Official GitHub MCP server providing comprehensive GitHub API access for repository management, file operations, and search functionality
Access the GitHub API through Claude for comprehensive repository management, file operations, and search functionality.~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json{
"mcpServers": {
"github": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"
],
"env": {
"GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "your_github_token_here"
}
}
}
}{
"mcpServers": {
"github": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"
],
"env": {
"GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
}
}
}
}API rate limit exceeded: 5000 requests per hour hit
Personal access tokens have 5,000 requests/hour limit. Wait for hourly reset or use GitHub App with 15,000/hour limit for Enterprise Cloud. Check X-RateLimit-Reset header for reset time.
HTTP 401 unauthorized error with valid token
Regenerate personal access token from GitHub Settings > Developer Settings. Verify token includes repo scope for repository access. Check token hasn't expired and update GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN in config.
403 forbidden when accessing organization repos
Authorize token for SSO if organization requires it. Go to GitHub Settings > Applications > Personal Access Tokens, click Configure SSO, and authorize organization. Verify you have repo access.
Repository not found or access denied error
Verify repository name spelling: owner/repo-name format. Check you have read permissions to repository. For private repos, ensure token has repo scope, not just public_repo.
Cannot create or update files - permission error
Verify token has repo write permissions. Check repository isn't archived or locked. For organization repos, confirm you have push access and branch protection rules allow commits.
Read files and directories from any GitHub repository you have access to. Claude will fetch the content and help you understand or modify it.
// Ask Claude to read a specific file
"Can you show me the contents of src/lib/utils.ts from my-org/my-repo?"
// Or read multiple files
"Show me all TypeScript files in the src/components directory of my-org/my-repo"Create new files or update existing ones. The MCP server automatically creates branches and maintains proper Git history for all changes.
// Create a new React component
"Create a new Button component in my-org/my-repo at src/components/Button.tsx with TypeScript and proper props"
// Update existing file
"Update the README.md in my-org/my-repo to include installation instructions for the new Button component"Search code using GitHub's powerful search API. Find functions, classes, patterns, or specific implementations across your repositories.
// Search for specific patterns
"Find all files in my-org/my-repo that use the 'useState' hook"
// Search across multiple repos
"Search all my repositories for functions that handle authentication"Query issues and pull requests using GitHub's search syntax. Filter by labels, status, author, and more.
// List issues
"Show me all open issues with the 'bug' label in my-org/my-repo"
// Find pull requests
"Find all pull requests that mention 'authentication' in my-org/my-repo"Access repository metadata, statistics, and insights. Useful for analyzing project health and contributor activity.
// Get repository details
"Show me information about my-org/my-repo including stars, forks, and main language"
// List all repositories
"List all repositories in my-org organization sorted by stars"Perform multiple file operations atomically. The MCP server handles branch creation and ensures all changes are committed together.
// Create multiple related files at once
"Create a new feature in my-org/my-repo:
- Component file at src/components/Feature.tsx
- Test file at src/components/Feature.test.tsx
- Export it from src/components/index.ts"Loading reviews...
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