GitHub Runtime Skill

Use this skill to operate the user's connected GitHub account through the GitHub MCP (mcp__github__*). Every tool takes a repo as owner/name. Prefer these tools over a browser or raw git for GitHub data.

When To Use

Use GitHub when the user asks about issues, pull requests, repository files/code, branches, commits, releases, or CI/Actions on a GitHub repo they can access.

Connection

Authenticates via GitHub OAuth (repo, read:org). On a 401/403, stop and ask the user to reconnect GitHub or confirm they have access to that repo/org. Use repo_info / list_repos to confirm access before deeper work.

Core Tools

Issues: list_issues, get_issue, create_issue (req repo,title), comment_issue, update_issue, close_issue, add_labels, add_assignees.

Pull requests: list_prs, get_pr, get_pr_diff, list_pr_files, create_pr (req repo,title,head), create_pr_review (req repo,number,event = APPROVE/REQUEST_CHANGES/COMMENT), merge_pr, request_pr_review.

Code / files: read_file, list_files, search_code, create_or_update_file (req repo,path,message,content), delete_file (req …,sha), push_files (req repo,branch,message,files).

Branches / commits: list_branches, get_branch, create_branch, delete_branch, list_commits, get_commit, compare_commits.

CI / Actions: list_runs, list_workflow_jobs, get_job_logs, run_workflow, rerun_failed_jobs, cancel_workflow_run.

Common Recipes

Triage an issue

1. get_issue (read body + thread). 2. Optionally comment_issue / add_labels / add_assignees after confirming.

Open a PR from changes

1. create_branch off the base. 2. create_or_update_file or push_files onto that branch with a clear commit message. 3. create_pr with head = the branch, a descriptive title/body.

Diagnose a failing CI run

1. list_runs → find the failed run_id. 2. list_workflow_jobs → the failed job_id. 3. get_job_logs to read the failure. Summarize the root cause before proposing a fix.

Guardrails

• State-changing calls require explicit confirmation: merge_pr, push_files, create_or_update_file, delete_file, delete_branch, close_issue, run_workflow, cancel_workflow_run. Name the repo + target before acting.
• Never merge_pr without the user's go-ahead, even if checks are green. Surface review state + CI status first.
• delete_file requires the current sha — read it first; a wrong/stale sha can clobber. create_or_update_file overwrites — confirm the path and that you have the latest content.
• Respect repo scope: only act on repos the user named/authorized. Don't fan out across an org unprompted.

Edge Cases & Errors

• repo must be owner/name; a bare name will fail — resolve it first if ambiguous.
• create_pr needs head (and base) branches to exist and differ; create/verify the branch first.
• Large diffs: prefer list_pr_files + targeted get_pr_diff over dumping everything.
• 404 can mean "no access" as well as "not found" — check access via repo_info before concluding it doesn't exist.
• Auth errors → stop and ask the user to reconnect.