Level up your workflow with GitHub CLI

Introduction

When starting a new project, I prefer to keep everything inside the terminal.
With GitHub CLI (gh), I can create repositories, manage issues, and handle pull requests — all without touching the GitHub website.

Here’s how I use gh commands in my day-to-day work.

⚡ Quick Reference

Setup / Installation

If you haven’t installed GitHub CLI yet, follow the official setup guide here:
👉 Install GitHub CLI

Authentication

Start by logging in:

gh auth login

You can choose SSH or HTTPS for authentication.
To check your current status:

gh auth status

And to sign out:

gh auth logout

Creating a New Repository

When creating a new Next.js project, I use:

pnpm create next-app@latest my-project
cd my-project

Then, inside the project directory:

gh repo create

GitHub CLI automatically detects the current folder and guides you through an interactive setup — such as choosing visibility and initial settings.
Once complete, your project is linked to a new GitHub repository instantly.

Listing Repositories

You can view your repositories directly in the terminal:

gh repo list

Add options like --limit 10 to show only a few results.

Managing Issues

You can check, view, and create issues without leaving your terminal.

The develop command lets you spin up a new branch and start working on an issue immediately.
The -c flag automatically checks out that branch after it’s created — great for jumping straight into development.

Pull Requests

Creating and managing pull requests is seamless with GitHub CLI.

Exploring Commands

If you’re not sure what’s available, explore with:

gh help

Or view details for specific sections:

gh repo --help
gh pr --help

Conclusion

GitHub CLI keeps your workflow smooth and focused.
From creating new repositories to managing issues and pull requests, it lets you stay entirely within the terminal — no browser required.