# gh-cli

Teaches the agent to handle GitHub tasks with the gh CLI instead of an MCP server: PRs, issues, code search, releases.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 2300 installs
- Author: logicrw
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/logicrw/gh-cli-skill/tree/HEAD/gh-cli/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-03-12
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/logicrw-gh-cli

## What it does

This skill spells out how an agent should talk to GitHub using `gh`. It ships a reference of ready calls: listing and viewing pull requests, diffs, creating and merging, reviews with line-level comments, issues, repository files, code and repo search, commits, releases and tags. Anything outside that list goes through `gh api` directly.

The core rule is to ask for the fields you actually need. Commands run with `--json` and `--jq`, and long output gets trimmed with `--limit` or `head`. That keeps token usage down, since the agent never pulls a whole PR or issue object into context.

Auth comes from an existing `gh auth` setup — check it with `gh auth status`. Without a logged-in `gh`, none of the calls work, so verify the CLI is installed and authenticated before adding the skill. The author positions it as a replacement for the GitHub MCP server.

## Requirements
- Works with: GitHub

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add logicrw/gh-cli-skill --skill gh-cli -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/gh-cli/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/gh-cli/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add logicrw/gh-cli-skill --skill gh-cli -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/gh-cli/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add logicrw/gh-cli-skill --skill gh-cli -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/gh-cli/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install logicrw/gh-cli-skill gh-cli
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/gh-cli/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add logicrw/gh-cli-skill --skill gh-cli -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/logicrw/gh-cli-skill --path gh-cli
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/gh-cli/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add logicrw/gh-cli-skill --skill gh-cli -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/logicrw/gh-cli-skill/tree/HEAD/gh-cli/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- list open PRs with authors and update times
- open a draft PR from a feature branch into `main`
- attach a review comment to a specific file line
- search code inside one repository
- publish a release with a tag and notes

## Example prompts
- List the open PRs in this repo with number, title and author
- Open a draft PR from `feature-branch` into `main`
- Add a review comment on line 42 of `file.py` in PR 123

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 43187ccbb6883b70.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 43187ccbb6883b70
````text
---
name: gh-cli
description: >
  GitHub CLI operations via `gh` command. Use when working with GitHub
  repositories, pull requests, issues, code search, releases, or any
  GitHub API operation. This skill replaces the GitHub MCP server with
  direct CLI calls. Triggers on: GitHub, PR, pull request, issue, repo,
  branch, release, tag, commit, fork, merge, review, gh.
---

# GitHub CLI (`gh`) — Agent Skill

Use the `gh` CLI for ALL GitHub operations. Always use `--json` for structured output and `--jq` for field selection to minimize token usage.

## Authentication

Already configured via `gh auth`. Verify with:

```bash
gh auth status
```

## Core Principle

**Always request only the fields you need** to minimize output tokens:

```bash
# ❌ Bad — returns everything
gh pr view 123

# ✅ Good — returns only what's needed
gh pr view 123 --json title,state,body,url --jq '{title,state,body,url}'
```

---

## Quick Reference

### Pull Requests

```bash
# List open PRs
gh pr list --json number,title,author,updatedAt --jq '.[] | {number,title,author:.author.login}'

# View PR details
gh pr view <number> --json title,state,body,headRefName,baseRefName,additions,deletions,changedFiles

# View PR diff
gh pr diff <number>

# View PR files changed
gh pr diff <number> --name-only

# Create PR
gh pr create --title "title" --body "description" --base main --head feature-branch

# Create draft PR
gh pr create --title "title" --body "description" --draft

# Merge PR
gh pr merge <number> --squash --delete-branch

# Review PR
gh pr review <number> --approve
gh pr review <number> --request-changes --body "feedback"
gh pr review <number> --comment --body "looks good"

# PR review comments
gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/pulls/{number}/comments --jq '.[].body'

# Add review comment on specific line
gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/pulls/{number}/comments \
  -f body="comment" -f path="file.py" -F line=42 -f side="RIGHT" \
  -f commit_id="$(gh pr view <number> --json headRefOid --jq .headRefOid)"

# Check PR CI status
gh pr checks <number>

# Update PR branch
gh pr update-branch <number>
```

### Issues

```bash
# List issues
gh issue list --json number,title,labels,assignees --jq '.[] | {number,title,labels:[.labels[].name]}'

# View issue
gh issue view <number> --json title,body,state,labels,assignees,comments

# Create issue
gh issue create --title "title" --body "description" --label "bug"

# Comment on issue
gh issue comment <number> --body "comment text"

# Close issue
gh issue close <number> --reason completed

# Edit issue
gh issue edit <number> --title "new title" --add-label "priority"

# Search issues
gh issue list --search "keyword in:title,body" --json number,title
```

### Repository & Files

```bash
# View repo info
gh repo view --json name,description,defaultBranchRef --jq '{name,description,branch:.defaultBranchRef.name}'

# Get file contents (use gh api to avoid raw output issues)
gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/contents/{path} --jq '.content' | base64 -d
# Or with ref:
gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/contents/{path}?ref={branch} --jq '.content' | base64 -d

# List directory
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 43187ccbb6883b70

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