GitKraken + GitHub

Join leading organizations using GitHub with GitKraken

Streamline your Git team workflow with GitHub and the GitKraken Git GUI. Whether your team uses GitHub.com or GitHub Enterprise to host your repositories, these resources will help you successfully onboard users to Git and make it easy and safe for everyone to contribute from day one.

Use GitKraken for free with GitHub

GitKraken’s deep integration with GitHub creates a powerful, streamlined Git workflow. From the moment you sign in using GitHub credentials, working with your repos is easy, fast and safe.

How to use GitHub with GitKraken

If your team is using GitHub.com or GitHub Enterprise to host your repositories, GitKraken can help streamline your Git team workflow and make working with Git much more intuitive!

Distribute this tutorial video to your team, and you’ll have everyone up and running with Git, GitHub, and the GitKraken Git GUI in just 30 minutes.

How do teams use GitHub and GitKraken?

GitHub is one of the most popular remote hosting services for Git users, boasting over 65 million users worldwide. Plus, everyone loves Mona Lisa the Octocat. 

And it just so happens that Keif, the equally adorable and well-dressed GitKraken mascot, and Mona go way back, both pillars in the online cephalopod community. We’ve been cooking up incredible GitHub integrations for the GitKraken Git client for many years and have continued to improve upon the collaborative experience. 

Here are the core GitHub integrations capabilities offered by GitKraken.

Click on the links below to navigate to the related section on the page:


Looking for more information about getting started with GitHub & GitKraken?

Generating a GitHub SSH Key

After connecting GitKraken with the GitHub integration, you will be able to generate and add a GitHub SSH key. 

Get started by navigating to Preferences → SSH and then click the magical ✨ Generate SSH key and add to GitHub button.

What typically takes 8 steps was just completed in 1. Go grab yourself a coffee, you’ve earned it. ☕️

You may alternatively choose to add an existing GitHub SSH key by browsing for either a private or public key.

How to Clone a GitHub Repository

GitKraken’s GitHub integration makes finding information about your GitHub remotes very straightforward. 

You are able to search through your existing GitHub repositories when cloning in GitKraken.

Setting Up your GitHub Authentication

GitKraken makes connecting with GitHub quick and easy, and even let’s you login to your GitHub account directly from the GUI.  When logging into GitKraken, you can choose the Sign in with GitHub button and enter your credentials. This will automatically connect your GitKraken account to the GitHub integration.
In order to start adding GitHub remotes, you will still need to authenticate GitKraken with GitHub. But don’t worry, that process is just as simple!  Simply navigate to the upper right corner of the GitKraken UI and click the gear ⚙️  icon to access your GitKraken account preferences, and then click Integrations. From here, you can select GitHub from the left and then hit the Connect to GitHub button.

How to Fork a Repository on GitHub

GitKraken allows users with the GitHub.com or GitHub Enterprise integrations to fork repositories from GitHub. To get started with forking a GitHub repository, you will first open that GitHub repo in GitKraken. Then, you will click the green + icon from the left Remote panel, and select either the GitHub.com or GitHub Enterprise tab.  If GitKraken does not detect any existing forks on the remote repository, the Git GUI will present you with the option to fork the repo and then add it as a remote. 
Click the Fork and Add Remote button to fork the GitHub repository and add it as a remote in GitKraken’s left panel. 
The process for adding an existing fork of a GitHub remote in GitKraken is very similar. You will follow the first step as shown above, but GitKraken will detect the existing fork, and from here, you can simply click the Add this Remote button. 

GitHub Pull Requests

GitKraken allows you to easily create GitHub pull requests directly in-app by dragging and dropping one branch onto another branch and selecting the Start a pull request... option.  This will open a pull request template in GitKraken, and from here you can add reviewers, assignees and labels to your PR, which GitKraken will then pass along to GitHub. 

GitHub Draft Pull Requests

GitKraken also allows you to create and save draft GitHub pull requests directly in the Git client. Simply check the box next to Submit as draft in the pull request template to create a GitHub draft pull request. 

GitHub Pull Request View

GitKraken’s pull request view for GitHub allows you to accomplish the following without leaving the Git GUI: 

  • Edit the GitHub pull request title, description, reviewers, assignees, milestones, and labels 
  • Comment on GitHub pull requests 
  • Merge GitHub pull requests 
  • Submit reviews by leaving a comment, approving the pull request, or requesting changes
  • Checkout and test pull request branches
  • Link to the build for the GitHub pull request from the Build Status section

GitHub Issues

In GitKraken, the GitHub remote repo and GitHub Issues integrations share the same connection, and you can select either GitHub or GitHub Enterprise from the ISSUES pane after navigating to Preferences → Integrations. 
After you’ve connected your GitHub Issues integration in GitKraken, your issues will appear in the left panel. Hover over any issue from the left panel to get a preview, including the issue title, description, status, labels, assignees, and reporter. 

Create New GitHub Issues

To create a new GitHub Issue in GitKraken, you will start by clicking the green + button next to your issue tracker in the left panel.

Filter GitHub Issues

Depending on how many issues you have tied to a certain repository, searching through your GitHub issues can take time. With GitKraken’s GitHub Issues integration, you can create filters so you can quickly view only the issues you need to see, such as those assigned to you. GitKraken uses the same syntax that GitHub uses for GitHub Issues. 

Create Branches Tied to GitHub Issues

Another great feature offered by GitKraken is the ability to create branches tied to GitHub Issues. This allows you to streamline your issue tracking and get straight to work without context switching between two tools.   You can create a branch tied to an issue directly from the issue details view by clicking the Create a branch for this issue button. Alternatively, you may click on an issue from the left panel to access the same option.

By default, the branch name will prefill based on the GitHub issue name, and after the branch has been created, it will be denoted with a GitHub icon for added visual context and convenience. 

Get started using GitKraken for free with GitHub

Staying on track of your issues and tasks has never been easier, and reduced context switching
means you will have more time to do…whatever you want to do.

Sync GitHub Issues & Milestones with GitKraken Boards

GitKraken Boards syncs in real-time with GitHub Issues and GitHub Milestones so changes made in either system are immediately reflected in the other. Link cards to GitHub pull requests, check PR statuses, auto-update cards based on PR statuses and view build statuses without leaving GitKraken Boards.

Plus, use GitHub Actions to automate your workflow; trigger automated actions in GitKraken Boards by linking cards to pull request descriptions or commit messages in GitHub. See how to quickly set up GitHub Issue syncing with GitKraken Boards.

Using GitHub and GitKraken White Paper

In this white paper, we will share best practices for how tens-of-thousands of teams have successfully deployed Git, GitHub, and the GitKraken Git GUI across their organizations. 

This white paper covers the following topics:

  • Benefits of Git
  • Migrating to Git from other source control methods
  • Challenges developers face adopting Git
  • Training and educational resources for learning Git
  • Best practices for large scale deployments of Git, GitHub and the GitKraken Git GUI
gitkraken github whitepaper
Download White Paper PDF

Get started using GitKraken for free with GitHub

If you’re using GitHub to manage your remote repositories, we know you already value quality and ease.
Level up your Git workflow with better visibility and enhanced features today. 

GitHub Training Resources

GiKraken for GitHub cheatsheet preview

GitHub Cheat Sheet (PDF)

Why GitKraken preview

Why GitKraken (PDF)

GitKraken Cheat Sheet

GitKraken Cheat Sheet (PDF)

GitHub integration preview

GitHub Integration (Docs)

GitHub Enterprise integration preview

GitHub Enterprise Integration (Docs) 

Learn Git With GitKraken previvew

Learning Git Tutorial Videos