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.

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⚡ Quick Reference

Task	Command
Log in to GitHub	gh auth login
Check login status	gh auth status
Create a new repo in current folder	gh repo create
List open issues	gh issue list
Create an issue	gh issue create
Develop an issue locally	gh issue develop <issue-number> -c
Create a pull request	gh pr create
Merge a pull request	gh pr merge <number>

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Setup / Installation

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

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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

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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.

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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.

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Managing Issues

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

Purpose	Command	Example
List open issues	gh issue list	gh issue list --label enhancement
View issue details	gh issue view <number>	gh issue view 27 --web
Create a new issue	gh issue create	gh issue create
Develop an issue locally	gh issue develop <issue-number> -c	gh issue develop 42 -c

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.

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Pull Requests

Creating and managing pull requests is seamless with GitHub CLI.

Purpose	Command	Example
List pull requests	gh pr list	gh pr list --state open
View a pull request	gh pr view <number>	gh pr view 12 --web
Create a new pull request	gh pr create	gh pr create
Checkout a pull request locally	gh pr checkout <number>	gh pr checkout 12
Merge a pull request	gh pr merge <number>	gh pr merge 12 --squash
Close a pull request without merging	gh pr close <number>	gh pr close 12

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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

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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.