github Skill

Access GitHub API for repository operations, pull requests, issues, code search, and more.

Context Efficiency

Traditional MCP approach:

• All 26 tools loaded at startup
• Estimated context: 13000 tokens

This skill approach:

• Metadata only: ~100 tokens
• Full instructions (when used): ~5k tokens
• Tool execution: 0 tokens (runs externally)

How This Works

Instead of loading all MCP tool definitions upfront, this skill:

1. Tells you what tools are available (just names and brief descriptions)
2. You decide which tool to call based on the user's request
3. Generate a JSON command to invoke the tool
4. The executor handles the actual MCP communication

Available Tools

• create_or_update_file: Create or update a single file in a GitHub repository
• search_repositories: Search for GitHub repositories
• create_repository: Create a new GitHub repository in your account
• get_file_contents: Get the contents of a file or directory from a GitHub repository
• push_files: Push multiple files to a GitHub repository in a single commit
• create_issue: Create a new issue in a GitHub repository
• create_pull_request: Create a new pull request in a GitHub repository
• fork_repository: Fork a GitHub repository to your account or specified organization
• create_branch: Create a new branch in a GitHub repository
• list_commits: Get list of commits of a branch in a GitHub repository
• list_issues: List issues in a GitHub repository with filtering options
• update_issue: Update an existing issue in a GitHub repository
• add_issue_comment: Add a comment to an existing issue
• search_code: Search for code across GitHub repositories
• search_issues: Search for issues and pull requests across GitHub repositories
• search_users: Search for users on GitHub
• get_issue: Get details of a specific issue in a GitHub repository.
• get_pull_request: Get details of a specific pull request
• list_pull_requests: List and filter repository pull requests
• create_pull_request_review: Create a review on a pull request
• merge_pull_request: Merge a pull request
• get_pull_request_files: Get the list of files changed in a pull request
• get_pull_request_status: Get the combined status of all status checks for a pull request
• update_pull_request_branch: Update a pull request branch with the latest changes from the base branch
• get_pull_request_comments: Get the review comments on a pull request
• get_pull_request_reviews: Get the reviews on a pull request

Usage Pattern

When the user's request matches this skill's capabilities:

Step 1: Identify the right tool from the list above

Step 2: Generate a tool call in this JSON format:

{
  "tool": "tool_name",
  "arguments": {
    "param1": "value1",
    "param2": "value2"
  }
}

Step 3: Execute via bash:

python .claude/skills/mcp-skills/executor.py --skill github --call 'YOUR_JSON_HERE'

Getting Tool Details

If you need detailed information about a specific tool's parameters:

python .claude/skills/mcp-skills/executor.py --skill github --describe tool_name

This loads ONLY that tool's schema, not all tools.

Examples

Example 1: Simple tool call

User: "Create a GitHub issue"

Your workflow:

1. Identify tool: create_issue
2. Generate call JSON
3. Execute:

python .claude/skills/mcp-skills/executor.py --skill github --call '{"tool": "create_issue", "arguments": {"owner": "user", "repo": "repo", "title": "Bug fix"}}'

Example 2: Get tool details first

python .claude/skills/mcp-skills/executor.py --skill github --describe create_issue

Returns the full schema, then you can generate the appropriate call.

Error Handling

If the executor returns an error:

• Check the tool name is correct
• Verify required arguments are provided
• Ensure the MCP server is accessible

Performance Notes

Context usage comparison for this skill:

Savings: ~61% reduction in typical usage

This skill was auto-generated from an MCP server configuration. Generator: mcp_to_skill.py