Install and configure the GitHub CLI (gh) for AI agent environments where gh may not be pre-installed and git remotes use local proxies instead of github.com. Provides auto-install script with SHA256 verification and GITHUB_TOKEN auth with anonymous fallback. Use when gh command not found, shutil.which("gh") returns None, need GitHub API access (issues, PRs, releases, workflow runs), or repository operations fail with "failed to determine base repo" error. Documents required -R flag for all gh commands in proxy environments. Includes project management: GitHub Projects V2 (gh project), milestones (REST API), issue stories (lifecycle and templates), and label taxonomy management.
Ensures the GitHub CLI (gh) is available and provides correct usage patterns for AI agents operating in environments where gh may not be pre-installed and where git remotes point to local proxies instead of github.com.
gh command not found or shutil.which("gh") returns Nonegithub.com (proxy environments)GITHUB_TOKENgh is assumed to be already installed via the system package manager:
brew install ghwinget install GitHub.cliapt install ghFor CI monitoring operations (watching workflow runs, checking statuses, waiting for jobs), use ci_monitor.cjs:
node src/resources/skills/github-workflows/references/gh/scripts/ci_monitor.cjs
GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable provides automatic authentication. No manual gh auth login needed.
# Verify authentication
gh auth status
If GITHUB_TOKEN is set, gh authenticates automatically for all API calls.
<repo_detection>
Git remote points to a local proxy (127.0.0.1), NOT github.com. Every gh command fails without explicit repo specification:
failed to determine base repo: none of the git remotes configured for this
repository point to a known GitHub host.
RULE: Pass -R (or --repo) on EVERY gh command:
gh <command> -R gsd-build/gsd-2
This applies to ALL gh subcommands: pr, issue, run, api, release, project, etc.
</repo_detection>
<gh_commands>
# List open PRs
gh pr list -R gsd-build/gsd-2
# View PR details
gh pr view <number> -R gsd-build/gsd-2
# Check PR CI status
gh pr checks <number> -R gsd-build/gsd-2
# Create PR
gh pr create -R gsd-build/gsd-2 --title "title" --body "body"
# View PR comments
gh api repos/gsd-build/gsd-2/pulls/<number>/comments
# List issues
gh issue list -R gsd-build/gsd-2
# List by label
gh issue list -R gsd-build/gsd-2 --label "priority:p1" --state open
# Create issue with labels and milestone
# NOTE: Do NOT use labels for issue classification (bug, feature, etc.)
# Use labels for metadata (priority, status, auto-generated) only.
# Issue classification uses GitHub Issue Types, set via GraphQL after creation.
gh issue create -R gsd-build/gsd-2 \
--title "feat: add feature X" \
--label "priority:p1" \
--milestone "v1.0"
# View issue
gh issue view <number> -R gsd-build/gsd-2
# Close issue with comment
gh issue close <number> -R gsd-build/gsd-2 --comment "Implemented in PR #N"
# Edit labels on issue
gh issue edit <number> -R gsd-build/gsd-2 \
--add-label "status:in-progress" \
--remove-label "status:needs-grooming"
gh issue create has no --type flag. Issue types (Bug, Feature Request, etc.) are set via GraphQL after creation:
# Step 1: Create the issue (returns URL)
ISSUE_URL=$(gh issue create -R gsd-build/gsd-2 \
--title "..." --body "...")
# Step 2: Set the issue type via GraphQL
ISSUE_NUM=$(echo "$ISSUE_URL" | grep -oE '[0-9]+$')
ISSUE_ID=$(gh api graphql -f query='{ repository(owner:"gsd-build",name:"gsd-2") { issue(number:'"$ISSUE_NUM"') { id } } }' --jq '.data.repository.issue.id')
TYPE_ID=$(gh api graphql -f query='{ repository(owner:"gsd-build",name:"gsd-2") { issueTypes(first:20) { nodes { id name } } } }' --jq '.data.repository.issueTypes.nodes[] | select(.name=="Bug") | .id')
gh api graphql -f query='mutation { updateIssue(input:{id:"'"$ISSUE_ID"'",issueTypeId:"'"$TYPE_ID"'"}) { issue { number } } }'
Replace "Bug" with the appropriate type name ("Feature Request", "Task", etc.).
# List all labels
gh label list -R gsd-build/gsd-2
# Create label
gh label create "priority:p1" --color "E99695" \
--description "High priority" -R gsd-build/gsd-2
See labels.md for the full taxonomy and color codes.
# List projects
gh project list --owner gsd-build
# Create project
gh project create --owner gsd-build --title "gsd-2 Backlog"
# Add issue to project
gh project item-add 1 --owner gsd-build \
--url https://github.com/gsd-build/gsd-2/issues/42
See projects-v2.md for field creation and item editing commands.
gh has no native milestone subcommand — use gh api with the REST endpoint:
# List milestones
gh api repos/gsd-build/gsd-2/milestones
# Create milestone
gh api repos/gsd-build/gsd-2/milestones \
-X POST -f title="v1.0" -f due_on="2026-03-31T00:00:00Z"
# Assign milestone to issue
gh api repos/gsd-build/gsd-2/issues/42 \
-X PATCH -F milestone=1
See milestones.md for full CRUD reference.
# List recent runs
gh run list -R gsd-build/gsd-2 --limit 5
# View specific run
gh run view <run-id> -R gsd-build/gsd-2
# View failed job logs
gh run view <run-id> -R gsd-build/gsd-2 --log-failed
# List releases
gh release list -R gsd-build/gsd-2
# View latest release
gh release view --repo gsd-build/gsd-2
# GET request
gh api repos/gsd-build/gsd-2
# POST with fields
gh api repos/gsd-build/gsd-2/issues -f title="Bug" -f body="Details"
# GraphQL
gh api graphql -f query='{ viewer { login } }'
# Paginated results
gh api repos/gsd-build/gsd-2/contributors --paginate
# Clone
gh repo clone gsd-build/gsd-2
# View repo info
gh repo view -R gsd-build/gsd-2
</gh_commands>
# JSON output
gh pr list -R gsd-build/gsd-2 --json number,title,state
# JQ filtering
gh pr list -R gsd-build/gsd-2 --json number,title --jq '.[].title'
# Template formatting
gh pr list -R gsd-build/gsd-2 --json number,title \
--template '{{range .}}#{{.number}} {{.title}}{{"\n"}}{{end}}'
gh version 2.87.2 (2026-02-20) — version verified by installation test3c:["$","$L40",null,{"content":"$41","frontMatter":{"name":"gh","description":"Install and configure the GitHub CLI (gh) for AI agent environments where gh may not be pre-installed and git remotes use local proxies instead of github.com. Provides auto-install script with SHA256 verification and GITHUB_TOKEN auth with anonymous fallback. Use when gh command not found, shutil.which("gh") returns None, need GitHub API access (issues, PRs, releases, workflow runs), or repository operations fail with "failed to determine base repo" error. Documents required -R flag for all gh commands in proxy environments. Includes project management: GitHub Projects V2 (gh project), milestones (REST API), issue stories (lifecycle and templates), and label taxonomy management."}}]