# GitHub CLI

> GitHub's official command-line tool

**Wikidata**: [Q100710463](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100710463)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/github-cli

## Summary  
GitHub CLI is GitHub's official command-line tool that enables developers to interact with GitHub directly from their terminal. It simplifies common workflows such as creating issues, cloning repositories, and managing pull requests without leaving the command line. The tool is free, open-source software licensed under the MIT License.

## Key Facts  
- Officially developed by GitHub (developer ID: Q28771536)  
- Written in the Go programming language  
- First release was version 0.0.195, published on November 7, 2019  
- Supports major operating systems: Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows  
- Licensed under the MIT License  
- Available via package managers including Homebrew (`gh`), Chocolatey (`gh`), and Arch Linux (`github-cli`)  
- Source code hosted at https://github.com/cli/cli  
- Aliases include `gh`  

## FAQs  
### Q: What is GitHub CLI used for?  
A: GitHub CLI allows developers to work with GitHub repositories and resources directly from the terminal. It supports operations like cloning repos, creating pull requests, viewing issues, and more without needing to use the web interface.

### Q: Is GitHub CLI free to use?  
A: Yes, GitHub CLI is free software distributed under the MIT License, allowing users to run, modify, and redistribute it freely.

### Q: Which operating systems does GitHub CLI support?  
A: GitHub CLI runs natively on Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows.

## Why It Matters  
GitHub CLI streamlines developer productivity by integrating GitHub’s platform into the command-line environment—where many developers already spend much of their time. By reducing reliance on browser-based navigation for routine tasks, it accelerates workflows around version control, issue tracking, and collaboration. As an officially supported tool built in Go and maintained by GitHub itself, it ensures compatibility with evolving GitHub features while remaining performant and secure across platforms. Its adoption has made it a standard utility among modern software teams using GitHub for development infrastructure.

## Notable For  
- Being the **official** command-line interface endorsed by GitHub  
- Supporting all major desktop operating systems: Linux, macOS, and Windows  
- Built using the efficient and cross-platform **Go programming language**  
- Integration with popular package managers like Homebrew, Chocolatey, and AUR  
- Rapid early development cycle with multiple releases within weeks of initial launch  

## Body  
### Overview  
GitHub CLI (alias: `gh`) is a console application designed to bring GitHub functionality into the terminal. Developed and maintained by GitHub, it provides a native way to manage repositories, issues, pull requests, and other GitHub services through simple commands.

### Development & Licensing  
The project is written in **Go**, a statically typed compiled language developed by Google. It is released as **free software** under the permissive **MIT License**, making it suitable for both personal and commercial use. The source code is publicly available at [https://github.com/cli/cli](https://github.com/cli/cli).

### Releases  
Initial versions were rapidly iterated during late 2019:
- v0.0.195 – Released November 7, 2019  
- v0.1.0 – Released November 8, 2019  
- v0.2.0 – Released November 18, 2019  
- v0.3.4 – Released December 5, 2019  

These early versions established core functionalities such as authentication, repository cloning, and basic interaction with issues and PRs.

### Platform Support  
GitHub CLI operates on:
- **Linux**: Supported since inception; widely packaged in distributions like Gentoo, openSUSE, Arch Linux, and SlackBuilds  
- **Microsoft Windows**: Native support added early in development  
- **macOS**: Fully compatible with installation options via MacPorts and Homebrew (`brew install gh`)

### Package Availability  
It can be installed through various system-specific package managers:
- Homebrew formula: `gh`
- Chocolatey ID: `gh`
- Arch Linux package: `github-cli`
- Gentoo package: `dev-util/github-cli`
- openSUSE package: `gh`
- MacPorts port: `gh`
- SlackBuilds path: `development/github-cli`

This wide availability reflects its importance in contemporary development environments.

### Technical Details  
- Programming Language: Go  
- Repository Hosting: Git over HTTPS/TLS  
- Documentation Site: [https://cli.github.com/](https://cli.github.com/)  
- Metadata tracked on Repology under project name `github-cli`  
- Listed on Open Hub with identifier `GitHubCLI`  
- Uses English-language documentation  

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "GitHub CLI",
  "description": "GitHub's official command-line tool",
  "url": "https://cli.github.com/",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://github.com/cli/cli"
  ],
  "additionalType": "ConsoleApplication"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://api.github.com/repos/cli/cli)
2. [2025](https://github.com/EvanLi/Github-Ranking/blob/master/Data/github-ranking-2025-07-06.csv)
3. [Release 0.0.195. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.0.195)
4. [Release 0.0.196. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.0.196)
5. [Release 0.1.0. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.1.0)
6. [Release 0.2.0. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.2.0)
7. [Release 0.2.1. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.2.1)
8. [Release 0.2.2. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.2.2)
9. [Release 0.2.3. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.2.3)
10. [Release 0.2.4. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.2.4)
11. [Release 0.3.1. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.3.1)
12. [Release 0.3.4. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.3.4)
13. [Release 0.3.5. 2019](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.3.5)
14. [Release 0.4.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.4.0)
15. [Release 0.5.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.5.0)
16. [Release 0.5.1. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.5.1)
17. [Release 0.5.2. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.5.2)
18. [Release 0.5.3. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.5.3)
19. [Release 0.5.4. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.5.4)
20. [Release 0.5.5. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.5.5)
21. [Release 0.5.6. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.5.6)
22. [Release 0.5.7. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.5.7)
23. [Release 0.6.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.6.0)
24. [Release 0.6.1. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.6.1)
25. [Release 0.6.2. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.6.2)
26. [Release 0.6.3. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.6.3)
27. [Release 0.6.4. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.6.4)
28. [Release 0.7.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.7.0)
29. [Release 0.8.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.8.0)
30. [Release 0.9.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.9.0)
31. [Release 0.10.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.10.0)
32. [Release 0.10.1. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.10.1)
33. [Release 0.11.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.11.0)
34. [Release 0.11.1. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.11.1)
35. [Release 0.12.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v0.12.0)
36. [Release 1.0.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.0.0)
37. [Release 1.1.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.1.0)
38. [Release 1.2.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.2.0)
39. [Release 1.2.1. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.2.1)
40. [Release 1.3.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.0)
41. [Release 1.3.1. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.3.1)
42. [Release 1.4.0. 2020](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.4.0)
43. [Release 1.5.0. 2021](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.5.0)
44. [Release 1.6.0. 2021](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.6.0)
45. [Release 1.6.1. 2021](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.6.1)
46. [Release 1.6.2. 2021](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.6.2)
47. [Release 1.7.0. 2021](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.7.0)
48. [Release 1.8.0. 2021](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.8.0)
49. [Release 1.8.1. 2021](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.8.1)
50. [Release 1.9.0. 2021](https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/tag/v1.9.0)