# How to Set Up the Claude Code GitHub Action

> Install the Claude GitHub App, add one secret, and drop in a workflow so @claude answers in your issues and PRs. Copy-paste.

- Canonical: https://guides-ai.pages.dev/guides/claude-code-github-actions/
- Plate 04.04 · Topic: Workflows (https://guides-ai.pages.dev/topics/workflow/)
- Published: 06 Sept 2026 · 4 min read
- Source site: guides-ai — https://guides-ai.pages.dev/

The Claude Code GitHub Action runs Claude Code inside your repository's workflows. Mention
`@claude` in an issue or PR comment and it analyses code, makes changes, and pushes commits.
You need admin access to the repo.

## 1. The quick way

Install the [GitHub CLI](https://cli.github.com) and run `gh auth login` first. Then, from
inside the repo:

```bash
claude
```

```text
/install-github-app
```

It installs the Claude GitHub App, saves your authentication secret, pushes a branch with the
workflow files, and opens a pull request for you. Merge that PR and `@claude` works.

## 2. The manual way

Three steps, if you'd rather not run the command:

1. Install the **Claude GitHub App** on the repository (github.com/apps/claude). The action
   needs its Contents, Issues, and Pull requests permissions.
2. Add one repository secret: `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` (a Claude API key) **or**
   `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN` (a subscription token — generate it locally with
   `claude setup-token`).
3. Commit a workflow file.

## 3. Minimal workflow

`.github/workflows/claude.yml`:

```yaml
name: Claude Code
on:
  issue_comment:
    types: [created]
  pull_request_review_comment:
    types: [created]
jobs:
  claude:
    if: contains(github.event.comment.body, '@claude')
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    permissions:
      contents: write
      pull-requests: write
      issues: write
      id-token: write
      actions: read
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
        with:
          fetch-depth: 1
      - uses: anthropics/claude-code-action@v1
        with:
          anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
```

The non-boilerplate lines: `id-token: write` is required for the action's default GitHub App
authentication, `actions: read` lets Claude read CI results, and the `if:` keeps runners from
starting on comments that don't mention `@claude`. If you stored a subscription token instead,
replace the `anthropic_api_key` line with
`claude_code_oauth_token: ${{ secrets.CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN }}`.

## 4. Use it

Comment on any issue or PR:

```text
@claude implement this feature based on the issue description
@claude fix the TypeError in the user dashboard component
```

Claude replies in a comment on the same thread and updates it as it works. Only users with
write access to the repo can trigger a run, and bot actors are rejected unless you list them in
`allowed_bots`.

## 5. Keep runs cheap

Pass CLI arguments through `claude_args`:

```yaml
claude_args: "--max-turns 5 --model claude-sonnet-5"
```

Add a workflow-level timeout and GitHub's concurrency controls so a runaway job can't burn an
afternoon of Actions minutes.

---

Next: [run Claude Code headless in a script](/guides/claude-code-headless-ci/) or
[review a PR with Claude Code](/guides/claude-code-review-a-pr/).