Connecting GitHub

Quant uses a GitHub App to automate deployments. Once connected, the dashboard can create repositories, detect your framework, set up secrets, generate CI/CD workflows, and trigger deployments — all without leaving Quant.

How it works

Quant connects to GitHub through a GitHub App (not a personal access token or OAuth app). This gives you:

• Fine-grained permissions — Quant only accesses the repositories you choose
• Organisation-level installation — Install once, share across your team
• Short-lived tokens — Access tokens expire automatically and are never stored long-term
• Revocable access — Disconnect at any time from the Quant dashboard or GitHub

Install during the wizard

When you create a project using the template wizard or repository import, Quant prompts you to connect GitHub if you haven’t already.

1. Click Connect GitHub when prompted
2. Authorise the Quant GitHub App in the popup
3. Select repositories — choose specific repos or grant access to all repos in your account or organisation
4. You’re returned to the wizard automatically

Tip

If you only have one GitHub installation, it’s selected automatically. If you have multiple (e.g., a personal account and an organisation), you’ll choose which one to use.

Install from GitHub

You can also install the Quant GitHub App proactively before starting a wizard:

1. Visit the Quant GitHub App page on GitHub
2. Click Install
3. Select the account or organisation to install on
4. Choose All repositories or Only select repositories
5. Click Install

Once installed, the app appears automatically in the Quant dashboard the next time you use a deployment wizard.

Manage your connection

View connected accounts

In the Quant dashboard, your GitHub installations are visible when you start any deployment wizard. Each installation shows the account name and the repositories it can access.

Change repository access

To add or remove repositories from an existing installation:

1. Go to GitHub → Settings → Applications → Installed GitHub Apps
2. Find QuantCDN and click Configure
3. Under Repository access, add or remove repositories
4. Click Save

Changes take effect immediately in the Quant dashboard.

Disconnect

To remove Quant’s access to your GitHub account:

1. Go to GitHub → Settings → Applications → Installed GitHub Apps
2. Find QuantCDN and click Configure
3. Click Uninstall at the bottom of the page

Caution

Disconnecting removes Quant’s ability to update workflows and secrets. Existing deployments that use GitHub Actions will continue to work because they use repository secrets that are already stored in GitHub, but you won’t be able to set up new wizard-based deployments until you reconnect.

Permissions

The Quant GitHub App requests the following permissions:

Permission	Access	Used for
Contents	Read & Write	Reading repository files for framework detection, creating workflow files, committing changes
Secrets	Write	Setting deployment tokens and credentials as encrypted repository secrets
Variables	Read & Write	Storing non-sensitive configuration like project names and API endpoints
Actions	Read	Monitoring workflow runs and deployment status
Pull Requests	Read & Write	Creating PRs with deployment workflow files when importing a repository
Metadata	Read	Listing repositories and basic repository information

Security

• Encrypted secrets — All secrets are encrypted using libsodium sealed boxes with the repository’s public key before being sent to GitHub. Quant never stores your deployment tokens after setup.
• Short-lived tokens — The GitHub App uses JWTs that expire after 10 minutes, and installation tokens that expire after 1 hour.
• HTTPS only — All communication between Quant and GitHub uses TLS-encrypted connections.
• No source code storage — Quant reads your repository files only during framework detection. Your source code is never stored on Quant’s servers.

Troubleshooting

No installations found

If the dashboard shows no GitHub installations:

1. Verify the app is installed at GitHub Settings → Applications
2. Check that you installed the app on the correct account (personal vs. organisation)
3. Try disconnecting and re-connecting from the Quant dashboard

Permission denied when creating workflow

The Quant GitHub App needs Contents: Read & Write permission. If this was revoked:

1. Go to GitHub → Settings → Applications → Installed GitHub Apps
2. Click Configure on QuantCDN
3. Review and re-grant the requested permissions

Workflows not triggering after setup

If your deployment workflow was created but isn’t running:

1. Check Actions in your GitHub repository — workflows may need to be enabled for the first time
2. Verify the workflow file exists at .github/workflows/deploy.yml
3. Ensure the trigger branch (usually main) matches your default branch

Next steps

• Start from a template — Create a new site from a ready-to-deploy template
• Import a repository — Connect an existing GitHub repo for automated deployments