using-github

Archive notice: using-github now lives in patinaproject/skills. Use that repository for the current plugin, issues, and updates.

One GitHub workflow skill for coding agents: file issues, edit issues, start branches, write changelogs, and prepare pull requests from repository rules.

What you get

• /using-github — The single supported entry point for GitHub work. It reads repository rules and applies the issue, branch, PR, and changelog workflows from one skill.

Quick start

Get from zero to a real invocation in under a minute (assumes Claude Code):

1. Add the Patina Project marketplace:

   /plugin marketplace add patinaproject/skills
   

2. Install the plugin:

   /plugin install using-github@patinaproject-skills
   

3. Invoke the GitHub behavior guide from a target repository:

   /using-github
   
   New issue: the homepage CTA button is broken.
   
   Create a new branch then fix.
   

The guide applies the correct workflow for filing issues, starting branches, editing issues, writing changelogs, and preparing public-safe PRs.

Breaking change

using-github replaces the former github-flows plugin identity. Direct invocations of the specialized new-issue, edit-issue, new-branch, and write-changelog skills are removed. Invoke using-github instead; it now owns those workflows from the single remaining skill.

GitHub redirects old patinaproject/github-flows repository URLs after the rename, but existing local checkouts should update their remotes:

git remote set-url origin git@github.com:patinaproject/using-github.git

Install in another editor

Show install steps for Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot, Codex, and others

using-github ships as a Claude Code + Codex plugin. Other supported editors read the repository-level files this plugin emits (AGENTS.md, .cursor/, .windsurfrules, .github/copilot-instructions.md) directly — those tools require no additional plugin install. Pick the section for your tool.

Claude Code

1. Register the Patina Project marketplace:

   /plugin marketplace add patinaproject/skills
   

2. Install the plugin:

   /plugin install using-github@patinaproject-skills
   

3. Open a target repository (or an issue in one) in Claude Code and invoke:

   /using-github
   
   New issue: the homepage CTA button is broken.
   
   Create a new branch then fix.
   

OpenAI Codex CLI

1. Register the Patina Project marketplace:

   codex plugin marketplace add patinaproject/skills

2. Install the plugin: run codex to start a session, type /plugins to open the plugin browser, find using-github under the patinaproject/skills marketplace, and select Install plugin.

3. Invoke from the target repository:

   [$using-github:using-github]
   
   New issue: the homepage CTA button is broken.
   
   Create a new branch then fix.
   

OpenAI Codex App

1. Install or enable the using-github plugin from your Codex plugin source.

2. Open the target repository in the app.

3. Invoke:

   [$using-github:using-github]
   
   New issue: the homepage CTA button is broken.
   
   Create a new branch then fix.
   

GitHub Copilot

No plugin install required. This repo ships .github/copilot-instructions.md, which Copilot Chat reads automatically when the repo is open in your editor.

1. Clone the repo and open it.

2. Invoke using-github from Copilot Chat:

   @workspace Use the using-github skill for the workflow described above.
   

Personal Copilot preferences belong in your user-scoped Copilot settings, not in the emitted .github/copilot-instructions.md.

Cursor

No plugin install required. This repo ships .cursor/rules/using-github.mdc, which Cursor loads as a project rule whenever the repo is open.

1. Clone the repo and open it in Cursor.

2. Ask the Cursor agent to apply using-github:

   Use the using-github skill for the workflow described above.
   

Personal Cursor rules belong in your user-scoped Cursor settings, not in the emitted .cursor/rules/.

Windsurf

No plugin install required. This repo ships .windsurfrules, which Windsurf reads natively when the repo is open.

1. Clone the repo and open it in Windsurf.

2. Ask Cascade to apply using-github:

   Use the using-github skill for the workflow described above.
   

Aider

No plugin install required. Aider reads AGENTS.md natively.

1. Clone the repo.
2. Run aider from inside the repo and ask it to apply the using-github workflow described in AGENTS.md.

Zed

No plugin install required. Zed's assistant reads AGENTS.md natively.

1. Clone the repo and open it in Zed.
2. Ask the assistant to apply the using-github workflow described in AGENTS.md.

Cline

No plugin install required. Cline reads AGENTS.md natively when the repo is open in VS Code.

1. Clone the repo and open it in VS Code with the Cline extension active.
2. Ask Cline to apply the using-github workflow described in AGENTS.md.

Opencode

No plugin install required. Opencode reads AGENTS.md natively.

1. Clone the repo and open it in Opencode.
2. Ask Opencode to apply the using-github workflow described in AGENTS.md.

Continue.dev

Continue.dev support is opt-in. Add the following entry to your .continue/config.json (project-scoped or user-scoped) so Continue picks up the using-github context:

{
  "context": [
    {
      "provider": "file",
      "params": {
        "files": ["AGENTS.md", ".github/copilot-instructions.md"]
      }
    }
  ]
}

Then ask Continue to apply the using-github workflow described in AGENTS.md.

Development

This repository is the source for the plugin. Local workflow:

pnpm install           # installs dev deps and wires husky
pnpm lint:md           # markdownlint-cli2
pnpm check:versions    # enforce package.json ↔ plugin manifests lockstep
pnpm commitlint        # one-off commit-message validation

Commits and PR titles follow type: #<issue> short description.

Releases are driven by release-please — merge the standing release PR to cut a new vX.Y.Z. See RELEASING.md.

Related

• Patina Project marketplace (patinaproject/skills)
• Contributing
• Security policy
• Release process

License

MIT — see LICENSE.