GitHub gh CLI

Reliable patterns for using the GitHub gh CLI for issue, PR, and label operations — built for automation and subagent environments where silent auth failures are common and fabricating a result is the worst outcome.

When to Use: Any time you create, list, view, edit, or close GitHub issues / PRs / labels through gh, particularly inside a sandboxed shell or a delegated subagent.

The One Rule: Never Fabricate

When an operation cannot be verified as succeeded, report the failure with the exact error. Never invent an issue number, a URL, or a "created successfully" message. A loud, accurate failure is always better than a fake success — downstream agents and humans act on what gets reported.

1. Pre-flight Verification (run BEFORE any operation)

Always confirm authentication and repo access first. These are cheap, read-only, and catch the overwhelming majority of failures before you mutate anything.