Imagine you are building a complex Lego castle, but every time you need a new brick, you have to run to a different room to fetch it. This is exactly what it feels like when you are coding in your terminal and have to switch to a web browser just to check a GitHub Pull Request. It breaks your concentration and slows you down. Today, I will teach you how to bring GitHub’s best features directly into your terminal.
To begin our journey, we must discuss the GitHub CLI, or “gh.” This is a powerful command-line tool that allows you to interact with GitHub without ever opening Chrome or Firefox. While the standard GitHub CLI is excellent, we can make it even better by using an extension called gh-dash. Think of this as a “mission control” center for all your coding projects. It provides a beautiful Terminal User Interface (TUI) where you can view your Pull Requests (PRs), issues, and notifications in one organized dashboard.
To install these tools, you will first need a package manager like Homebrew. You can type brew install gh into your terminal to get started. Once the installation is complete, you must authenticate your account by typing gh auth login. I recommend using the SSH method for authentication because it is more secure and professional. After you are logged in, you can install the dashboard extension by running the command: gh extension install dlvhdr/gh-dash. This adds the dashboard functionality to your existing GitHub toolset.
Once you launch the dashboard using gh dash, you will notice how organized everything looks. The interface uses “Vim motions,” which are special keyboard shortcuts (H, J, K, and L) that allow you to move around without touching your mouse. For a young developer, learning these keys is like learning a secret language that makes you twice as fast. You can scroll through your PRs, switch between tabs to see issues assigned to you, and even check your notifications. If you want to see a preview of a specific Pull Request, simply hit the ‘P’ key. This opens a side pane showing the description, the files changed, and the status of the automated tests.
One of the most technical parts of this setup is the configuration file, usually found at ~/.config/gh-dash/config.yml. This file uses the YAML format, which is a way of writing instructions that both humans and computers can read easily. In this file, you can define exactly what you want to see on your dashboard. For example, you can create a specific tab that only shows PRs from your favorite open-source project or filter out issues that are already closed. You can even change the colors of the interface to match your personal style.
To make your code reviews look even better, I recommend installing a “diff pager” called delta. Usually, when you look at changes in code, the terminal shows them in a very plain way. Delta adds syntax highlighting and side-by-side comparisons, making it much easier to spot mistakes. You can integrate this into your dashboard by updating the “pager” section in your configuration file. Seeing your code changes in bright, clear colors helps prevent “eye fatigue,” which is important when you are studying or coding for a long time.
If you are a fan of Neovim, there is another brilliant tool called Octo.nvim. This is a plugin that lets you edit GitHub issues and PRs as if they were regular text files. You can leave comments, add labels, and even approve a teammate’s work without ever leaving your text editor. This is the “gold standard” of productivity because it keeps all your tools in one place. By combining gh-dash for viewing the big picture and Octo.nvim for detailed work, you become a master of your own development environment.
Finally, for those who want to reach the highest level of efficiency, we can use Git Worktrees. Normally, if you want to check a different branch, you have to “stash” your current work and switch. With worktrees, you can have multiple branches open in different folders at the same time. You can even set up a special shortcut in your dashboard to open a branch in a new tmux window and start an AI-powered code review automatically using tools like opencode. It sounds like science fiction, but it is entirely possible with the right setup.
By moving your workflow into the terminal, you are removing the “friction” that causes procrastination. You no longer have to wait for a browser tab to load or deal with distracting notifications from other websites. You are simply you, your keyboard, and your code. I highly recommend that you start by installing the basic GitHub CLI and slowly add these extensions as you get more comfortable. Remember, the best developers are not just those who write great code, but those who build the best systems to help them work. Keep practicing your terminal commands, and soon you will be managing huge projects with just a few keystrokes.