LiteHub

A fast, lightweight GitHub Desktop–style GUI for Git on desktop, written in Python with Qt (PySide6).
No Electron runtime. Uses your system git for performance and compatibility.

Features

• Open an existing local Git repository
• Clone a repository
• Initialize a new local repository
• Show working tree changes (status)
• View diffs (staged + unstaged)
• Stage all / unstage all
• Commit
• Pull (fast-forward only)
• Push
• Login using a GitHub token (PAT / fine-grained token)
• Create a GitHub repository from the app (via GitHub REST API)

Non-goals (for now)

This is an MVP. It does not yet include:

• Branch/checkout UI, merge/rebase UI
• Commit history log, blame, tags
• Partial staging (hunks/lines)
• PR/issue UI
• Submodules / LFS UI
• SSH key management

Requirements

• Python 3.9+ recommended
• git installed and available on PATH
• Packages:
  • PySide6
  • requests
  • keyring (optional but recommended; falls back to a local file if unavailable)

Install dependencies:

pip install PySide6 requests keyring

Run

Save the app as litehub.py and run:

python litehub.py

Usage

Open a repo

• Use File → Open repo… and select a folder that is a Git working tree.

Clone a repo

• Use File → Clone…
• Enter a URL like https://github.com/owner/repo.git
• Choose a destination folder

Commit workflow

1. Select a repo
2. Click Stage all
3. Write a commit message
4. Click Commit
5. Click Push

GitHub token login

• Use GitHub → Login token…
• Paste a GitHub token (PAT or fine-grained token)

Token is used for:

• GitHub API calls (e.g., “Who am I?”, create repo)
• HTTPS push/pull authentication using a temporary GIT_ASKPASS helper (token is not embedded into the remote URL)

Token scopes / permissions

Your token must allow whatever you want to do:

• To create repos: permissions to create repositories for your account
• To push/pull over HTTPS: permissions for that repository

Exact permissions vary between classic PATs and fine-grained tokens; configure it in GitHub settings accordingly.

Security notes

• If keyring is available, the token is stored in the OS keychain.

• If keyring is not available, LiteHub stores the token at:

  • Linux/macOS: ~/.config/litehub/token.json (attempts to set 0600 permissions)

• Push/pull uses GIT_ASKPASS with a temporary script in your temp directory to provide credentials non-interactively.

• Do not share logs/screenshots containing token values.

Troubleshooting

“Not a git repository”

Make sure the folder you opened is a Git working tree (contains .git/ or is inside one).

Push/pull prompts for password

• Ensure your remote is HTTPS (starts with https://github.com/...)
• Ensure you saved a token (GitHub → Login token…)
• Some environments may have credential helpers interfering. You can try clearing cached credentials:
  • Check git config --global credential.helper

“Pull failed” due to non-fast-forward

This MVP uses git pull --ff-only to stay safe. If your branch diverged, you must resolve via merge/rebase using CLI for now.

Project structure

Single-file MVP:

• litehub.py — GUI, git subprocess wrapper, GitHub REST client, token storage

Roadmap ideas

• Branch selector (switch/create/delete)
• Fetch button + ahead/behind indicator
• Commit history view
• Inline staging (hunks/lines)
• PR creation and listing via GitHub API
• Better clone/init flows (auto-add remote, initial commit)

References

• GitHub REST API auth: https://docs.github.com/en/rest/authentication/authenticating-to-the-rest-api
• Get authenticated user: https://docs.github.com/en/rest/users/users?apiVersion=2022-11-28#get-the-authenticated-user
• Create repo endpoint: https://docs.github.com/en/rest/repos/repos?apiVersion=2022-11-28#create-a-repository-for-the-authenticated-user
• git status --porcelain: https://git-scm.com/docs/git-status
• GIT_ASKPASS / GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT: https://git-scm.com/docs/git