Code & Git

Ink provides two ways for your agent to store and deploy code:

1. Ink managed git — zero setup, no GitHub required. Your agent creates repos and pushes code directly.
2. GitHub integration — most developers already deploy from GitHub. Connect your account and Ink works the same way — push to a branch, auto-deploy.

Each service chooses its own git provider independently — you can use both simultaneously across different services.

Ink managed git

The fastest path from prompt to production. Your agent creates a repository, pushes code, and deploys — all without GitHub:

1. Agent calls create_repo to create a new repository
2. Ink provisions a private git repo with HTTPS access
3. Agent gets a clone URL and authentication token
4. Code is pushed directly to Ink's git server
5. Agent calls create_service to deploy from the repo

The primary use case for managed git is removing GitHub as a prerequisite entirely. Many users — especially non-developers using AI agents to build apps — don't have a GitHub account, haven't configured SSH keys, or don't have local git credentials set up. Without managed git, the agent would need the user to install git, create a GitHub account, generate credentials, and grant repository access before a single line of code could be deployed. Ink managed git skips all of that. The agent handles the entire flow through MCP tools, and the user never touches git directly.

This also applies to developers working on machines where GitHub credentials aren't configured — new environments, CI runners, or cloud workstations. Managed git lets the agent deploy immediately without any local setup.

Repository naming

Repositories are created with a unique slug: username/repo-name-xxxx where xxxx is a random suffix.

Authentication

Each repository gets a dedicated access token with push and pull permissions, valid for one year. Refresh with get_git_token.

When to use managed git

• No GitHub account — deploy without creating or configuring a GitHub account
• No local git credentials — the agent pushes code through Ink's HTTPS git server, no SSH keys or credential helpers needed
• Prototyping — fast iteration without managing repos
• Agent-generated projects — your agent handles everything end-to-end

GitHub integration

This is the recommended approach. Most developers already use GitHub and are familiar with platforms that deploy straight from a repository — push code, trigger a build, get a live URL. Ink works the same way. Connect your GitHub account and your agent can deploy from any repo you grant access to, with automatic redeployments on every push.

Your agent can use either git provider with equal ease — the MCP tools work the same way. The advantage of GitHub is that your code always lives in your own repository where you can review changes, manage branches, and collaborate with your team. This enables:

• Deploy from any GitHub repo the app has access to
• Webhook-based auto-deploy on every push
• Branch tracking — deploy from any branch

GitHub App

The Ink GitHub App gives Ink read-only access to your repositories. This is required for:

• Cloning your code during builds
• Receiving webhooks for auto-redeploy on push

GitHub account connection

Connecting your GitHub account (OAuth) allows your agent to:

• Create new repositories on your behalf
• Push code to your repos

Installing the GitHub App

1. Go to Settings > GitHub Access
2. Click Install GitHub App
3. Choose which repositories to grant access to (all or specific repos)
4. Confirm the installation on GitHub

Permissions

The GitHub App requests:

• Repository contents — read-only access to clone your code
• Webhooks — receive push events for auto-redeploy

It does not request write access to your code.

Webhook events

Once installed, the GitHub App receives push events. When you push to a branch tracked by an Ink service, a new deployment is triggered automatically.

Managing access

You can modify which repositories the app can access at any time:

1. Go to GitHub > Settings > Applications > Ink
2. Update repository access
3. Changes take effect immediately

Migrating between providers

To move a service from Ink managed git to GitHub (or vice versa):

1. Create a new service pointing to the new git provider
2. Copy the code to the new repository
3. Delete the old service

There's no automatic migration between providers.