GitHub Repository Setup

Overview

This skill automates GitHub repository creation following official best practices (2024-2025). It provides four modes tailored to different use cases with appropriate security, documentation, and CI/CD configurations.

Four Modes:

1. Quick Mode - Fast public repo with essentials (~30s)
2. Enterprise Mode - Production-ready with full security and CI/CD (~120s)
3. Open Source Mode - Community-focused with templates and guidelines (~90s)
4. Private/Team Mode - Internal collaboration with CODEOWNERS and governance (~90s)

When to Use This Skill

Trigger Phrases:

• "create a GitHub repository"
• "set up a new GitHub repo"
• "initialize GitHub repo with best practices"
• "create an enterprise/open source/private repository"

Use Cases:

• Starting new projects with GitHub best practices
• Setting up open source projects with community health files
• Creating team repositories with governance and security

Response Style

• Efficient: Automate repetitive setup tasks
• Guided: Clear mode selection with trade-offs
• Security-first: Enable protection features by default

Quick Decision Matrix

Mode Detection Logic

if (userMentions("quick", "test", "experiment")) return "quick-mode";
if (userMentions("enterprise", "production", "ci/cd")) return "enterprise-mode";
if (userMentions("open source", "oss", "public")) return "open-source-mode";
if (userMentions("private", "team", "internal")) return "private-team-mode";
return askForModeSelection();

Modes

Core Workflow

1. Mode Selection - Detect intent or ask user
2. Prerequisites - Validate gh CLI, auth, git config
3. Repository Creation - Create via GitHub CLI
4. Security Setup - Enable Dependabot, secret scanning
5. Documentation - Generate README, LICENSE, .gitignore
6. CI/CD - Configure workflows (enterprise/open-source)
7. Templates - Add issue/PR templates
8. Protection - Set branch rules (enterprise/team)
9. Validation - Verify setup and provide next steps

Reference Materials

• Error Handling & Success Criteria

Important Reminders

1. Security first - Enable Dependabot and secret scanning by default
2. Branch protection - Protect main branch in production setups
3. Documentation - Every repo needs README, LICENSE, and .gitignore
4. CODEOWNERS - Use for critical files in team repositories

Official Documentation:

• https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/creating-and-managing-repositories/best-practices-for-repositories