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GitHub CLI

ApplicationGitHub

Dem still dey call am gh, gh cli, hub cli

GitHubProductivity

GitHub official command-line tool. Di process na gh.exe. No be GitHub Desktop and no be git.exe.

Wetin you need know

gh.exe na GitHub CLI. GitHub Desktop na different app.

GitHub CLI na di official gh command. GitHub Desktop na GitHubDesktop.exe. Git for Windows na git.exe. To uninstall Desktop no dey remove gh. To install gh no dey install Git Bash.

Wetin e be?
gh command for GitHub
Same thing as Desktop?
No. Dis one na CLI
Dey replace git?
No. You still need git.exe
Feex tok say
If gh no dey recognized, I go install GitHub CLI from cli.github.com. I no go first repair GitHub Desktop. Desktop na GUI. Dis one na gh.exe.

Wetin be GitHub CLI?

GitHub CLI na gh.exe. Im dey wrap GitHub.com features. No be Git for Windows and no be GitHub Desktop.

If you never use am before

If guide talk say make you install gh, na GitHub CLI from cli.github.com be dis. gh.exe dey create pull requests and im dey talk to GitHub API. git.exe na still di VCS. GitHub Desktop na di GUI. You fit use git without gh. You no fit replace git with gh for every local commit.

Wetin dem dey use am for?

Pull requests and issues

gh pr create and gh issue. Desktop fit do dis one with mouse. git.exe alone no fit open GitHub PR without extra steps.

gh auth login

Device or browser auth to GitHub. Git Credential Manager na different helper wey git.exe dey use.

Repo create and clone helpers

GitHub-specific shortcuts. git clone still dey work without dis tool.

Na who e dey for?

  • People wey dey stay inside terminal and GitHub.com
  • Users wey no want GitHub Desktop
  • Anybody wey type gh come think say Git dey missing

Current status

GitHub CLI (2020) na current github command line from GitHub. Di vendor still dey point Windows users go https://cli.github.com/.

How old e be?

GitHub release gh for 2020 as di supported CLI, after di older hub tool. Im newer pass GitHub Desktop (2015) and im far newer pass Git (2005). Current Windows MSI and winget packages na di product.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers no dey all verified here.

gh MSI

System requirements

Values dey follow wetin di publisher release publicly. Workload still dey change di real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system Current 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, according to GitHub CLI
RAM Di CLI tiny well well

Resource profile

CPU demand
Dey follow wetin you open inside di app
RAM demand
Dey follow documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

Dese executables belong to dis product when e dey installed.

Installed processes
gh.exe GitHub CLI

Startup components

gh.exe no dey start with Windows. You dey run am inside terminal.

File locations

Common GitHub CLI locations
Typical install C:\Program Files\GitHub CLI\

File formats

JSON from --json flags

Common wahala dem

gh dey work, git dey missing

Install Git for Windows from git-scm.com. gh dey talk to GitHub. git dey talk to di repo.

Auth inside Desktop, no be inside gh

gh auth login na separate login. Desktop credentials no dey automatically turn to gh tokens.

How to get unstuck

where.exe gh

Expect Program Files\GitHub CLI\gh.exe. GitHubDesktop.exe na di GUI path.

Install from cli.github.com or winget GitHub.cli

Random gh.exe inside Downloads na wetin you suppose ignore.

gh auth status

Dey show dis CLI login. Im no go list Sourcetree accounts.

Alternatives

GitHub Desktop for GUI. git.exe for local version control. Di old hub binary no be dis supported CLI.

Official help and downloads

Start with di vendor. Random exe sites no be support channel.

Official contacts
Download cli.github.com/ Official installer or vendor page
Help cli.github.com/manual/ Vendor support
Official site cli.github.com/ Start here, no be random exe host
Manual cli.github.com/manual/ gh pr, gh repo, and auth

Related hardware

Di CLI tiny well well. Network go GitHub na di normal limit.

Technical details

Technical details

Vendor version numbers dey change. Dis article no pin down any build.

Sources and verification

Recorded source label: August 2026. Dis label no establish independent verification. How we dey do research.

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