Feature Request: Support for GitHub Operations as @claude User

Feature Request

Add support for Claude Code to perform GitHub operations (comments, reviews, issue creation) as the @claude user when integrated with GitHub projects.

Current Behavior

When using Claude Code locally, all GitHub CLI operations are performed using the authenticated user's credentials. This means:

• PR comments appear as coming from the user
• Issues are created by the user
• All GitHub operations show the user as the actor

Desired Behavior

Allow Claude Code to optionally perform GitHub operations as the @claude user (similar to how the GitHub Actions integration works), providing a consistent experience where Claude's contributions are clearly identified.

Use Case

1. Clear Attribution: When Claude provides code reviews or creates issues, it would be helpful to see these as coming from Claude rather than the user
2. Consistency: Matches the behavior of the GitHub Actions integration where Claude comments as itself
3. Audit Trail: Makes it easier to track which suggestions/changes came from Claude vs the developer

Proposed Implementation

Option 1: Environment Variable Configuration

# Claude Code could set this before GitHub operations
export GH_TOKEN=<claude_pat_token>
gh pr comment 33 --body "Review content"

Option 2: Configuration Setting

{
  "github": {
    "use_claude_identity": true,
    "claude_token": "encrypted_token_here"
  }
}

Option 3: Automatic Detection

• Detect when a project has @claude as a collaborator
• Prompt user if they want Claude to act as itself for GitHub operations
• Securely store authentication method

Security Considerations

• PAT/credentials must be stored securely
• Should be opt-in to avoid unexpected behavior
• Clear indication when Claude is acting as itself vs as the user
• Ability to revoke/disable this feature easily

Benefits

1. Cost Savings: Users could get Claude's code reviews without using GitHub Actions (which consumes API tokens at a higher rate)
2. Local Workflow: Maintains the speed and efficiency of local Claude Code while getting proper attribution
3. Flexibility: Users can choose when Claude acts as itself vs when it acts on their behalf

Additional Context

• Users are already adding @claude as collaborators to their projects
• The GitHub Actions integration can be expensive ($10+ per PR for large reviews)
• This would provide a middle ground between full automation and manual operation

Related Issues

• This would complement the existing GitHub Actions integration
• Could potentially reduce API usage costs for users who prefer local workflows