GitHub MCP Server

Overview

Connect to GitHub repositories, files, issues, and more through the Model Context Protocol.

Installation

Quick Setup

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-github

Claude Desktop Configuration

Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "your-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Setup

1. Create a GitHub Personal Access Token

   • Go to GitHub Settings > Developer settings > Personal access tokens
   • Generate a new token with appropriate scopes
   • Recommended scopes: repo, read:org, read:user

2. Configure the MCP Server

   • Set the GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN environment variable
   • Restart your AI application

Available Tools

Tool	Description
search_repositories	Search for GitHub repositories.
get_file_contents	Get contents of a file or directory.
create_issue	Create a new issue.
create_pull_request	Create a new pull request.
list_issues	List issues in a repository.
get_issue	Get details of a specific issue.
update_issue	Update an existing issue.
list_pull_requests	List pull requests in a repository.
get_pull_request	Get details of a specific pull request.
create_pull_request_review	Create a review on a pull request.
merge_pull_request	Merge a pull request.
list_branches	List branches in a repository.
list_commits	List commits in a repository.
get_commit	Get details of a specific commit.
compare_commits	Compare two commits or branches.

Usage Examples

Search for Repositories

{
  "name": "search_repositories",
  "arguments": {
    "query": "langgraph",
    "sort": "stars",
    "order": "desc"
  }
}

Get File Contents

{
  "name": "get_file_contents",
  "arguments": {
    "owner": "langchain-ai",
    "repo": "langgraph",
    "path": "README.md"
  }
}

Create an Issue

{
  "name": "create_issue",
  "arguments": {
    "owner": "my-org",
    "repo": "my-repo",
    "title": "Bug report",
    "body": "Description of the bug...",
    "labels": ["bug"]
  }
}

Security Notes

• Never commit tokens - Keep your GitHub token secure.
• Use minimal scopes - Only request the permissions you need.
• Rotate tokens regularly - Update your token periodically.
• Use fine-grained tokens - For better security, use fine-grained PATs.

Resources

• MCP GitHub Server
• MCP Documentation
• GitHub API Documentation