GitHub CLI Manager

Clean, local-only desktop app for managing GitHub operations through silently executed GitHub CLI (gh) and approved read-only Git backend commands.

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Purpose

GitHub CLI Manager gives non-expert and expert maintainers a simple local workspace for repository, pull request, issue, release, Actions, secrets, variables, project, codespace, gist, key, search, API, extension, alias, and configuration work without memorizing gh commands or opening a terminal.

The MVP is specified in docs/mvp-spec.md, with command-by-command coverage in docs/gh-command-coverage.md. Release readiness is documented in docs/release.md, with notes in CHANGELOG.md.

How the backend works

1. The Electron renderer converts a user action into a typed request without constructing shell commands.
2. The main process validates repository identifiers and arguments, assigns a risk level, and returns a redacted preview.
3. After any required confirmation, the command runner invokes only approved gh or read-only git commands as argument arrays, without shell interpolation.
4. The local GitHub CLI uses the user’s existing authentication, and structured results return to the renderer and local activity history.

There is no AI backend, model inference, training pipeline, cloud command relay, or hosted execution service. All command validation and execution are deterministic and local to the desktop app.

Screenshots

Release screenshots are captured headlessly and stored in docs/screenshots.

Home setup	Releases workspace	Advanced preview

Stack Summary

• Front end: Electron desktop renderer with dependency-free HTML, CSS, and browser JavaScript.
• Backend: Electron main process that silently invokes approved local commands as subprocesses with argument arrays, never shell string interpolation.
• Integration: GitHub authentication, repository access, and GitHub API behavior delegated to the installed gh CLI.

Prerequisites

• The app installer or first-run setup wizard should detect and help install the GitHub CLI.
• The setup wizard should detect and help install Git when repository, checkout, clone, sync, or tag features need it.
• The app should guide users through gh auth login without requiring them to know the command.
• Access to target repositories through the authenticated gh account.

This spec was drafted against gh version 2.45.0 and its full command surface from gh help reference.

Seamless Setup Requirement

The MVP must include a beginner-safe setup experience:

• Detect operating system, CPU architecture, installed gh, installed Git, and app runtime dependencies.
• Offer one-click install or copyable guided install steps when a dependency is missing.
• Explain admin permission prompts before they appear.
• Run verification silently after each install step.
• Show plain-language fixes for blocked installs, missing PATH entries, failed auth, or unsupported package managers.
• Keep a manual fallback path for users who cannot grant installer permissions.

Local Run Instructions

Start the local app:

npm install
npm start

This opens the Electron desktop app. There is no product-facing localhost server.

Validation Commands

Current implementation validation:

npm run check
npm test
npm run test:e2e
npm run screenshots:capture
npm run package:dir
npm run release:check

Future validation should add:

• More unit tests for command builders.
• Integration tests with mocked gh process output.
• End-to-end tests for primary repository, pull request, issue, release, Actions, secret, variable, and command-runner flows.

Environment Variables

None required for the MVP spec. Runtime should prefer gh's existing authentication context instead of duplicating GitHub tokens.

Repository Structure

git-release-manager/
  README.md
  CHANGELOG.md
  LICENSE
  package.json
  playwright.config.js
  e2e/
    app-shell.spec.js
  scripts/
    capture-screenshots.mjs
  public/
    app.js
    index.html
    styles.css
  src/
    command-catalog.js
    command-manifest.js
    command-runner.js
    main.js
    preload.cjs
    setup.js
  test/
    command-catalog.test.js
    command-runner.test.js
  user-instructions.md
  docs/
    architecture.md
    gh-command-coverage.md
    mvp-spec.md
    operations.md
    setup.md

Operational Caveats

• The MVP must not store GitHub credentials.
• The MVP must run locally only; no hosted service, cloud relay, or remote command executor is in scope.
• CLI commands must run silently in the background by default, with output shown only inside the app's Activity and result panels.
• The app may run gh commands and approved read-only git commands only.
• cd is represented by the Working Directory field; the app does not execute shell built-ins.
• Every documented gh command is available through the in-app command catalog and guarded Advanced runner.
• Destructive actions must require explicit confirmation.
• Secret/token values must be write-only in the UI and redacted from logs.
• Any shell-facing implementation must pass command arguments as arrays and reject untrusted file paths outside user-selected directories.