GitHub CLI
cli/cliReviewed by AI
What it does
GitHub CLI (the gh command) is GitHub's official tool for working with GitHub from a terminal. You can create and review pull requests, handle issues, clone repositories, check automated runs and call GitHub's API without opening the website. It is for programmers who already use git and GitHub. Windows, Mac and Linux get ready installers and packages; after installing you sign in to your GitHub account and type commands. Release files come with signed build records you can check.
How easy it is to install
B · installer plus one simple step · Windows
- Windows B
- macOS B
- Linux B
Every platform has a ready package: a Windows installer (gh_2.103.3_windows_amd64.msi), a Mac .pkg, and .deb/.rpm packages for Linux; after installing you sign in to GitHub once, then work by typing commands in a terminal.
Numbers on GitHub
- Stars
- 46,826on Oct 31, 2026
- Downloads
- 147,244,3533,071,905 this week
- Growth
- +73stars in 5 days
Stars over time
Facts
- Runs on
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- You need to install
- Nothing extra
- To build from source
- Go
- Disk space
- 15 MB–44 MB · from the installer
- Accounts or keys
- GitHub account sign-in
- Cost
- Free · Free (MIT). It works with your GitHub account; paid GitHub plans are separate and not needed to use the tool.
- License
- MIT (Permissive)
- Can replace
- GitKraken
- Last update
- Oct 30, 2026
Risk signals (1)
- Infolinux repo key rotation
README: "GitHub CLI's PGP signing key rotation for Linux package repositories is effective September 5, 2026; users experiencing package installation or update problems can find solutions in the public announcement".
AI review
Evidence is shown in its original language.
What Radar could not check
- Where and how your GitHub sign-in token is stored on your computer.
- Whether optional extensions or agent skills you add with gh behave as described, since they come from other authors.
- Whether the Linux package repositories install cleanly after the signing key change.