How do I install the Git skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add zencoderai/git in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Git?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

zencoderai (@zencoderai) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Git by zencoderai — Agent Skill

Name: Git
Author: zencoderai

Git

This skill should be used when the user asks to "clone a repo", "git clone", "check out this repo", "install this tool from GitHub", "try this open source project", or mentions cloning, checking out, or installing any Git repository. Automatically gates public repo clones with a security assessment before execution.

zencoderai ff53a00 3.3 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Git (Secure Clone)

Gate every git clone of a public repository with an automatic security assessment. Private/org repos clone immediately with no added friction.

Trigger

Any user request that involves cloning, checking out, or installing a Git repository.

Workflow

1. Parse the repo URL

Extract <host>, <owner>, and <repo> from the URL or shorthand the user provided.

Accept common forms: https://github.com/org/repo, git@github.com:org/repo.git, org/repo (assume GitHub when no host). Normalize to an HTTPS URL.

2. Probe: public or private?

Run this host-agnostic check (no API key needed):

GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0 \
GIT_ASKPASS=/bin/false \
git -c credential.helper= -c http.extraheader= \
  ls-remote --heads <normalized-https-url> 2>&1

Outcome	Meaning	Action
Succeeds (exits 0, prints refs)	Repo is publicly readable	Run the security gate (Step 3)
Fails (auth error / 404)	Repo is private or restricted	Clone directly — skip the gate
Fails (network / DNS error)	URL is invalid or unreachable	Report the error, do not clone

When in doubt (rate-limited, ambiguous result), treat as public and run the gate.

3. Security gate (public repos only)

Read and execute the full assessment defined in the oss-security-check skill (../oss-security-check/SKILL.md).

Pass it:

<url> — the normalized HTTPS URL
<owner>/<repo> — extracted from the URL
<host> — the git host
Context: "This is a git repository the user wants to clone"

Wait for the assessment to complete. Present the results to the user.

4. User decision

After presenting the assessment, ask the user:

Clone — proceed with the clone to the requested location
Clone to sandbox — clone to a temporary/isolated directory instead
Abort — do not clone

5. Execute the clone

If approved, run the clone. If the recommendation was "medium" or "high" risk, remind the user:

Use read-only / scoped tokens if the tool needs credentials
Prefer a throwaway repo for first use
Look for a --dry-run mode before running with real data

6. Cleanup

The oss-security-check skill handles cleanup of its temporary shallow clone.

Customization

The public/private probe in Step 2 is generic. Teams should replace it with a check specific to their environment. For example:

GitHub org allowlist: skip the gate for repos in your org
Internal registry: skip for packages from your private registry
Domain allowlist: skip for repos hosted on your company's GitLab instance

Ask your AI agent: "Modify the git skill so that repos in the <your-org> GitHub organization skip the security gate, and all other public repos are scanned before cloning."

Notes

Private repo clones are unaffected — zero added latency.
Public repo gate adds ~30-60 seconds (web search + code scan).
This skill does NOT replace thorough security review for production dependencies. It is a fast first pass.

---name: gitdescription: This skill should be used when the user asks to "clone a repo", "git clone", "check out this repo", "install this tool from GitHub", "try this open source project", or mentions cloning, checking out, or installing any Git repository. Automatically gates public repo clones with a security assessment before execution.---# Git (Secure Clone)Gate every `git clone` of a public repository with an automatic security assessment. Private/org repos clone immediately with no added friction.## TriggerAny user request that involves cloning, checking out, or installing a Git repository.## Workflow### 1. Parse the repo URLExtract `<host>`, `<owner>`, and `<repo>` from the URL or shorthand the user provided.Accept common forms: `https://github.com/org/repo`, `git@github.com:org/repo.git`, `org/repo` (assume GitHub when no host). Normalize to an HTTPS URL.### 2. Probe: public or private?Run this host-agnostic check (no API key needed):```bashGIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0 \GIT_ASKPASS=/bin/false \git -c credential.helper= -c http.extraheader= \ ls-remote --heads <normalized-https-url> 2>&1```| Outcome | Meaning | Action ||---------|---------|--------|| Succeeds (exits 0, prints refs) | Repo is publicly readable | **Run the security gate (Step 3)** || Fails (auth error / 404) | Repo is private or restricted | **Clone directly** — skip the gate || Fails (network / DNS error) | URL is invalid or unreachable | **Report the error**, do not clone |When in doubt (rate-limited, ambiguous result), treat as public and run the gate.### 3. Security gate (public repos only)Read and execute the full assessment defined in the `oss-security-check` skill (`../oss-security-check/SKILL.md`).Pass it:- `<url>` — the normalized HTTPS URL- `<owner>/<repo>` — extracted from the URL- `<host>` — the git host- Context: "This is a git repository the user wants to clone"Wait for the assessment to complete. Present the results to the user.### 4. User decisionAfter presenting the assessment, ask the user:- **Clone** — proceed with the clone to the requested location- **Clone to sandbox** — clone to a temporary/isolated directory instead- **Abort** — do not clone### 5. Execute the cloneIf approved, run the clone. If the recommendation was "medium" or "high" risk, remind the user:- Use read-only / scoped tokens if the tool needs credentials- Prefer a throwaway repo for first use- Look for a `--dry-run` mode before running with real data### 6. CleanupThe `oss-security-check` skill handles cleanup of its temporary shallow clone.## CustomizationThe public/private probe in Step 2 is generic. Teams should replace it with a check specific to their environment. For example:- **GitHub org allowlist:** skip the gate for repos in your org- **Internal registry:** skip for packages from your private registry- **Domain allowlist:** skip for repos hosted on your company's GitLab instanceAsk your AI agent: *"Modify the git skill so that repos in the `<your-org>` GitHub organization skip the security gate, and all other public repos are scanned before cloning."*## Notes- Private repo clones are unaffected — zero added latency.- Public repo gate adds ~30-60 seconds (web search + code scan).- This skill does NOT replace thorough security review for production dependencies. It is a fast first pass.

Frequently asked questions

Git