🎯

accessing-github-repos

🎯Skill

from oaustegard/claude-skills

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What it does

accessing-github-repos skill from oaustegard/claude-skills

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Part of

oaustegard/claude-skills(34 items)

accessing-github-repos

Installation

Install ScriptRun install script
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/oaustegard/claude-skills/main/templates/installation/install-skills.sh | bash
Shell ScriptRun shell script
./install-skills.sh
πŸ“– Extracted from docs: oaustegard/claude-skills
1Installs
83
-
Last UpdatedJan 29, 2026

Skill Details

SKILL.md

GitHub repository access in containerized environments using REST API and credential detection. Use when git clone fails, or when accessing private repos/writing files via API.

Overview

# Accessing GitHub Repositories

Git clone is blocked in containerized AI environments (egress proxy rejects CONNECT tunnel), but full repository access is available via GitHub REST API and raw file URLs.

Quick Start

Public Repos (no setup needed)

```bash

# Individual file via raw URL

curl -sL "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/OWNER/REPO/BRANCH/path/file"

# Directory tree via API

curl -sL "https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/git/trees/BRANCH?recursive=1"

```

Private Repos or Write Access

Requires GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT). See Setup section below.

Setup

Credential Configuration

The skill automatically detects PATs from environment variables or project files:

Environment Variables (checked in order):

  • GITHUB_PAT
  • GH_PAT
  • GITHUB_TOKEN
  • GH_TOKEN

Project Files (Claude.ai):

  • /mnt/project/.env
  • /mnt/project/github.env

Format:

```bash

GITHUB_PAT=github_pat_11AAAAAA...

```

Creating a GitHub PAT

  1. GitHub β†’ Settings β†’ Developer settings β†’ Fine-grained tokens
  2. Create token scoped to needed repositories
  3. Set permissions:

- Contents: Read - for private repo access

- Contents: Write - for pushing files

- Issues: Write - for issue management

- Pull requests: Write - for creating PRs

Network Access (Claude.ai Projects)

Add to network allowlist:

  • api.github.com
  • raw.githubusercontent.com

Capabilities by Auth Level

| Capability | No PAT (public only) | PAT (read) | PAT (write) |

|------------|---------------------|------------|-------------|

| Fetch public files | βœ… | βœ… | βœ… |

| Fetch private files | ❌ | βœ… | βœ… |

| Download tarball | βœ… public | βœ… | βœ… |

| Create/update files | ❌ | ❌ | βœ… |

| Create branches | ❌ | ❌ | βœ… |

| Manage issues | ❌ | ❌ | βœ… |

| Create PRs | ❌ | ❌ | βœ… |

Python Helper Functions

Credential Detection

```python

import os

def get_github_auth():

"""Returns (token, source) or (None, None)"""

# Check environment variables

for var in ['GITHUB_PAT', 'GH_PAT', 'GITHUB_TOKEN', 'GH_TOKEN']:

if token := os.environ.get(var):

return token, var

# Check project .env files

env_paths = ['/mnt/project/.env', '/mnt/project/github.env']

for path in env_paths:

try:

with open(path) as f:

for line in f:

if '=' in line and not line.startswith('#'):

key, val = line.strip().split('=', 1)

if key in ['GITHUB_PAT', 'GH_PAT', 'GITHUB_TOKEN']:

return val.strip(), f'{path}:{key}'

except FileNotFoundError:

continue

return None, None

```

Fetch Single File

```python

import base64

import urllib.request

import json

def fetch_file(owner: str, repo: str, path: str, ref: str = 'main', token: str = None) -> str:

"""Fetch single file. Uses API if token provided, raw URL otherwise."""

if token:

# Use API (works for private repos)

url = f'https://api.github.com/repos/{owner}/{repo}/contents/{path}?ref={ref}'

req = urllib.request.Request(url, headers={

'Authorization': f'Bearer {token}',

'Accept': 'application/vnd.github+json'

})

with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as resp:

data = json.load(resp)

return base64.b64decode(data['content']).decode()

else:

# Use raw URL (public repos only)

url = f'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/{owner}/{repo}/{ref}/{path}'

with urllib.request.urlopen(url) as resp:

return resp.read().decode()

```

Fetch Repository Tarball

```python

def fetch_repo_tarball(owner: str, repo: str, ref: str = 'main', token: str = None) -> bytes:

"""Download full repo as tarball. Requires token for private repos."""

url = f'https://api.github.com/repos/{owner}/{repo}/tarball/{ref}'

headers = {'Accept': 'application/vnd.github+json'}

if token:

headers['Authorization'] = f'Bearer {token}'

req = urllib.request.Request(url, headers=headers)

with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as resp:

return resp.read()

# Usage:

tarball = fetch_repo_tarball('owner', 'repo', 'main', token)

with open('/tmp/repo.tar.gz', 'wb') as f:

f.write(tarball)

# Extract: tar -xzf /tmp/repo.tar.gz

```

Create or Update File

```python

def push_file(owner: str, repo: str, path: str, content: str,

message: str, token: str, sha: str = None) -> dict:

"""Create/update file via API. Returns commit info.

Args:

sha: Required when updating existing file (get via contents API)

"""

url = f'https://api.github.com/repos/{owner}/{repo}/contents/{path}'

payload = {

'message': message,

'content': base64.b64encode(content.encode()).decode()

}

if sha: # Update existing file

payload['sha'] = sha

req = urllib.request.Request(url,

data=json.dumps(payload).encode(),

headers={

'Authorization': f'Bearer {token}',

'Accept': 'application/vnd.github+json',

'Content-Type': 'application/json'

},

method='PUT')

with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as resp:

return json.load(resp)

```

Get File SHA (for updates)

```python

def get_file_sha(owner: str, repo: str, path: str, token: str, ref: str = 'main') -> str:

"""Get file SHA needed for updates."""

url = f'https://api.github.com/repos/{owner}/{repo}/contents/{path}?ref={ref}'

req = urllib.request.Request(url, headers={

'Authorization': f'Bearer {token}',

'Accept': 'application/vnd.github+json'

})

with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as resp:

data = json.load(resp)

return data['sha']

```

Bash Examples

Fetch Public File

```bash

curl -sL "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/owner/repo/main/path/file.py"

```

Fetch Private File (with PAT)

```bash

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_PAT" \

-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \

"https://api.github.com/repos/owner/repo/contents/path/file.py" | \

python3 -c "import sys,json,base64; print(base64.b64decode(json.load(sys.stdin)['content']).decode())"

```

Download Repo Tarball

```bash

# Public repo

curl -sL "https://api.github.com/repos/owner/repo/tarball/main" -o repo.tar.gz

# Private repo

curl -sL -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_PAT" \

"https://api.github.com/repos/owner/repo/tarball/main" -o repo.tar.gz

tar -xzf repo.tar.gz

```

Create/Update File

```bash

# Encode content

CONTENT=$(cat file.txt | base64 -w0)

# Push (new file)

curl -X PUT \

-H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_PAT" \

-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \

"https://api.github.com/repos/owner/repo/contents/path/file.txt" \

-d "{\"message\":\"Add file\",\"content\":\"$CONTENT\"}"

# Push (update existing - need SHA first)

SHA=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_PAT" \

"https://api.github.com/repos/owner/repo/contents/path/file.txt" | \

python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin)['sha'])")

curl -X PUT \

-H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_PAT" \

-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \

"https://api.github.com/repos/owner/repo/contents/path/file.txt" \

-d "{\"message\":\"Update file\",\"content\":\"$CONTENT\",\"sha\":\"$SHA\"}"

```

List Directory Tree

```bash

curl -sL "https://api.github.com/repos/owner/repo/git/trees/main?recursive=1" | \

python3 -c "import json, sys; [print(f['path']) for f in json.load(sys.stdin)['tree'] if f['type']=='blob']"

```

Why git clone Doesn't Work

The container's egress proxy blocks git protocol operations:

  • HTTPS clone: Proxy returns 401 on CONNECT tunnel
  • SSH: No ssh binary in container
  • git:// protocol: DNS resolution blocked

The GitHub REST API uses standard HTTPS and routes through the proxy normally.

Do Not

  • Never attempt git clone (wastes time, always fails)
  • Never suggest workarounds requiring git protocol
  • Never retry with different git flags or SSH URLs
  • Never recommend git submodules, git archive, or other git-protocol operations

Rate Limits

  • Authenticated: 5,000 requests/hour
  • Unauthenticated: 60 requests/hour

For heavy usage, always provide a PAT.

When This Skill Does Not Apply

  • Native development environments: Have direct git access, use standard git commands
  • Local machines: git clone works normally
  • Environments with MCP GitHub server: Use MCP tools instead