github / github/app

Automations skill catalog does not refresh after a new top-level skill becomes available in the configured local checkout

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Description

## Confirmed scenario

GitHub Copilot App Automations says it can turn existing agent skills into automations and lists skills from a configured repository. A newly merged top-level skill (`skills/daily-brief`) did not appear: the page showed 48 older skills, and searching for `daily-bri` returned no matches, even though the current `master` contained 55 skills, including `skills/daily-brief`.

Automations builds its catalog from the configured project's local checkout/current working tree rather than directly from the repository's latest GitHub default branch. The skill needed to exist as a top-level repository skill such as `skills/daily-brief` in the configured checkout.

After the configured checkout was updated to current `master`, the page still remained stale until fully quitting the Copilot App with Cmd+Q and relaunching it. After relaunch, `daily-brief` appeared.

## Expected behavior

The Automations skill catalog should refresh automatically when the configured checkout changes, or provide an explicit Refresh/Reindex action and clearly explain that the catalog is sourced from the configured local checkout/current branch.

## Workaround

Update or switch the configured local checkout to the branch containing the skill, then fully quit and relaunch the App. No supported standalone cache-reset command was found; users should not need to delete internal cache databases.

## Environment

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| App version | 1.1.14 |
| OS | macOS 26.6.2 |
| Theme | GitHub |
| Path | /workflows |
| Tenure | Week 2 |
| Observed | 2026-08-27 |

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Reproduce from the /workflows page with a configured local checkout: add or update a top-level skill, then observe the catalog before and after restarting the app. Trace how the catalog is sourced and refreshed from the configured checkout. Done means changed skills appear automatically, or an explicit Refresh/Reindex action and source explanation are provided.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Domain
desktop, developer-experience
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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