use reactions strategically to prioritize issues or features based on community interest using thumbs up reactions.

Best Practices

  • Use reactions thoughtfully - they represent your professional opinion
  • Don't spam reactions across multiple items
  • Consider the context - some reactions may be inappropriate in certain situations
  • Use reactions to supplement, not replace, meaningful discussion

Additional Resources

GitHub Docs: Using Reactions

Official documentation on GitHub reactions