feat: add github-app-token skill

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2026-03-25 21:29:22 -04:00
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---
name: github-app-token
description: Generate a GitHub installation access token from a GitHub App PEM key, App ID, and Installation ID, then authenticate the gh CLI with it.
---
# GitHub App Token Skill
Generate a short-lived GitHub installation access token from a GitHub App's credentials and use it to authenticate the `gh` CLI.
## Prerequisites
The following environment variables MUST be set before invoking this skill:
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| `GITHUB_APP_ID` | The numeric App ID from the GitHub App settings page |
| `GITHUB_APP_INSTALLATION_ID` | The numeric Installation ID for the target org/user |
| `GITHUB_APP_PEM_FILE` | Absolute path to the GitHub App's PEM private key file |
If any variable is missing, stop and tell the user which ones are required.
## Steps
### 1. Generate a JWT
Create a JWT signed with the GitHub App's private key. You MUST use the helper script bundled with this skill:
```bash
# generates a JWT valid for 10 minutes
TOKEN=$(python3 "$(dirname "$0")/../skills/github-app-token/scripts/generate_jwt.py")
```
If `python3` is not available, fall back to the inline openssl method described in the Fallback section below.
The JWT uses:
- **Algorithm**: RS256
- **Header**: `{"alg": "RS256", "typ": "JWT"}`
- **Payload**:
- `iat`: current time minus 60 seconds (clock drift buffer)
- `exp`: current time plus 600 seconds (10 minute max)
- `iss`: the `GITHUB_APP_ID`
### 2. Exchange the JWT for an installation access token
```bash
INSTALL_TOKEN=$(curl -s -X POST \
-H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28" \
"https://api.github.com/app/installations/${GITHUB_APP_INSTALLATION_ID}/access_tokens" \
| python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin)['token'])")
```
If the response contains an error (e.g., `401 Unauthorized`), check:
1. The PEM key matches the App ID
2. The Installation ID is valid for this App
3. The system clock is accurate (JWT `iat`/`exp` are time-sensitive)
### 3. Authenticate the gh CLI
```bash
echo "${INSTALL_TOKEN}" | gh auth login --with-token
```
Verify it worked:
```bash
gh auth status
```
You should see authentication via `token` for `github.com`.
### 4. Cleanup
The installation access token expires after 1 hour. There is nothing to revoke unless you want to explicitly invalidate it early:
```bash
curl -s -X DELETE \
-H "Authorization: Bearer ${INSTALL_TOKEN}" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
"https://api.github.com/installation/token"
```
## Fallback: JWT generation without Python
If `python3` is unavailable, generate the JWT using `openssl` and `bash`:
```bash
header=$(printf '{"alg":"RS256","typ":"JWT"}' | openssl base64 -e -A | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '=')
now=$(date +%s)
iat=$((now - 60))
exp=$((now + 600))
payload=$(printf '{"iat":%d,"exp":%d,"iss":"%s"}' "$iat" "$exp" "$GITHUB_APP_ID" | openssl base64 -e -A | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '=')
unsigned="${header}.${payload}"
signature=$(printf '%s' "$unsigned" | openssl dgst -sha256 -sign "${GITHUB_APP_PEM_FILE}" -binary | openssl base64 -e -A | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '=')
TOKEN="${unsigned}.${signature}"
```
Then continue from Step 2.
## Security Notes
- Never log or echo the PEM key, JWT, or installation token to stdout in production.
- The JWT is valid for at most 10 minutes. The installation token is valid for 1 hour.
- Store the PEM file with restrictive permissions (`chmod 600`) and never check it into git.
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#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""Generate a JWT for GitHub App authentication.
Reads from environment variables:
GITHUB_APP_ID - The GitHub App's numeric ID
GITHUB_APP_PEM_FILE - Path to the PEM-encoded private key file
Prints the signed JWT to stdout.
"""
import json
import os
import sys
import time
import base64
import hashlib
try:
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import hashes, serialization
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.asymmetric import padding
USE_CRYPTOGRAPHY = True
except ImportError:
import subprocess
USE_CRYPTOGRAPHY = False
def b64url(data: bytes) -> str:
return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(data).rstrip(b"=").decode("ascii")
def sign_with_cryptography(unsigned: str, pem_key: str) -> str:
private_key = serialization.load_pem_private_key(pem_key.encode(), password=None)
signature = private_key.sign(unsigned.encode(), padding.PKCS1v15(), hashes.SHA256())
return b64url(signature)
def sign_with_openssl(unsigned: str, pem_key: str) -> str:
result = subprocess.run(
["openssl", "dgst", "-sha256", "-sign", "/dev/stdin"],
input=pem_key.encode(),
capture_output=True,
check=True,
env={**os.environ, "OPENSSL_CONF": "/dev/null"},
)
# openssl dgst -sign reads key from stdin on some versions, but not all.
# If that fails, write to a temp file.
if result.returncode != 0:
import tempfile
with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w", suffix=".pem", delete=False) as f:
f.write(pem_key)
f.flush()
result = subprocess.run(
["openssl", "dgst", "-sha256", "-sign", f.name],
input=unsigned.encode(),
capture_output=True,
check=True,
)
os.unlink(f.name)
return b64url(result.stdout)
def main():
app_id = os.environ.get("GITHUB_APP_ID")
pem_file = os.environ.get("GITHUB_APP_PEM_FILE")
if not app_id:
print("error: GITHUB_APP_ID is not set", file=sys.stderr)
sys.exit(1)
if not pem_file:
print("error: GITHUB_APP_PEM_FILE is not set", file=sys.stderr)
sys.exit(1)
if not os.path.isfile(pem_file):
print(f"error: PEM file not found: {pem_file}", file=sys.stderr)
sys.exit(1)
with open(pem_file, "r") as f:
pem_key = f.read()
now = int(time.time())
header = b64url(json.dumps({"alg": "RS256", "typ": "JWT"}).encode())
payload = b64url(
json.dumps({"iat": now - 60, "exp": now + 600, "iss": app_id}).encode()
)
unsigned = f"{header}.{payload}"
if USE_CRYPTOGRAPHY:
signature = sign_with_cryptography(unsigned, pem_key)
else:
signature = sign_with_openssl(unsigned, pem_key)
print(f"{unsigned}.{signature}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()