How to use the command "gh alias" (with examples)

The gh alias command is used to manage GitHub CLI command aliases. With this command, you can create, list, and delete aliases for various GitHub CLI subcommands. Aliases can be useful for creating shortcuts and improving command line productivity.

Use case 1: Display the subcommand help

Code:

gh alias

Motivation: Sometimes, you may forget the available subcommands or how to use them. By running gh alias without any arguments, you can quickly view the help information and get an overview of the gh alias command functionalities.

Explanation: The gh alias command without any arguments is used to display the subcommand help.

Example output:

usage: gh alias <command> [<args>]

Manage GitHub CLI command aliases.

Subcommands:
  gh alias set    Create or update command aliases
  gh alias list   List existing command aliases
  gh alias delete Delete a command alias

Use case 2: List all the aliases gh is configured to use

Code:

gh alias list

Motivation: If you have created multiple aliases for different gh subcommands, it can be helpful to list all the aliases you have configured. This allows you to keep track of your aliases and check if any changes need to be made.

Explanation: The gh alias list command is used to list all the aliases gh is configured to use.

Example output:

Commands that have aliases:
  issue show --> issue view
  pr diff --> pr list --diff
  pr list --> pr list -s all

Use case 3: Create a gh subcommand alias

Code:

gh alias set pv 'pr view'

Motivation: Creating aliases can make using GitHub CLI more convenient and efficient. In this example, we create an alias pv for the pr view subcommand. Instead of typing gh pr view, we can now simply type gh pv to achieve the same result.

Explanation: The gh alias set command is used to create or update command aliases. The first argument represents the alias name (in this case, pv), and the second argument represents the subcommand it is mapped to (pr view).

Example output: (None)

Use case 4: Set a shell command as a gh subcommand

Code:

gh alias set --shell alias_name command

Motivation: In addition to mapping aliases to existing subcommands, GitHub CLI also allows you to set shell commands as aliases. This can be useful when you want to execute a custom shell command by its alias instead of invoking gh subcommands directly.

Explanation: The gh alias set --shell command is used to set a shell command as a gh subcommand alias. The first argument represents the alias name, and the second argument represents the shell command.

Example output: (None)

Use case 5: Delete a command shortcut

Code:

gh alias delete alias_name

Motivation: If you no longer need an alias, you can delete it to avoid confusion and keep your command line environment organized. This example demonstrates how to delete an alias with the name alias_name.

Explanation: The gh alias delete command is used to delete a command alias. The argument represents the name of the alias you want to delete.

Example output: (None)

Conclusion

The gh alias command provides a convenient way to manage GitHub CLI command aliases. By utilizing aliases, you can streamline your workflow, save time, and increase productivity on the command line. Whether you want to create, list, or delete aliases, the gh alias command has you covered.