Raycast GitHub Extension: Manage Repos from Your Launcher (2026)

If you're a developer who uses GitHub daily, you know the friction: context-switching to a browser tab, navigating to the right repo, clicking through PRs, hunting down notifications. It adds up to dozens of interruptions every day. The Raycast GitHub extension eliminates almost all of that by putting your entire GitHub workflow inside your launcher — accessible with a single keystroke.

I've been using the Raycast GitHub extension as part of my daily workflow for over a year now, and it's genuinely changed how I interact with GitHub. In this guide, I'll walk you through everything: installation, setup, features, workflow examples, and power-user tips. If you're already using Raycast (or thinking about trying Raycast Pro with the current discount), the GitHub extension is one of the first things you should install.

What the Raycast GitHub Extension Does

The official GitHub extension for Raycast brings core GitHub functionality into the Raycast command palette. Instead of opening github.com in your browser, you invoke Raycast with a hotkey, type a command, and interact with GitHub directly from the launcher overlay.

Here's what you can do without ever opening a browser tab:

• Search repositories — find any repo you own or have access to, then open it in your browser, editor, or terminal
• View and create pull requests — see open PRs across all your repos, check review status, merge, and create new PRs
• Manage issues — browse, filter, create, and assign issues in seconds
• Check notifications — view your GitHub notification inbox and mark items as read
• Browse recent commits — check the latest commits on any branch
• View GitHub Actions status — see workflow runs, check whether your CI passed or failed
• Create gists — quickly share code snippets as GitHub Gists

The extension is one of the best Raycast extensions available, consistently ranking in the top downloads on the Raycast Store. And it's completely free.

Installation and Setup

Getting the GitHub extension running takes about two minutes. Here's the process:

Step 1: Install the Extension

Open Raycast, type "Store," and search for "GitHub." The official extension is published by Raycast and has the verified badge. Click Install. Alternatively, you can install it directly from the Raycast Store website.

Step 2: Create a GitHub Personal Access Token

The extension needs a personal access token (PAT) to authenticate with GitHub's API. When you first run any GitHub command in Raycast, it will prompt you to enter a token. Here's how to create one:

1. Go to GitHub → Settings → Developer Settings → Personal Access Tokens
2. Click "Generate new token" (classic tokens work fine, but fine-grained tokens are also supported)
3. Give it a descriptive name like "Raycast GitHub Extension"
4. Select the required scopes: repo, read:org, notifications, and gist
5. Generate the token and copy it

Step 3: Paste the Token in Raycast

Back in Raycast, paste the token into the authentication prompt. The extension will verify the connection and you're ready to go. The token is stored securely in your macOS Keychain, not in any config file.

If you're new to Raycast entirely, our Raycast setup guide covers the full installation and initial configuration process.

Core Features in Detail

Search Repositories

Type "Search Repositories" in Raycast and start typing a repo name. Results appear instantly, showing the repo name, owner, star count, and language. From the results, you can:

• Open the repo in your default browser
• Open it in your code editor (VS Code, Cursor, or whatever you've configured)
• Copy the clone URL
• View pull requests or issues for that specific repo

The search covers all repos you have access to — your own, your organization's, and repos you've starred. It's dramatically faster than navigating GitHub's web interface.

Pull Request Management

The "My Pull Requests" command shows every open PR where you're the author, a reviewer, or mentioned. Each PR displays the title, repo, status checks, review approval state, and how long it's been open.

From the detail view, you can:

• Read the PR description and see changed files
• Check CI/CD status (GitHub Actions, CircleCI, etc.)
• Merge the PR directly from Raycast
• Copy the PR URL to share with teammates
• Open it in the browser for a full review

You can also create new pull requests from Raycast. Select a repo, choose the base and compare branches, write a title and description, and submit. It's particularly useful when you've just pushed a feature branch and want to open a PR without switching context.

Issue Tracking

The issue commands let you browse open issues for any repo, filter by labels or assignees, and create new issues on the fly. I use the "Create Issue" command constantly for quick bug reports — invoke Raycast, type "Create Issue," select the repo, fill in the title and description, and it's done in under 15 seconds.

Notifications

GitHub notifications are one of those things that pile up fast. The Raycast extension surfaces your unread notifications in a clean list, organized by repository. You can mark items as read individually or clear them all. It's like having a lightweight GitHub inbox always one keystroke away.

GitHub Actions Status

The "Workflow Runs" command shows recent GitHub Actions runs for a given repo. You can see which workflows passed, which failed, and jump directly to the run logs in your browser. For developers who rely on CI/CD pipelines, this saves constant tab-switching to check build status.

Workflow Examples: How I Use It Daily

The Morning PR Review Routine

Every morning, I start with this routine that takes under five minutes:

1. Invoke Raycast (Option + Space)
2. Type "My Pull Requests" to see everything waiting for my review
3. Scan the list — I can see status checks and approval state at a glance
4. For simple PRs, I open the diff directly. For complex ones, I open in the browser for a full review
5. Check "Notifications" to catch anything I missed

Before using the Raycast GitHub extension, this same routine involved opening GitHub, navigating to each repo's PR tab, and manually checking notifications. It took 15-20 minutes. Now it takes 5.

Quick Issue Creation

When I spot a bug or think of a feature idea mid-task, I don't want to break my flow by switching to the browser. With Raycast, the process is:

1. Invoke Raycast
2. Type "Create Issue"
3. Select the target repo (Raycast remembers your recent repos)
4. Type the title and a brief description
5. Submit and return to what I was doing

Total time: 10-15 seconds. Total context switches: zero. This is exactly the kind of workflow optimization that makes Raycast valuable — if you want to unlock even more productivity with AI-powered features, try Raycast Pro with the current discount.

Repo Switching for Multi-Project Work

If you work across multiple repositories (and most developers do), the "Search Repositories" command becomes your project switcher. Type a few letters of the repo name, hit Enter, and choose to open it in your editor. It's faster than navigating your file system or using the editor's recent projects menu.

Comparison: Raycast GitHub Extension vs. Browser

Here's an honest comparison of using GitHub through the Raycast extension versus the traditional browser workflow:

The Raycast extension wins on speed for almost everything except full code reviews, where the browser's rich diff viewer is still the better tool. The key insight is that most of your daily GitHub interactions are quick lookups and status checks — exactly what the extension excels at.

Power User Tips

Set Up Custom Aliases

Raycast lets you assign hotkeys and aliases to any command. I have "My Pull Requests" aliased to pr, so I just type two characters to see my PRs. "Search Repositories" is aliased to repo. Set these up in Raycast Preferences → Extensions → GitHub.

Combine with Raycast AI

If you're on Raycast Pro, you can use AI commands alongside the GitHub extension. For example, copy a PR description and use Raycast AI to summarize it, or use AI to draft an issue description based on a quick prompt. The two features complement each other well.

Pin Frequently Used Repos

Raycast remembers your recently accessed items and surfaces them first. You can also pin specific repos so they always appear at the top of search results. If you work on the same 3-4 repos daily, this saves even more keystrokes.

Use the Menu Bar Integration

The extension includes a menu bar component that shows your unread notification count. It's a subtle but useful visual reminder that you have PRs waiting for review or issues that need attention, without the noise of email notifications.

Other Git-Related Raycast Extensions Worth Installing

The GitHub extension is the centerpiece, but several other Git-related extensions round out the workflow:

• Git Repos — scans your local filesystem for Git repositories and lets you open them in your editor or terminal. Great for jumping between local projects.
• GitLens (Raycast) — brings some GitLens-style features into Raycast, letting you view blame information and commit history.
• GitHub Gist — a dedicated extension for creating and managing GitHub Gists from the clipboard or files.
• Linear — if your team uses Linear for project management, this extension syncs issues between Linear and GitHub.

For a full list of recommended extensions across categories, check out our best Raycast extensions guide.

Getting the Best Raycast Experience for GitHub

The GitHub extension works perfectly on the free Raycast plan. But if you want to take your developer workflow further, Raycast Pro adds AI commands that pair incredibly well with GitHub work. Use AI to draft PR descriptions, summarize issue threads, or generate commit messages — all from the same command palette you're already using for GitHub.

Right now, you can get Raycast Pro at 80% off with a free 14-day trial. No coupon code needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Raycast GitHub extension free?

Yes, the Raycast GitHub extension is completely free to install and use. It's available in the Raycast Store for all users, including those on the free plan. You don't need Raycast Pro to use it, though Pro features like AI can complement your GitHub workflow nicely.

Do I need a GitHub personal access token?

Yes. You need a GitHub personal access token to authenticate the extension with GitHub's API. During setup, Raycast walks you through creating a token with the required scopes (repo, read:org, notifications). You can use either a classic token or a fine-grained token. The token is stored securely in your macOS Keychain.

Does the Raycast GitHub extension work with GitHub Enterprise?

Yes. The extension supports GitHub Enterprise Server. You can configure a custom GitHub API URL in the extension preferences (Raycast Preferences → Extensions → GitHub → GitHub API URL). This makes it suitable for teams and organizations running self-hosted GitHub instances.

What GitHub actions can I perform from Raycast?

You can search repositories, view and create pull requests, manage issues, check notifications, browse recent commits, view GitHub Actions workflow status, create gists, and open repos in your browser or editor. The extension covers most daily GitHub interactions. For full code reviews with inline comments, you'll still want to use the browser.