Using GitHub Template Repos to spin up new projects

See how to use a GitHub repository template to get consistent, pre-configured starting points for new projects. This lesson walks through creating a new repo from a template — first manually through the GitHub dashboard, then using the GitHub CLI — before turning that entire workflow into a reusable Claude Code Skill.

Whether you use Rails, Next.js, Laravel, or any other stack, a project template saves you from repeating the same setup and configuration every time you start something new. You'll see a real template repo in action, understand why it's worth investing the time to create one, and watch the manual process that we'll automate with a custom Skill in the next lesson.

• Why project templates eliminate repetitive setup across new applications
• Walking through a real GitHub template repo with pre-configured tech stack and tooling
• Creating a new repo from a template using the GitHub web dashboard
• Using the GitHub CLI (gh repo create) with the --template, --private, and --clone flags
• Verifying the new repo exists on GitHub and is cloned locally
• Setting up the workflow we'll automate with a Claude Code Skill