Link a Pull Request (PR) to an issue without closing the issue after the PR has merged

[Zerotask]

Select Topic Area

Product Feedback

Body

When working on bigger issues, we sometimes have many smaller PRs related to it. If you open a PR and link the issue to it, then the issue will close as soon as the PR has merged. So you either have to link it after the PR has merged or link the issue inside the description box. This can be confusing for some people.

[SandupaAbeywardana]

GitHub only closes the issue if the PR uses a closing keyword (close/closes/fix/fixes/resolve/resolves + #123), or if you link it through the Development section in the sidebar. Plain references don't close anything.

So for the in-between PRs, write something like "Part of #123" or "Refs #123" in the description. It still shows up in the issue's timeline so people can follow the work, but the issue stays open. Then use "Closes #123" only on the last PR.

If the issue is big, sub-issues are also a good fit. Break it into smaller issues, let each PR close its own sub-issue, and the parent shows progress as they get done.