Installing and Using GitHub CLI
While the GitHub website is beautiful and easy to use, professional developers often find it faster to perform tasks directly from the command line. The GitHub CLI (gh) is the official tool that brings GitHub’s issues, pull requests, and other features to your terminal.
At CodeHarborHub, we use gh to streamline our workflow and keep our focus on the code.
Don't worry if you're new to the command line! The GitHub CLI is designed to be user-friendly, and this guide will help you get started step by step. By the end, you'll be able to manage your GitHub projects without ever leaving your terminal.
Why use the CLI?
- Context Switching: You don't have to leave VS Code or your terminal to open a Pull Request.
- Automation: You can write scripts to create repositories or check status automatically.
- Speed: Most common actions (like cloning a repo or checking a PR) are 3x faster with a single command.
Installation
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
Open PowerShell or Command Prompt and run:
winget install --id GitHub.cli
Use Homebrew:
brew install gh
For Debian/Ubuntu:
type -p curl >/dev/null || (sudo apt update && sudo apt install curl -y)
curl -fsSL https://cli.github.com/packages/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg | sudo dd of=/usr/share/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg
sudo chmod go+r /usr/share/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg] https://cli.github.com/packages stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/github-cli.list > /dev/null
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gh -y
Getting Started: Authentication
Once installed, you need to link the CLI to your GitHub account. Run:
gh auth login
Follow the interactive prompts:
- Select GitHub.com (unless you're using GitHub Enterprise).
- Choose HTTPS or SSH.
- Select Login with a web browser (this will open a page to authorize the app).
Essential Commands for Daily Work
| Task | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Repo Status | gh repo view | Shows the README and basic info for the current repo. |
| List PRs | gh pr list | Lists all open Pull Requests in the repository. |
| Check out PR | gh pr checkout <number> | Downloads a teammate's PR to your PC to test it. |
| Create PR | gh pr create | Opens a new Pull Request for your current branch. |
| View Issues | gh issue list | Shows all open bugs or tasks. |
Common Workflow Example
Imagine you want to start a new project for CodeHarborHub. Instead of clicking through the website:
- Create a new repo:
gh repo create my-new-project --public --clone - Change into the folder:
cd my-new-project - Open in VS Code:
code .
You just set up a full project in 5 seconds!
The "Status" View
One of the best features of gh is the Dashboard view. Run this to see everything happening with your work:
gh status
It shows your relevant Pull Requests, their review status, and if your GitHub Actions tests passed or failed.
You can use the --web flag with almost any command (e.g., gh pr view --web) to instantly open that specific page in your browser if you need to see the full UI.