Connect GitHub
Install the GitHub App
After signing in, install the Quarterback GitHub App on the GitHub accounts or organizations that contain the repos you want to work with.
When you install the app (or update its repo access), GitHub notifies Quarterback automatically. Your repos appear in the platform within seconds — no manual import needed.
How Permissions Work
The Quarterback GitHub App requests the following permissions:
| Permission | Access | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Repository contents | Read & write | Read the codebase for context; push the branch a run’s work is committed to |
| Pull requests | Read & write | Open the pull request for a piece of work, and merge it once its claims are proven and you have approved |
| Issues | Read & write | Mint and close issues for autonomous work |
| Commit statuses | Read & write | Post the informational qb/claims-proven status on a PR |
| Metadata | Read | List repos and basic repo info |
Nothing lands without you. Quarterback works on a branch and opens a pull request; the merge happens only after a human approves it and every claim the work is holding to account is proven. It never pushes to your default branch and it never configures branch protection.
Selecting Repositories
When installing the GitHub App, you can choose:
- All repositories — grants access to every repo in the account/org (including future repos)
- Only select repositories — pick specific repos to grant access to
You can change this at any time in GitHub Settings > Applications > Quarterback > Configure.
Adopted Repos
If you work on repositories that belong to a GitHub organization where the Quarterback GitHub App isn’t installed (for example, an open-source project or a client’s org), you can adopt them.
Adopted repos let Quarterback associate your local work with the correct organization context, even without GitHub App access. The LLM still has full access to the code locally on your machine — it just won’t have GitHub-side metadata (PR history, branch info from the API).
To adopt a repo:
- Go to your org’s Integrations page in the web app
- Click Adopt Repository
- Enter the GitHub owner and repo name
- The repo appears in your org’s repo list
Adopted repos work the same as GitHub App repos for local development — the LLM reads and writes files on your machine, uses git tools, and builds knowledge. The only difference is that Quarterback can’t fetch metadata from the GitHub API for adopted repos.
Non-Repo Projects
You don’t need a GitHub repository to use Quarterback. You can work on any local folder — personal scripts, notes, design docs, or projects not tracked by git.
Work is declared to a team, and the team’s repos are what a run clones. A team can stand for a single repo or reach several, and a piece of work can land in more than one of them.
Organization Access
If your repositories belong to a GitHub organization, the org owner may need to approve the Quarterback GitHub App before you can access those repos.
To check or request access:
- Go to GitHub Settings > Applications > Authorized GitHub Apps
- Find Quarterback in the list
- If org access is pending, click Request or ask your org admin to approve
Multiple Organizations
You can belong to multiple Quarterback organizations. After signing in, use the organization switcher to move between orgs. Each org has its own repos, members, knowledge base, and billing.
Next Steps
With your repos connected, you’re ready to declare your first piece of work in the console.