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GitHub cli on Ubuntu

Installing GitHub CLI (gh) on Ubuntu 24.04

The GitHub CLI (gh) is a powerful command-line tool that allows you to interact with GitHub directly from your terminal. Here’s how to install it on your Ubuntu 24.04 system:

GitHub provides an official APT repository for Ubuntu. This is the recommended method as it will ensure you get the latest version and automatic updates.

Terminal window
# 1. Install dependencies
sudo apt update
sudo apt install curl


# 2. Add the GitHub CLI repository GPG key
curl -fsSL https://cli.github.com/packages/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg | sudo dd of=/usr/share/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg


# 3. Add the GitHub CLI repository
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg] https://cli.github.com/packages stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/github-cli.list > /dev/null


# 4. Update package lists and install gh
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gh

Method 2: Install via Snap

If you prefer using snap packages, you can install GitHub CLI this way:

Terminal window
sudo snap install gh

Authenticate with GitHub

After installation, you need to authenticate with your GitHub account:

Terminal window
gh auth login

Follow the interactive prompts:

  • Select GitHub.com (not enterprise)
  • Choose your preferred protocol (HTTPS or SSH)
  • Choose how you want to authenticate (browser or token)

Verify Installation

Verify that the CLI was installed correctly:

Terminal window
gh --version

Basic Usage Examples

Here are some common commands to get started:

Terminal window
# Clone a repository
gh repo clone username/repository


# Create a new repository
gh repo create my-project


# Create a new issue
gh issue create


# Create a pull request
gh pr create


# View repository status
gh repo view


# List your pull requests
gh pr list

Configure CLI Settings (Optional)

You can set various configuration options:

Terminal window
# Set editor
gh config set editor vim


# Set browser
gh config set browser firefox


# Display all configuration settings
gh config list

Now you have GitHub CLI installed and configured on your Ubuntu 24.04 system!