Create a new repository

To create a repository, we use:

This command walks you through an interactive setup where you can:

• Set the repository name
• Choose visibility (public or private)
• Initialize with README, .gitignore, or a license
• Push an existing local repo to GitHub

You can also pass flags for a non-interactive setup:

Clone a repository

To clone a repository, use:

This pulls the entire repository to your local machine and sets up the remote automatically.

View repository info

To quickly check details about a repository:

By default, it shows info for the current repo, including description, visibility, and README. Add--webto open it in the browser or--jsonto get structured data.

Delete a repository

Be careful, as this action is permanent and cannot be undone. To delete a repo (that you own):

You’ll be asked to confirm before deletion.

Working with issues using GitHub CLI

Theissuegroup in GitHub CLI lets you manage GitHub issues, whether you create new ones, review bugs, assign tasks, or leave comments.

Create a new issue

This opens an interactive prompt where you can:

• Enter the title and description
• Add labels
• Assign the issue to someone (including yourself)
• Set a milestone (if available)

To skip the prompts and use flags:

List issues

This shows all open issues in the current repository. You can filter by state, label, assignee, or author using flags:

View a specific issue

You’ll see the title, body, labels, and comments. Add--commentsto include all discussion threads, or--webto open the issue in your browser.

Managing pull requests with GitHub CLI

Theprgroup in GitHub CLI covers everything you need to work with pull requests. Here are some common operations.

Create a PR

This command prompts you to:

• Choose a base and compare branches
• Add a title and description
• Optionally mark it as a draft

It can also be done non-interactively:

List PRs

By default, this shows open PRs in the current repo. This can also filter with:

View a PR

Add--webto open it in the browser, or--commentsto see all discussion inline.

Check PR status

This command is useful when you’re working on a feature branch. It shows:

• Whether there’s an open PR from your branch
• Incoming PRs that need your review
• Review requests assigned to you

Merge a PR

You’ll be prompted to choose between a merge commit, rebase, or squash. You can also specify it with flags:

Working with GitHub actions in GitHub CLI

Therungroup in GitHub CLI helps you interact with GitHub Actions workflows directly from the terminal.

List workflows runs

This shows recent workflow runs for the current repository, including their status (success, failure, in progress). You can add flags to filter by branch, event type, or status:

View workflow run details

You can find theRUN_IDfrom theghrun list output.

View logs

To see logs of a specific run directly in the terminal:

This is handy when debugging failed builds or tests without navigating through the UI.

Re-run a workflow

You can also re-run the latest failed run:

This is especially useful in CI pipelines where flaky tests or race conditions occasionally cause failures.

Customize and automate with aliases and scripts

Aliases that save you time, and scripting that lets you automate repetitive work. Here are some common commands.

Create your shortcuts with aliases

If you find yourself typing the sameghcommand repeatedly, create a custom alias to make your life easier. It has the following syntax:

For example, this command:

Now you can just type:

To see all your aliases:

Aliases can even include flags or parameters. You can get creative with them depending on your workflow.

Automate workflows withJSONand scripts

Mostghcommands support--jsonoutput, which is great for automation and scripting. For example:

If you want to format the output, usejq:

This lets you build shell scripts that:

• List PRs and issues
• Parse them
• Trigger CI/CD workflows
• Even auto-generate changelogs

So, with GitHub CLI in your toolkit, you can skip the context switching and get more done right from your terminal. It’s a small shift that can make a big difference.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored how GitHub CLI can simplify and speed up your workflow by bringing GitHub features directly into your terminal. From setting up repositories and managing pull requests to customizing aliases and automating tasks, GitHub CLI gives you the control and flexibility to handle everyday GitHub tasks without ever leaving your command line.

If you’re ready to go deeper and start building real-world projects with Git and GitHub, check out theLearn Git & GitHubcourse on Codecademy.

Frequently asked questions

1. What is GitHub CLI used for?

GitHub CLI (gh) is a command-line tool that lets you interact with GitHub directly from your terminal. It helps create repositories, manage pull requests and issues, view commits, clone projects, and automate workflows.

2. Is GitHub CLI and Git Bash the same?

No, Git Bash is a terminal application for Windows that provides a Bash shell to run Git commands. GitHub CLI is a separate tool that adds GitHub-specific commands (likegh pr create,gh issue list, etc.) to the terminal, working with Git to streamline GitHub operations.

3. How to connect to GitHub via CLI?

To connect, first install GitHub CLI and then rungh auth login. You’ll be guided through a simple authentication flow to sign in with your GitHub account. Once authenticated, you can start using gh commands to interact with your repositories.

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