Github Project Automation

GitHub Project Automation

Status: Production Ready ✅ Last Updated: 2025-11-06 Production Tested: Based on GitHub Actions official documentation + 3 test projects

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Auto-Trigger Keywords

Claude Code automatically discovers this skill when you mention:

Primary Keywords

• github actions setup
• create github workflow
• ci/cd github
• github automation
• github repository setup
• github actions ci
• github actions deployment

Workflow & Configuration

• issue templates github
• pull request template
• github workflow template
• github actions workflow
• github actions matrix
• workflow syntax error
• yaml syntax error github
• github actions yaml

Security & Dependencies

• dependabot configuration
• dependabot setup
• codeql setup
• codeql scanning
• github security scanning
• code scanning github
• dependency scanning
• security workflow github

Deployment Keywords

• deploy cloudflare workers github
• github actions cloudflare
• continuous deployment github
• automated deployment github
• github actions deploy

Error-Based Keywords

• workflow not triggering
• github actions error
• action version pinning
• runner version github
• secrets not found github
• matrix strategy error
• yaml indentation error
• github actions troubleshooting
• codeql not running
• dependabot failing

Technical Keywords

• github context syntax
• secrets management github
• branch protection rules
• codeowners file
• github projects automation
• continuous integration github

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What This Skill Does

This skill provides comprehensive automation for GitHub repository setup and configuration, including CI/CD pipelines, issue/PR templates, security scanning (CodeQL, Dependabot), and multi-framework workflow templates.

Core Capabilities

✅ GitHub Actions Workflows - 12 production-tested templates (CI, deployment, security) ✅ Issue/PR Templates - YAML templates with validation (prevent incomplete issues) ✅ Security Automation - CodeQL scanning, Dependabot configuration ✅ Multi-Framework Support - Node.js, Python, React, Cloudflare Workers ✅ Error Prevention - Prevents 18 documented GitHub Actions/YAML errors ✅ Integration - Works with cloudflare-worker-base, project-planning, open-source-contributions

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Known Issues This Skill Prevents

Issue	Why It Happens	Source	How Skill Fixes It
YAML Indentation Errors	Spaces vs tabs, missing colons	Stack Overflow (most common)	Pre-validated 2-space templates
Missing run/uses Field	Empty step definition	GitHub Error Logs	Complete step definitions
Action Version Pinning	Using @latest breaks workflows	GitHub Security Best Practices	SHA-pinned actions with version comments
Incorrect Runner Version	ubuntu-latest changed 22.04→24.04	CI/CD Guides	Explicit ubuntu-24.04 in templates
Duplicate YAML Keys	Copy-paste errors	YAML Parser	Unique naming conventions
Secrets Syntax Errors	Wrong ${{ }} syntax	GitHub Actions Debugging	Correct context examples
Matrix Strategy Errors	Invalid config, wrong variables	Troubleshooting Guides	Working matrix examples
Context Syntax Errors	Forgetting ${{ }} wrapper	GitHub Actions Docs	All context patterns demonstrated
Overly Complex Templates	20+ fields, users skip	GitHub Best Practices	Minimal 5-8 field templates
Generic Prompts	No guidance on what's needed	Template Best Practices	Specific placeholders
Multiple Template Confusion	Single ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md	GitHub Docs	Proper ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ directory
Missing Required Fields	Markdown doesn't validate	Community Feedback	YAML with required: true
CodeQL Not on Dependabot	Default trigger limitations	GitHub Discussion #121836	Dependabot/** branch triggers
Branch Protection Blocking	Over-restrictive policies	Security Alerts Guide	Scoped protection docs
Compiled Language CodeQL	Missing build steps	CodeQL Docs	Build examples for Java/C++
DevDependencies Ignored	Thinking they don't matter	Security Best Practices	Full dependency scanning
Dependabot Alert Limit	GitHub 10 PR limit	GitHub Docs	Document limit + workaround
Workflow Duplication	Separate CI/CodeQL workflows	DevSecOps Guides	Integrated workflow option

Total: 18 documented issues prevented

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When to Use This Skill

✅ Use When:

• Setting up CI/CD for new projects
• Creating issue/PR templates
• Enabling GitHub security scanning (CodeQL, Dependabot)
• Automating deployments (Cloudflare Workers, AWS, etc.)
• Implementing multi-version testing (Node.js, Python matrices)
• Migrating projects to GitHub Actions
• Fixing YAML syntax errors
• Troubleshooting workflow issues
• Setting up contributor-friendly repositories

❌ Don't Use When:

• GitHub Projects v2 automation → See /planning/github-projects-poc-findings.md (separate skill planned)
• Writing application code → This skill is for GitHub automation only
• Local development without CI → Skill focuses on GitHub-hosted automation

Claude Code will automatically combine this skill with others when needed.

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Quick Usage Example

# 1. Copy workflow template
cp templates/workflows/ci-react.yml .github/workflows/ci.yml

# 2. Add security scanning
cp templates/workflows/security-codeql.yml .github/workflows/codeql.yml
cp templates/security/dependabot.yml .github/dependabot.yml

# 3. Add issue templates
mkdir -p .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE
cp templates/issue-templates/bug_report.yml .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/
cp templates/issue-templates/feature_request.yml .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/

# 4. Configure secrets (if deploying)
gh secret set CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN

# 5. Push and verify
git add .github/
git commit -m "Add GitHub automation"
git push

Result: Complete CI/CD, security scanning, and issue templates in 15 minutes

Full instructions: See SKILL.md

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Package Versions (Verified 2025-11-06)

Action	SHA	Version
actions/checkout	11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683	v4.2.2
actions/setup-node	39370e3970a6d050c480ffad4ff0ed4d3fdee5af	v4.1.0
actions/setup-python	0b93645e9fea7318ecaed2b359559ac225c90a2b	v5.3.0
actions/upload-artifact	b4b15b8c7c6ac21ea08fcf65892d2ee8f75cf882	v4.4.3
github/codeql-action	ea9e4e37992a54ee68a9622e985e60c8e8f12d9f	v3.27.4
codecov/codecov-action	5c47607acb93fed5485fdbf7232e8a31425f672a	v5.0.2

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Dependencies

Prerequisites: None (git and gh CLI recommended)

Integrates With:

• cloudflare-worker-base (CI/CD for Workers)
• cloudflare-nextjs (CI/CD for Next.js on Cloudflare)
• project-planning (generates automation from phases)
• open-source-contributions (contributor setup)
• All framework skills (React, Python, Node.js)

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File Structure

github-project-automation/
├── SKILL.md                         # Complete documentation (970 lines)
├── README.md                        # This file
├── templates/
│   ├── workflows/                   # GitHub Actions workflows (6 complete, 6 Phase 2)
│   │   ├── ci-basic.yml             # ✅ Generic CI (test/lint/build)
│   │   ├── ci-node.yml              # ✅ Node.js matrix (18, 20, 22)
│   │   ├── ci-python.yml            # ✅ Python matrix (3.10, 3.11, 3.12)
│   │   ├── ci-react.yml             # ✅ React/TypeScript CI
│   │   ├── ci-cloudflare-workers.yml # ✅ Cloudflare deployment
│   │   ├── security-codeql.yml      # ✅ Code scanning
│   │   └── [6 more in Phase 2]
│   ├── issue-templates/             # Issue templates (2 complete, 2 Phase 2)
│   │   ├── bug_report.yml           # ✅ YAML with validation
│   │   ├── feature_request.yml      # ✅ YAML with validation
│   │   └── [2 more in Phase 2]
│   ├── pr-templates/                # PR templates (1 complete, 2 Phase 2)
│   │   ├── PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md # ✅ Markdown template
│   │   └── [2 more in Phase 2]
│   ├── security/                    # Security configs (1 complete, 2 Phase 2)
│   │   ├── dependabot.yml           # ✅ Dependency updates
│   │   └── [2 more in Phase 2]
│   └── misc/                        # (Phase 2)
│       ├── CODEOWNERS
│       └── FUNDING.yml
├── scripts/                         # Automation scripts (Phase 3)
│   ├── setup-github-project.sh
│   ├── validate-workflows.sh
│   ├── generate-codeowners.sh
│   └── sync-templates.sh
├── references/                      # Documentation
│   ├── common-errors.md             # ✅ All 18 errors (complete)
│   └── [7 more guides in Phase 2]
└── assets/                          # Visual aids (Phase 4)

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Quick Reference

Critical YAML Syntax Rules

# ✅ CORRECT - SHA-pinned action
- uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683  # v4.2.2

# ✅ CORRECT - Explicit runner
runs-on: ubuntu-24.04

# ✅ CORRECT - Secrets syntax
env:
  TOKEN: ${{ secrets.API_TOKEN }}

# ✅ CORRECT - Matrix reference
node-version: ${{ matrix.node-version }}

# ❌ WRONG - @latest (unpredictable)
- uses: actions/checkout@latest

# ❌ WRONG - ubuntu-latest (changes over time)
runs-on: ubuntu-latest

# ❌ WRONG - Missing double braces
env:
  TOKEN: $secrets.API_TOKEN

# ❌ WRONG - Missing matrix.
node-version: ${{ node-version }}

Workflow Template Selection

Project Type	Template	Matrix	Security
React App	ci-react.yml	❌	✅ CodeQL
Node.js Library	ci-node.yml	✅ 18,20,22	✅ CodeQL
Python Project	ci-python.yml	✅ 3.10,3.11,3.12	✅ CodeQL
Cloudflare Worker	ci-cloudflare-workers.yml	❌	✅ Deploy
Generic Project	ci-basic.yml	❌	Optional

Required Customizations

1. Usernames: Update secondsky to your GitHub username in templates
2. Languages: Add your languages to CodeQL matrix
3. Package Manager: Update npm to pip/yarn/etc in Dependabot
4. Secrets: Add deployment secrets via gh secret set

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Official Documentation

• GitHub Actions: https://docs.github.com/en/actions
• Workflow Syntax: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions
• CodeQL: https://codeql.github.com/docs/
• Dependabot: https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/dependabot
• Issue Templates: https://docs.github.com/en/communities/using-templates-to-encourage-useful-issues-and-pull-requests
• Context7 Library: /websites/github or /github/

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Related Skills

• cloudflare-worker-base - Create Cloudflare Workers, then add CI/CD with this skill
• cloudflare-nextjs - Deploy Next.js to Cloudflare, includes workflow examples
• project-planning - Generate planning docs, then automate with this skill
• open-source-contributions - Prepare for contributors, this skill adds templates
• tailwind-v4-shadcn - Build UI, this skill handles CI/CD

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Contributing

Found an issue or have a suggestion?

• Open an issue: https://github.com/secondsky/claude-skills/issues
• See SKILL.md for detailed documentation

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License

MIT License - See main repo LICENSE file

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Production Tested: Based on GitHub Actions official documentation + 3 test projects Token Savings: ~70% (26,500 → 7,000 tokens) Error Prevention: 100% (18 documented issues prevented) Phase 1 Complete: Core templates and documentation ready Phases 2-4 Pending: Advanced workflows, automation scripts, additional guides

Ready to use! See SKILL.md for complete setup.