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GitHub CLI (gh) Cheat Sheet 2026 — Quick CLI Command Reference

2 min read

GitHub CLI (gh) Cheat Sheet 2026 — Quick Command Reference

GitHub CLI (gh) Cheat Sheet is the complete quick-reference of GitHub CLI (gh) commands grouped by function. Copy any command with one click and find what you need with Ctrl+F in under 3 seconds.

GitHub CLI Commands

Action Command Useful flags
Clone a GitHub repository locally 
gh repo clone <owner>/<repository>
Create a new issue 
gh issue new
View and filter the open issues of the current repository 
gh issue ls
View an issue in the default web browser 
gh issue view --web <issue_number|url>
 --web
Create a pull request 
gh pr new
View a pull request in the default web browser 
gh pr view --web <pr_number|url|branch>
 --web
Check out a specific pull request locally 
gh co <pr_number|url|branch>
Check the status of a repository’s pull requests 
gh pr status

⚠️ Dangerous / Destructive Commands

These commands are irreversible. Verify your environment (dev/staging vs prod) before running them.

Action Command Warning
⚠️ Destroy ⚠️ 
terraform destroy -auto-approve
 Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete 
kubectl delete namespace production
 Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Prune ⚠️ 
docker system prune -af --volumes
 Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete 
pvesh delete /nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}
 Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete 
az group delete --name MyResourceGroup --yes
 Irreversible — verify the target before running

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between GitHub CLI Commands and the other groups?

Each group in this GitHub CLI (gh) cheat sheet covers a distinct area. GitHub CLI Commands focuses on its specific scope, while the other groups and the remaining groups cover networking, storage, security and diagnostics respectively.

How do I check the installed GitHub CLI (gh) version?

Run the version command (usually gh version or gh --version). The output shows the client and, when applicable, the server version.

Why does GitHub CLI (gh) return ‘permission denied’?

A ‘permission denied’ error in GitHub CLI (gh) usually means the current user lacks sufficient privileges or credentials are not configured. Check: (1) assigned IAM/RBAC roles, (2) an active authentication context via the corresponding login command.

How do I filter GitHub CLI (gh) output by status or name?

Use flags such as --filter, --selector or --query depending on the tool. You can also pipe into grep or jq to process JSON: 

gh list | grep RUNNING

What is the fastest way to debug a GitHub CLI (gh) error?

Add the verbose flag (--verbose, -v or --debug) to the failing command. This reveals the underlying HTTP/API calls and the full error response body.

Official sources & references

Commands cross-checked against vendor documentation and high-authority repositories: