Try a Repo Assist review

Try a Repo Assist review

To monitor existing Agentic Workflows without adding a campaign, start with Set Up CAO. This optional walkthrough uses ordinary campaign commands after setup; nothing commits, pushes, or dispatches on your behalf.

1. Install the campaign

From your configured control repository, install Repo Assist from a reviewed catalog revision:

gh cao campaigns add githubnext/gh-cao/repo-assist
gh cao campaigns mode preview repo-assist

Installation is not execution. Review .github/workflows/cao.json before publishing. Keep exact owner and repository allowlists for the control repository and the one existing target you explicitly select. Configure control-plane.campaigns.repo-assist.targets for that target, keep campaign mode and the maintenance worker ceiling at review, set max-repositories to 1, enable only maintenance, and disable issue triage, issue fix, and PR upkeep. See the campaign policy example and rollout guide.

Use a private control repository for non-public targets or evidence. A public control repository exposes workflow evidence, review outputs, and dashboard data. Repository-local workflow-token Activity access covers only the control repository: declare control-plane.activity.repositories accordingly, or configure appropriate cross-repository credentials. Target access and model authentication remain separate prerequisites; see authentication.

Inspect the diff and run gh cao doctor. Commit the reviewed workflows and policy together, then publish and immediately pause the orchestrator:

git push
gh workflow disable repo-assist.lock.yml

Keep it paused until Step 2 so its six-hour schedule does not request recurring work while you inspect the installation. Check CAO validation in Actions before execution.

2. Request one maintenance review

The normal budgets are 250 AI credits for orchestration, 600 for maintenance, and a configurable output check (400 by default): up to 1,250 AI credits under default limits, not expected consumption or measured usage.

Replace the coordinates below and main with your control repository’s actual default branch. Enabling the orchestrator also enables its six-hour schedule.

gh workflow enable repo-assist.lock.yml
gh aw run repo-assist --ref main \
  --raw-field target_repo="TARGET_OWNER/TARGET_REPOSITORY" \
  --raw-field safe_output_repo="CONTROL_OWNER/CONTROL_REPOSITORY" \
  --raw-field max_repos="1" \
  --raw-field safe_output_mode="review"
gh workflow disable repo-assist.lock.yml

Pause the orchestrator even if dispatch fails if you do not want scheduled work. Disabling does not cancel an already requested run. Inspect Actions to follow the orchestrator and maintenance worker; repeating gh aw run requests new work, not a status check.

Maintenance proposes one small validated patch in a control-repository review issue and downloadable review bundle, or records a no-op. It never applies changes to the target repository. A no-op is a valid result, and unavailable required evidence remains incomplete. Proposals are optional, not readiness grades or requirements for using CAO.

3. Collect and inspect evidence

After inspecting the outcome, request collection:

gh workflow run cao-activity.yml

This dispatch returns without waiting. Normal Activity push and schedule triggers may also collect evidence independently. Inspect the Activity run, then the dashboard workflow and its successful Pages deployment job; workflow success with a skipped deployment is not publication. Follow Set Up CAO to open the dashboard. Runtime success alone does not prove a proposal was applied or accepted.

See more without running more

Read verified historical Repo Assist examples without dispatching work or spending AI credits. No demo repository is created, and useful findings are not guaranteed. Other workers, recurring operation, additional targets, and live authority require separate reviewed choices.