The GitHub CLI lets you manage GitHub from the terminal using gh subcommands like gh pr, gh issue, gh run, and gh api.

Do I need to be in a git directory?

Not always. If you are outside a git directory, specify --repo owner/repo (or use a direct URL) so commands target the correct repository.

How do I get structured data from commands?

Use --json to emit JSON and --jq to filter or format fields for easy automation.

github

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SKILL.md

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GitHub Skill

Use the gh CLI to interact with GitHub. Always specify --repo owner/repo when not in a git directory, or use URLs directly.

Pull Requests

Check CI status on a PR:

gh pr checks 55 --repo owner/repo

List recent workflow runs:

gh run list --repo owner/repo --limit 10

View a run and see which steps failed:

gh run view <run-id> --repo owner/repo

View logs for failed steps only:

gh run view <run-id> --repo owner/repo --log-failed

API for Advanced Queries

The gh api command is useful for accessing data not available through other subcommands.

Get PR with specific fields:

gh api repos/owner/repo/pulls/55 --jq '.title, .state, .user.login'

JSON Output

Most commands support --json for structured output. You can use --jq to filter:

gh issue list --repo owner/repo --json number,title --jq '.[] | "\(.number): \(.title)"'

Source

git clone https://github.com/zebbern/icron/blob/main/icron/skills/github/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

Use the GitHub CLI (gh) to automate and retrieve data for issues, pull requests, CI runs, and advanced queries. This skill covers common gh commands and flags, including --repo for non-repo dirs and --json/--jq for structured outputs.

How This Skill Works

The gh tool exposes subcommands like gh issue, gh pr, gh run, and gh api to interact with GitHub data. Commands can target a repository with --repo owner/repo and output machine-readable data via --json and --jq for automation.

When to Use It

Need to check the CI status of a PR and its checks
Want to list recent GitHub Actions workflow runs for a repo
Need to inspect a specific run's details or diagnose a failed step
Require data from GitHub APIs not exposed by other commands
Automate data extraction using structured JSON output via --json/--jq

Quick Start

Step 1: Install GitHub CLI (gh) and ensure it is in your PATH
Step 2: Run a sample command, e.g., gh pr checks 55 --repo owner/repo
Step 3: Use gh api with --json/--jq for structured data

Best Practices

Always specify --repo owner/repo when outside a git directory
Use --json and --jq for reliable, parseable output
Prefer gh run and gh pr checks for CI visibility in reviews
Use gh api for custom fields and endpoints
Keep identifiers (run IDs, PR numbers) ready for precise queries

Example Use Cases

gh pr checks 55 --repo owner/repo
gh run list --repo owner/repo --limit 10
gh run view <run-id> --repo owner/repo
gh run view <run-id> --repo owner/repo --log-failed
gh api repos/owner/repo/pulls/55 --jq '.title, .state, .user.login'

Frequently Asked Questions

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