Add excluded label filter

AGENTS.md

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ Version 0.1.0 is publicly released. Remote installation through GitHub CLI and l
 
 - Added deterministic scoring based on freshness, repository activity, stars, discussion size, labels, reactions, and maintainer participation.
 - Added recent claim detection for assignments and common claim phrases.
+- Added a repeatable excluded-label search filter for removing blocked or noisy workflows.
 - Added tests, cross-platform CI, security notes, and contributor documentation.
 - Published the repository and v0.1.0 release with GitHub CLI extension discovery metadata.
 

README.md

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ Focus the search:
 ```bash
 gh issue-scout parser --language Python --min-stars 500
 gh issue-scout --org home-assistant --label "help wanted"
+gh issue-scout --label "good first issue" --exclude-label blocked
 gh issue-scout --repo rust-lang/rust --label E-easy --max-age 30
 ```
 
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ Useful controls:
 
 ```text
 --claim-window DAYS   Treat recent claim comments as active for this long
+--exclude-label LABEL Exclude a label; repeat for multiple labels
 --include-claimed     Show claimed candidates and their evidence
 --include-assigned    Include assigned issues in the GitHub search
 --max-repo-idle DAYS  Exclude repositories without a recent push

issue_scout/cli.py

@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ def parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
     )
     command.add_argument("keywords", nargs="*", help="optional search terms")
     command.add_argument("--label", action="append", help="label to require; repeat for multiple labels")
+    command.add_argument(
+        "--exclude-label",
+        action="append",
+        help="label to exclude; repeat for multiple labels",
+    )
     command.add_argument("--language", help="repository primary language")
     command.add_argument("--repo", help="limit to OWNER/REPOSITORY")
     command.add_argument("--org", help="limit to one organization")
@@ -67,6 +72,7 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
         search_query = build_query(
             keywords=arguments.keywords,
             labels=arguments.label,
+            excluded_labels=arguments.exclude_label,
             language=arguments.language,
             repository=arguments.repo,
             organization=arguments.org,

issue_scout/query.py

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ def build_query(
     *,
     keywords: list[str] | None = None,
     labels: list[str] | None = None,
+    excluded_labels: list[str] | None = None,
     language: str | None = None,
     repository: str | None = None,
     organization: str | None = None,
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ def build_query(
         parts.append("no:assignee")
     for label in labels or ["good first issue"]:
         parts.append(f"label:{quote_value(label)}")
+    for label in excluded_labels or []:
+        parts.append(f"-label:{quote_value(label)}")
     if language:
         parts.append(f"language:{quote_value(language)}")
     if repository:

tests/test_query.py

@@ -36,5 +36,14 @@ def test_repo_and_org_are_mutually_exclusive(self) -> None:
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, "cannot be used together"):
             build_query(repository="owner/repo", organization="owner")
 
+    def test_excluded_labels_are_repeatable_and_safely_quoted(self) -> None:
+        query = build_query(
+            labels=["help wanted"],
+            excluded_labels=["blocked", "needs info"],
+            now=datetime(2026, 8, 29, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
+        )
+
+        self.assertIn('label:"help wanted" -label:blocked -label:"needs info"', query)
+
     def test_quote_value_removes_embedded_quotes(self) -> None:
         self.assertEqual(quote_value('good "first" issue'), '"good first issue"')