---
name: GitHub Authentication Setup
slug: github-authentication-setup
category: DevOps
description: GitHub Authentication Setup configures HTTPS tokens, SSH keys, or gh CLI auth so an agent can work with GitHub repositories, pull requests, issues, and CI. Use it before cloning, pushing, or calling the GitHub API.
github: "https://github.com/HezaoHezao/poirot/tree/master/poirot/backend/agents/skill/builtin_skills/software-development/github-auth"
language: Python
stars: 187
forks: 9
install: "npx degit https://github.com/HezaoHezao/poirot/tree/master/poirot/backend/agents/skill/builtin_skills/software-development/github-auth ~/.claude/skills/github-auth"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/github-auth
source_path: poirot/backend/agents/skill/builtin_skills/software-development/github-auth/SKILL.md
collection_size: 37
category_size: 798
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/HezaoHezao/poirot"
added: 2026-08-12T04:44:29.872Z
last_synced: 2026-08-12T04:44:29.872Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/github-authentication-setup"
---

# GitHub Authentication Setup

GitHub Authentication Setup configures HTTPS tokens, SSH keys, or gh CLI auth so an agent can work with GitHub repositories, pull requests, issues, and CI. Use it before cloning, pushing, or calling the GitHub API.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/HezaoHezao/poirot/tree/master/poirot/backend/agents/skill/builtin_skills/software-development/github-auth ~/.claude/skills/github-auth
```

## README

# GitHub Authentication Setup

Sets up authentication so the agent can work with GitHub repositories, PRs,
issues, and CI.

## Detection Flow

When a user asks to work with GitHub, run this check first:

```bash
git --version
gh --version 2>/dev/null || echo "gh not installed"
gh auth status 2>/dev/null || echo "gh not authenticated"
git config --global credential.helper 2>/dev/null || echo "no git credential helper"
```

**Decision tree:**
1. If `gh auth status` shows authenticated → use `gh` for everything
2. If `gh` installed but not authenticated → use "gh auth" method
3. If `gh` not installed → use "git-only" method

## Method 1: Git-Only (No gh)

### HTTPS with Personal Access Token (Recommended)

**Step 1: Create a token** at https://github.com/settings/tokens (classic)
or https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens (fine-grained). Scope:
`repo`, `workflow`, `read:org`.

**Step 2: Configure git credential helper:**

```bash
# Store credentials (plaintext, dev machine only)
git config --global credential.helper store

# Or use a credential cache (timed, more secure)
git config --global credential.helper 'cache --timeout=3600'
```

**Step 3: First push triggers prompt:**
```bash
# Username: your GitHub username
# Password: paste your token (not your GitHub password)
git push origin main
```

**Step 4 (optional): Set token as env var for API calls:**
```bash
export GITHUB_TOKEN="ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxx"
# Add to .env for persistence
```

### SSH Keys

```bash
# Generate key (if no existing key)
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com" -f ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_github

# Start ssh-agent
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_github

# Copy public key
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_github.pub
# Paste at https://github.com/settings/keys

# Test
ssh -T git@github.com

# Set remote to SSH
git remote set-url origin git@github.com:owner/repo.git
```

## Method 2: gh CLI

```bash
# Install gh (if not present)
# macOS: brew install gh
# Linux: see https://github.com/cli/cli#installation
# Windows: winget install GitHub.cli

# Authenticate
gh auth login
# Follow prompts: choose HTTPS or SSH, authenticate via browser or token

# Verify
gh auth status

# Use gh for everything
gh repo clone owner/repo
gh pr create
gh issue list
```

## Verification

```bash
# Test git auth
git ls-remote origin

# Test gh auth
gh api user --jq '.login'

# Test API token
curl -s -H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" https://api.github.com/user | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin)['login'])"
```

## Common Auth Setup Block

Many skills need owner/repo. Use this reusable block:

```bash
# Determine auth method
if command -v gh &>/dev/null && gh auth status &>/dev/null; then
  AUTH="gh"
else
  AUTH="git"
fi

# Extract owner/repo from remote
REMOTE_URL=$(git remote get-url origin)
OWNER_REPO=$(echo "$REMOTE_URL" | sed -E 's|.*github\.com[:/]||; s|\.git$||')
OWNER=$(echo "$OWNER_REPO" | cut -d/ -f1)
REPO=$(echo "$OWNER_REPO" | cut -d/ -f2)
```

## Pitfalls

- **2FA**: HTTPS with password no longer works (GitHub requires token). Use
  personal access token, not password.
- **Token expiry**: fine-grained tokens expire. Check `gh auth status` or
  `curl -s -H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" https://api.github.com/user`.
- **SSH on Windows**: use `ssh-keygen` in Git Bash or PowerShell (OpenSSH
  client built into Windows 10+).
- **Credential helper on Windows**: `git config --global credential.helper
  manager` uses Windows Credential Manager.
- **Rate limits**: unauthenticated API calls limited to 60/hour. Use token for
  5000/hour.