ask-git0
Guide to git0 (packages/git0-repo-downloader), the GitHub repo search-download-setup CLI — the g / gg / git0 / fm commands, searching by keyword vs downloading by URL or owner/repo, release binaries for your platform, automatic dependency install per project type, IDE launch, and GITHUB_TOKEN rate limits. Use when working with git0 or troubleshooting it — "API rate limit exceeded", searches returning nothing, downloads landing in a suffixed folder, dependency install or IDE launch not firing, or release assets missing for a platform.
Install
npx skillscat add opensourceagi/dev-tools-starter-agent/ask-git0 Install via the SkillsCat registry.
Working With git0
The CLI in packages/git0-repo-downloader, published as git0. It replaces the clone → cd → install → open dance with one command: it downloads a repo tarball (no .git history, extracted while streaming, so faster than git clone), detects the project type, installs dependencies, and opens your editor.
Setup
npm install -g git0 # or: bun install -g git0
npx git0 facebook/react # or use it without installingFour bins ship with it: git0, g, gg (all the same CLI) and fm.
Picking the right invocation
| You want | Command |
|---|---|
| A repo you know the URL of | g https://github.com/facebook/react |
A repo by owner/repo |
git0 facebook/react |
| To find one by keyword | g react starter — fuzzy search, then pick from the list |
| A prebuilt binary instead of source | run the search/download; when the repo has releases you're asked to choose binary, source, or both |
| A one-liner other people can paste | npx git0 <owner/repo> — only Node required |
Recipes
What happens after download — the folder lands in the current directory, project type is detected, dependencies install, the IDE opens (deferred ~500 ms so extraction finishes first), and for Node projects the dev server starts.
Project-type detection
| Detected by | Install step |
|---|---|
package.json |
bun install, falling back to npm install |
Dockerfile / docker-compose.yml |
docker-compose up -d or docker build |
requirements.txt / setup.py |
virtualenv + pip install |
Cargo.toml |
cargo build |
go.mod |
go mod tidy |
IDE launch order — Antigravity, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, VS Code Server web UI, Neovim, WebStorm; the first one found on PATH wins.
Raise the rate limit — unauthenticated GitHub search is 60 requests/hour. Export a token for 5,000:
export GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_…Name collisions — if the target directory exists, git0 appends a counter (react-2, react-3) rather than overwriting.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause → fix |
|---|---|
API rate limit exceeded |
60 req/h unauthenticated. Set GITHUB_TOKEN in your shell profile. |
| Search returns nothing for a repo you know exists | Keyword search hits GitHub's search index, which excludes very new or low-signal repos. Pass owner/repo or the full URL to bypass search entirely. |
Project ended up in name-2/ |
A directory with that name already existed — this is the conflict handling, not a bug. Remove or rename the old one first. |
| Dependencies didn't install | No recognized manifest at the repo root (monorepo with everything under packages/, or a non-listed ecosystem). Run the install yourself in the right subdirectory. |
| Editor didn't open | None of the supported editors are on PATH. Launch manually, or add your editor's CLI shim (VS Code: "Shell Command: Install 'code' command"). |
| "No packages available for your platform" | The release has assets, but none matching your OS/arch. Choose the source download instead. |
| Private repo 404s | The token needs repo scope, and fine-grained tokens must grant access to that specific repository. |
| Downloaded tree has no git history | By design — the tarball skips .git. Run git init (or git clone) if you need history. |
command not found: g after global install |
The global bin dir isn't on PATH, or g collides with an existing alias/function in your shell. Use git0 explicitly. |
Install
npx skillscat add opensourceagi/dev-tools-starter-agent/ask-git0 Install via the SkillsCat registry.