Cloning is pure git — works identically either way:
# Clone via HTTPS (works with credential helper or token-embedded URL)
git clone https://github.com/owner/repo-name.git
# Clone into a specific directory
git clone https://github.com/owner/repo-name.git ./my-local-dir
# Shallow clone (faster for large repos)
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/owner/repo-name.git
# Clone a specific branch
git clone --branch develop https://github.com/owner/repo-name.git
# Clone via SSH (if SSH is configured)
git clone git@github.com:owner/repo-name.git
# Create a public repo and clone it
gh repo create my-new-project --public --clone# Private, with description and license
gh repo create my-new-project --private --description "A useful tool" --license MIT --clone# Under an organization
gh repo create my-org/my-new-project --public --clone# From existing local directorycd /path/to/existing/project
gh repo create my-project --source . --public --push
With git + curl:
# Create the remote repo via API
curl -s -X POST \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/user/repos \
-d '{
"name": "my-new-project",
"description": "A useful tool",
"private": false,
"auto_init": true,
"license_template": "mit"
}'# Clone it
git clone https://github.com/$GH_USER/my-new-project.git
cd my-new-project
# -- OR -- push an existing local directory to the new repocd /path/to/existing/project
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git remote add origin https://github.com/$GH_USER/my-new-project.git
git push -u origin main
# Create the fork via API
curl -s -X POST \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/owner/repo-name/forks
# Wait a moment for GitHub to create it, then clonesleep 3
git clone https://github.com/$GH_USER/repo-name.git
cd repo-name
# Add the original repo as "upstream" remote
git remote add upstream https://github.com/owner/repo-name.git
Keeping a Fork in Sync
# Pure git — works everywhere
git fetch upstream
git checkout main
git merge upstream/main
git push origin main
gh secret set API_KEY --body "your-secret-value"
gh secret set SSH_KEY < ~/.ssh/id_rsa
gh secret list
gh secret delete API_KEY
With curl:
Secrets require encryption with the repo's public key — more involved via API:
# Get the repo's public key for encrypting secrets
curl -s \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/actions/secrets/public-key
# Encrypt and set (requires Python with PyNaCl)
python3 -c "
from base64 import b64encode
from nacl import encoding, public
import json, sys
# Get the public key
key_id = '<key_id_from_above>'
public_key = '<base64_key_from_above>'
# Encrypt
sealed = public.SealedBox(
public.PublicKey(public_key.encode('utf-8'), encoding.Base64Encoder)
).encrypt('your-secret-value'.encode('utf-8'))
print(json.dumps({
'encrypted_value': b64encode(sealed).decode('utf-8'),
'key_id': key_id
}))"# Then PUT the encrypted secret
curl -s -X PUT \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/actions/secrets/API_KEY \
-d '<output from python script above>'# List secrets (names only, values hidden)
curl -s \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/actions/secrets \
| python3 -c "
import sys, json
for s in json.load(sys.stdin)['secrets']:
print(f\" {s['name']:30} updated: {s['updated_at']}\")"
Note: For secrets, gh secret set is dramatically simpler. If setting secrets is needed and gh isn't available, recommend installing it for just that operation.
# Create a release
curl -s -X POST \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/releases \
-d '{
"tag_name": "v1.0.0",
"name": "v1.0.0",
"body": "## Changelog\n- Feature A\n- Bug fix B",
"draft": false,
"prerelease": false,
"generate_release_notes": true
}'# List releases
curl -s \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/releases \
| python3 -c "
import sys, json
for r in json.load(sys.stdin):
tag = r.get('tag_name', 'no tag')
print(f\" {tag:15} {r['name']:30} {'draft' if r['draft'] else 'published'}\")"# Upload a release asset (binary file)
RELEASE_ID=<id_from_create_response>
curl -s -X POST \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" \
"https://uploads.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/releases/$RELEASE_ID/assets?name=binary-amd64" \
--data-binary @./dist/binary-amd64
9. GitHub Actions Workflows
With gh:
gh workflow list
gh run list --limit 10
gh run view <RUN_ID>
gh run view <RUN_ID> --log-failed
gh run rerun <RUN_ID>
gh run rerun <RUN_ID> --failed
gh workflow run ci.yml --ref main
gh workflow run deploy.yml -f environment=staging
With curl:
# List workflows
curl -s \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/actions/workflows \
| python3 -c "
import sys, json
for w in json.load(sys.stdin)['workflows']:
print(f\" {w['id']:10} {w['name']:30} {w['state']}\")"# List recent runs
curl -s \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
"https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/actions/runs?per_page=10" \
| python3 -c "
import sys, json
for r in json.load(sys.stdin)['workflow_runs']:
print(f\" Run {r['id']} {r['name']:30} {r['conclusion'] or r['status']}\")"# Download failed run logs
RUN_ID=<run_id>
curl -s -L \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/actions/runs/$RUN_ID/logs \
-o /tmp/ci-logs.zip
cd /tmp && unzip -o ci-logs.zip -d ci-logs
# Re-run a failed workflow
curl -s -X POST \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/actions/runs/$RUN_ID/rerun
# Re-run only failed jobs
curl -s -X POST \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/actions/runs/$RUN_ID/rerun-failed-jobs
# Trigger a workflow manually (workflow_dispatch)
WORKFLOW_ID=<workflow_id_or_filename>
curl -s -X POST \
-H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
https://api.github.com/repos/$OWNER/$REPO/actions/workflows/$WORKFLOW_ID/dispatches \
-d '{"ref": "main", "inputs": {"environment": "staging"}}'
