GitHub CLI Workarounds

The Problem

When using gh issue create --body "..." or gh gist create with inline content, the shell interprets special characters:

• $variable — expanded as a shell variable (e.g., $content, $images)
• Backticks ` — interpreted as command substitution
• Double quotes — broken nesting with the shell's quoting

This causes Syntax error: word unexpected or truncated content.

The Fix: Always Use Temp Files

Where to write it

Use mktemp — it lands in $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR (the per-user ramdisk, e.g. /run/user/$(id -u): RAM-backed, wiped on logout, mode-700 private) when set, else /tmp. Prefer /tmp deliberately only when the file must outlive the session (e.g. a background job's log — the ramdisk is wiped on logout). Scratch files are transient: delete them after the gh command.

For Issues