Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Orbit GitHub Briefing agent skill (orbit-github)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The orbit-github skill is a template for Open Orbit, a daily digest feature. It tells an agent to read the past 24 hours of pull request, review, issue, CI and merge activity from a connected GitHub account and lay it out in a page that resembles GitHub's Notifications and PR-diff screens. This guide explains what an agent skill is, how to install this one, what it needs, and where its limits are, so you can decide whether it fits your workflow.
Orbit GitHub Briefingnexu-io/open-design · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Get the orbit-github package from the agent-skills directory page. It contains example.html and SKILL.md.
- 2Choose an install location. Use ~/.claude/skills/ for a personal install, or .claude/skills/ inside a project for a project-only install.
- 3Unzip the skill. Extract the package into your chosen skills folder so the files sit together.
- 4Or upload it in the Claude apps. If you use the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.
- 5Connect GitHub in Orbit. Make sure your Orbit pipeline or host application has an authenticated GitHub connection, since the skill needs live data.
- 6Let the scheduler run it. The skill is meant to be selected and run by Orbit's daily-digest scheduler, not typed in by hand.
What is an agent skill and what does orbit-github do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md instruction file and any supporting files. When a skill is selected, the agent follows its instructions for that task. The orbit-github skill is one such folder, and its job is narrow: produce a GitHub-only daily briefing inside Open Orbit.
According to the skill's own instructions, the agent first opens the shipped example.html file and reproduces its structure, with the same layout, nav items, filter list and event groups. It then refreshes the mock values, such as PR numbers, titles and times, so they read as today's activity. Live data comes from the user's authenticated GitHub connection.
- Review requests waiting on you, shown in a yellow attention block
- CI and check failures, each shown as a red-bordered card
- Issues assigned to you, with status circles and label pills
- Merges and closes, shown as quieter activity rows
- An optional inline PR-diff preview under one PR row
Install the orbit-github skill from the ZIP
Download the orbit-github ZIP from the agent-skills directory page. The package contains two files: example.html and SKILL.md.
You can install it in one of two ways. For a personal setup, unzip the folder into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into the project's .claude/skills/ folder. Alternatively, if you use the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.
- Personal install: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: unzip into .claude/skills/ inside the project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the skill
Requirements before you start
The skill depends on live GitHub data, so it cannot work from a static file alone. It needs the Orbit pipeline or a host application that provides a connected GitHub connection, and an authenticated GitHub account accessed through that connector.
The skill is built to run without a design system. It does not run scripts, but it does use the network to reach GitHub through the connection.
- An Orbit pipeline or host application with a connected GitHub connection
- An authenticated GitHub account available through that connector
- GitHub as the only connected service, for the default selection case
- Network access (the skill uses the network; it runs no scripts)
How to trigger the skill with a natural request
The skill's metadata lists trigger phrases such as "github briefing", "github digest", "pr digest", "github 简报" and "代码活动汇总". However, the skill's own description says it should not be triggered manually. It is selected by the Orbit pipeline when GitHub is the user's only connected connector, or when the user explicitly scopes their daily digest to GitHub, and it is invoked by Orbit's daily-digest scheduler.
In practice, a typed request is not the intended route. If you are testing the pipeline, the skill's example prompt asks for today's Open Orbit GitHub briefing with yesterday's PRs, review requests, issues, CI runs and merges rendered as a GitHub Notifications and PR-diff page.
- Expected route: Orbit's daily-digest scheduler
- Selection rule: GitHub is the only connected connector, or the digest is explicitly scoped to GitHub
- Example prompt from the skill: "Generate today's Open Orbit GitHub briefing"
What to expect in the output
The output is a single HTML page styled to look like GitHub. The skill fixes the colours, fonts and layout from example.html, so the page will look like GitHub regardless of your own branding. The skill also says to avoid assigning names to people unless the connector data explicitly identifies the authorised user; otherwise it uses neutral wording such as "you".
The footer is a single line reading the Open Orbit label, the generation time and "GitHub only".
- Fixed GitHub-style visual language, with no brand tokens applied
- Neutral wording for the current user unless identity is explicit
- Only the event types and panels already present in example.html
Safety notes: scripts and network access
The skill runs no scripts. It does use the network, because it pulls data from the user's authenticated GitHub connection. Review what the connector can access before you connect your account, since the skill reads PRs, reviews, issues, CI runs and merges.
The skill also says to ignore any design system or brand tokens attached to a project, so it will not pull in external styling files.
- Scripts: none
- Network: yes, through the connected GitHub account
- Only read the connector scope you intend to share with the digest
What people use it for
- A developer who uses GitHub as their only connected service and wants a morning summary of review requests and CI failures
- A team testing the Open Orbit digest pipeline with real GitHub data
- Reviewing yesterday's merges and closed PRs in one page
- Checking which assigned issues changed status overnight
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the orbit-github skill?
Download the ZIP from the agent-skills directory page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for a personal install or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. If you use the Claude apps, you can instead upload it under Settings, Capabilities, Skills.
Do I need a GitHub account to use orbit-github?
Yes. The skill depends on live data from an authenticated GitHub account accessed through a connected GitHub connection in the Orbit pipeline or host application. Without that connection it will not produce a real briefing.
Is orbit-github free?
The listing states its licence as Apache-2.0. Check the licence file in the package for the full terms.
Can I use orbit-github with GitHub and another service like Slack?
The skill is scoped to GitHub only. It is selected when GitHub is the only connected connector or when the digest is explicitly scoped to GitHub, and it is not built for non-GitHub sources.
Why does the output always look like GitHub?
The skill forbids applying any design system or brand tokens. It reproduces the fixed layout and colours from example.html, so the briefing reads as a GitHub-style page rather than your own brand.
Can I trigger orbit-github by typing a request?
The skill's description says it should not be triggered manually. It is meant to be invoked by Orbit's daily-digest scheduler, even though its metadata lists phrases such as "github briefing" and "pr digest".
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Our verdict
Use orbit-github if you work mainly in GitHub, have a connected GitHub account in Orbit, and want a fixed-style daily activity page run by the scheduler. Pick a different option if you need custom branding, data from services other than GitHub, or an on-demand report you can request by hand.
Download the skill