About github-project
github-project is a skill for GitHub repository maintenance, aimed at developers and maintainers. It combines operational scripts with focused references for branch protection, pull requests, CI, security, and repository workflows.
Key features
- 01Branch protection setup and verification
- 02Pull request merge diagnostics
- 03GitHub Actions failure checks
- 04Security and ruleset guidance
- 05References for repository operations
Use cases
- 01Set branch protection after creating a repository
- 02Diagnose a pull request that will not merge
- 03Investigate failed GitHub Actions runs
- 04Review security and auto-merge settings
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
npx skills add https:/ / github.com/ netresearch/ github-project-skill --skill github-projectAfter installing, type/github-projectin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Bundled files
References and scripts installed along with SKILL.md.
checkpoints.yamlassets/auto-merge-direct.yml.templateauto-merge-queue.yml.templateauto-merge.yml.templatebranch-protection.json.templatebug_report.md.templateCODEOWNERS.templateCONTRIBUTING.md.templatedependabot.yml.templatefeature_request.md.templatepr-quality.yml.templatePULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md.templaterelease-labeler.yml.templaterenovate.json.templateSECURITY.md.templateevals/evals.jsonreferences/actionlint-guide.mdactions-upgrade-guide.mdagentic-workflows.mdai-reviewer-pushback.mdauto-merge-guide.mdbranch-migration.mdci-runner-capacity.mdcross-repo-references.mddependency-management.mdgh-cli-reference.mdmerge-strategy.mdmulti-repo-operations.mdno-editorializing.mdorg-security-settings.mdDetails
From the project READMEGitHub Project Skill
When to Use
- Post
gh repo create+ push, before first PR — REQUIRED:scripts/init-branch-protection.sh OWNER/REPO - First issue/PR into a foreign repo —
references/upstream-contributions.mdBEFORE filing - Adding a workflow job — pitfall #6
- PR won't merge / threads
- Auto-merge fails (Dependabot/Renovate)
- Solo auto-approve
- Branch protection, rulesets
- GHA failures
- Signed-commit merge
- CodeQL
- Scorecard
- CODEOWNERS, templates, labels
- Fork PR merge base
Quick Diagnostics
PR Won't Merge
gh pr view PR --repo OWNER/REPO \
--json mergeStateStatus,reviewDecision,mergeable,reviewThreads
Solo Maintainer: Stuck on REVIEW_REQUIRED
Either assets/pr-quality.yml.template (auto-approve, required_approving_review_count >= 1) or scripts/init-branch-protection.sh OWNER/REPO --solo (approvals 0, conversation resolution kept) — references/auto-merge-guide.md compares both.
Auto-merge Setup
Requires allow_auto_merge, pull_request_target, bot detection, gh pr merge --auto (references/auto-merge-guide.md).
Auto-merge Not Working
gh pr view PR --repo OWNER/REPO --json autoMergeRequest --jq .autoMergeRequest
Bypass actors: references/security-config.md.
GitHub Actions Failing
gh run list --repo OWNER/REPO --limit 5
gh run view RUN_ID --repo OWNER/REPO --log-failed
gh run rerun RUN_ID --repo OWNER/REPO
Security Quick Checks
gh api repos/OWNER/REPO/rules/branches/main
gh api repos/OWNER/REPO/branches/main/protection \
--jq '{rcr: .required_conversation_resolution.enabled, admins: .enforce_admins.enabled}'
gh api repos/OWNER/REPO/code-scanning/default-setup --jq '.state'
gh pr view PR --repo OWNER/REPO --json reviewThreads --jq '.reviewThreads'
Merge Strategy Issues
references/auto-merge-guide.md: signed-commit rebase, workflow-file PRs, Copilot race.
Calling Organisation Reusables
Rule: uses: netresearch/<repo>/.github/workflows/<name>.yml@main. Never a commit hash, also not @<sha> # main; third-party actions stay SHA-pinned. A CodeQL actions/unpinned-tag, zizmor or SonarCloud finding on such a line is dismissed as won't fix, never fixed by pinning. Why: references/reusable-workflow-security.md.
Running Scripts
scripts/init-branch-protection.sh OWNER/REPO # baseline
scripts/init-branch-protection.sh OWNER/REPO --from-current-checks # after first CI
scripts/init-branch-protection.sh OWNER/REPO --merge-queue # then: org-standard queue
scripts/verify-github-project.sh /path/to/repository # local-checkout audit
No editorializing
State what a change does, not how good it is.
References
| Topic | Reference |
|---|---|
| Repo bootstrap | references/repo-bootstrap.md |
| Repository file layout | references/repository-structure.md |
| Branch migration | references/branch-migration.md |
| Repository retirement, Packagist abandon | references/repo-retirement.md |
| Dependabot/Renovate | references/dependency-management.md |
| Auto-approve + auto-merge | references/auto-merge-guide.md |
| Merge strategy | references/merge-strategy.md |
| Sub-issues | references/sub-issues.md |
| Release labeling | references/release-labeling.md |
| gh CLI commands | references/gh-cli-reference.md |
| Polyglot CI checklists | references/repo-setup-guide.md |
| Scorecard, CodeQL, security | references/security-config.md |
| actionlint | references/actionlint-guide.md |
| Actions upgrades, Node-runtime wave | references/actions-upgrade-guide.md |
| Workflow bash pitfalls | references/workflow-bash-patterns.md |
| Runner capacity, concurrency groups (schedule vs push) | references/ci-runner-capacity.md |
| No editorializing | references/no-editorializing.md |
| Fork merge base | references/pr-commit-cleanup.md |
| Multi-repo batch ops | references/multi-repo-operations.md |
| Private copy of a public repo (mirror push) | references/multi-repo-operations.md |
| Cross-repo references, code permalinks | references/cross-repo-references.md |
| Foreign-repo contributions | references/upstream-contributions.md |
| Reusable workflow security | references/reusable-workflow-security.md |
| Reusable workflow pitfalls | references/reusable-workflow-pitfalls.md |
| Org security settings | references/org-security-settings.md |
| Tag validation | references/tag-validation.md |
| AI reviewer pushback | references/ai-reviewer-pushback.md |
| Agentic workflows | references/agentic-workflows.md |
| Pages + data collectors | references/pages-and-collector-workflows.md |
Contributing: https://github.com/netresearch/github-project-skill