GitHub Authentication

ssgo supports GitHub private repositories for template downloads and private organization access.

Token Resolution Order

ssgo looks for authentication in this order:

1. Environment Variable - GITHUB_TOKEN
2. GitHub CLI - If installed and authenticated (gh auth token)

Required Permissions

For private repository access, your token needs:

Scope	Description
repo	Full control of private repositories

Setting Up Authentication

Option 1: Environment Variable

# Add to your shell profile (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.)
export GITHUB_TOKEN="ghp_your_personal_access_token"

Option 2: GitHub CLI

# Install GitHub CLI
brew install gh

# Authenticate
gh auth login

# Verify
gh auth token

Creating a Personal Access Token

1. Go to GitHub Settings > Developer settings > Personal access tokens
2. Click "Generate new token (classic)"
3. Select the repo scope
4. Generate and copy the token
5. Set it as GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable

Fine-grained Tokens

For fine-grained tokens, ensure:

• Repository access: All repositories or specific repos
• Permissions: Contents (Read)

Troubleshooting

Token Not Found

Error: authentication required for private repository

Solution: Ensure GITHUB_TOKEN is set or gh auth login is completed.

Permission Denied

Error: 403 Forbidden

Solution: Verify your token has the repo scope for private repositories.

Token Expired

Personal access tokens can expire. Generate a new token if needed.