GitHub agent repository-write authority

Place checks in the tool wrapper and enforce branch protection/rules at GitHub.

01 / Principal and identity

Who acts, and what can the platform identify?

A coding agent uses an app installation or token under a repository owner’s task.

GitHub App installation and permissions establish API access to selected repositories.

Trace the proposed action
  1. 01Originating task
  2. 02Agent or workload
  3. 03It pushes a commit or opens a pull request.
  4. 04Observed effect

02 / Action-time control

Where can an unauthorized effect be stopped?

Place checks in the tool wrapper and enforce branch protection/rules at GitHub.

Bind repository, branch, file scope, operation and task approval.

SubjectVerified caller and task
RequestOperation, target and values
OutcomeDecision, attempt and state

Delegation constraint

A helper agent should receive a narrower repo/task grant than the coordinator.

03 / Worked denial

Test a request outside the grant.

An agent assigned documentation tries to push workflow changes to the default branch.

Adversarial verification

Give a documentation agent installation access, then have it attempt a workflow-file edit and a default-branch push. Check the tool scope and repository rules independently.

04 / Review and responsibility

What should the audit trail prove?

Installation ID, actor/run, repo, branch, changed paths, decision, commit/PR and rule result.

A tool wrapper cannot bypass GitHub’s own repository rules and should not claim to.

Platform primary source

Check the current execution model

Architecture discussion

Map one consequential action in your environment.

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