OpenClaw GitHub Assistant

Query and manage GitHub repositories - list repos, check CI status, create issues, search repos, and view recent activity.

Security Scan

The skill's code, instructions, and requested secrets align with its stated GitHub-management purpose and don't request unrelated access.

Purpose & Capability

Name, description, SKILL.md, and code (api.js / index.js) all implement GitHub operations (list repos, CI, issues, PRs, create repo, search, commits). Required env vars and config keys (GITHUB_TOKEN, GITHUB_USERNAME, github.token, github.username) are directly used by the code to authenticate to api.github.com. There are no unrelated credentials, binaries, or config paths requested.

Instruction Scope

SKILL.md limits runtime actions to setting credentials, restarting the gateway, and using the skill to call GitHub APIs. The instructions do not direct the agent to read unrelated files, exfiltrate data to third-party endpoints, or perform system-wide discovery. The README and SKILL.md warn about protecting the PAT.

Install Mechanism

No install spec downloads arbitrary code from external URLs; the package is instruction/code-only and contains standard JS files. No brew/npm/go installs are requested. The included code will run within the OpenClaw environment without additional installers.

Credentials

The skill requests only GITHUB_TOKEN and GITHUB_USERNAME (and matching config keys), which is proportionate to GitHub operations. Note: the recommended 'repo' scope gives wide access (create/delete repos, modify code/PRs/issues). This scope is consistent with capabilities (create_repo, create_issue, create_pull_request) but users should prefer least-privilege scopes (e.g., public_repo for public-only usage) or a token limited to required actions.

Persistence & Privilege

always is false and the skill is user-invocable; it does not request permanent platform-wide privileges or modify other skills. Autonomous invocation is the platform default and not combined with other red flags here.

Assessment

This skill appears to do exactly what it says: interact with GitHub using your Personal Access Token and username. Before installing: 1) Review and run the included code locally if possible to confirm behavior. 2) Create a token with the minimal scopes you need (avoid full 'repo' if you only need read access). 3) Prefer storing secrets in your platform's secret manager rather than long-lived shell variables on shared machines. 4) Rotate the token if you ever suspect compromise. 5) Note that a token with 'repo' scope enables destructive actions (create/delete/modify repos and issues), so only install this skill if you trust the code and the environment.

GitHub Integration Skill

Query and manage GitHub repositories directly from your AI assistant.

Capabilities

Capability	Description
list_repos	List your repositories with filters
get_repo	Get detailed info about a specific repo
check_ci_status	Check CI/CD pipeline status
create_issue	Create a new issue in a repo
create_repo	Create a new repository
search_repos	Search your repositories
get_recent_activity	Get recent commits

Usage

You: List my Python repos
Bot: [lists your Python repositories]

You: Check CI status on my main project
Bot: [shows CI/CD status]

You: Create an issue about the bug
Bot: [creates the issue]

Setup

1. Generate GitHub Personal Access Token

1. Go to https://github.com/settings/tokens
2. Click "Generate new token (classic)"
3. Name: openclaw-github-skill
4. Scopes: repo (required), read:user (optional)
5. Copy the token

2. Configure Credentials

Option A: Environment Variables (Recommended)

Set environment variables before starting OpenClaw:

export GITHUB_TOKEN="ghp_your_token_here"
export GITHUB_USERNAME="your_github_username"

Option B: OpenClaw Config

Add to ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

{
  "github": {
    "token": "ghp_your_token_here",
    "username": "your_username"
  }
}

3. Restart OpenClaw

openclaw gateway restart

Security Notes

⚠️ Protect Your Token:

• Never commit your token to git or share it publicly
• Use the minimal required scopes (repo for private repos, public_repo for public-only)
• Rotate your token if you suspect it was compromised
• Consider using a secrets manager for production use

⚠️ Best Practices:

• Don't store tokens in shell profiles (~/.zshrc) on shared machines
• For local development, environment variables are acceptable
• For production, use your platform's secret/credential store

Rate Limits

• Unauthenticated requests: 60/hour
• Authenticated requests: 5,000/hour

Requirements

• OpenClaw gateway running
• GitHub Personal Access Token with appropriate scopes