GitHub Repo MCP
Browse and access GitHub repositories through any MCP-compatible client.
Key Features
Use Cases
README
GitHub Repo MCP
Table of contents
✨ Key features
- 💻 Compatible with Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Desktop, and other MCP clients supporting
stdioprotocol - 🔎 Browse the contents of any public GitHub repository
- 📂 Navigate through repository directories and subdirectories
- 📝 View the content of code and text files
- 📦 Easy installation via package manager
Getting Started
Prerequisites
Installing the server requires the following on your system:
- Node.js 18+
- npm or yarn
Step 1. Installation
You can install and run GitHub Repo MCP using Smithery, NPX, or setting in mcp.json of your IDE:
MacOS
npx github-repo-mcp
Windows NPX
cmd /c npx -y github-repo-mcp
Windows NPX via .cursor/mcp.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"github-repo-mcp": {
"command": "wsl",
"args": [
"bash",
"-c",
"cmd /c npx -y github-repo-mcp"
],
"enabled": true
}
}
}
Windows NPX via .cursor/mcp.json (if path not set)
# Find the full path to npx first
which npx
{
"mcpServers": {
"github-repo-mcp": {
"command": "wsl",
"args": [
"bash",
"-c",
"'/home/[username]/.nvm/versions/node/v20.18.0/bin/npx github-repo-mcp'"
],
"enabled": true
}
}
}
Installing via Smithery
To install GitHub Repo MCP for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:
npx -y @smithery/cli install @Ryan0204/github-repo-mcp --client claude
Wait a few seconds or click on the refresh button a few times if it does not register. If it still won't register, make sure you entered the right command.
Step 2. Configuration
The GitHub Repo MCP server can use a GitHub token for higher rate limits when accessing the GitHub API.
Environment Variables
| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
GITHUB_TOKEN |
No | None | Your GitHub personal access token for higher rate limits |
Setting Up a GitHub Token (Optional)
While the server works without authentication, GitHub API has rate limits that are much lower for unauthenticated requests. To increase your rate limit:
- Create a personal access token at https://github.com/settings/tokens
- Set the token as an environment variable in mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"github-repo-mcp": {
"command": "...",
"args": [
...
],
"env": {
"GITHUB_TOKEN": "Your_Github_Token"
}
"enabled": true,
}
}
}
Feature Overview
Repository Browsing Tools
The server provides three main tools for interacting with GitHub repositories:
1. getRepoAllDirectories
Lists all files and directories at the root of a GitHub repository.
- Parameters:
repoUrl: The URL of the GitHub repository (e.g., "https://github.com/owner/repo")
2. getRepoDirectories
Lists contents of a specific directory in a GitHub repository.
- Parameters:
repoUrl: The URL of the GitHub repositorypath: The directory path to fetch (e.g., "src")
3. getRepoFile
Retrieves and displays the content of a specific file from a GitHub repository.
- Parameters:
repoUrl: The URL of the GitHub repositorypath: The file path to fetch (e.g., "src/index.js")
Usage Examples
Here are some examples of how to use these tools with an AI assistant:
-
Browsing a repository root: Ask your AI assistant to "Show me the contents of the repository at https://github.com/Ryan0204/github-repo-mcp"
-
Exploring a specific directory: Ask "What files are in the src directory of https://github.com/Ryan0204/github-repo-mcp?"
-
Viewing a file: Ask "Show me the README.md file from https://github.com/Ryan0204/github-repo-mcp"
Limitations
- Rate Limiting: Without authentication, GitHub API has strict rate limits (60 requests per hour)
- Private Repositories: Can only access public repositories unless a token with appropriate permissions is provided
- Binary Files: The server detects common binary file extensions and won't display their contents
- Large Files: GitHub API has limitations on the size of files that can be retrieved
Troubleshooting
Here are some common issues and their solutions:
- Rate limit exceeded: Set up a GitHub token as described in the Configuration section
- Command not found: Ensure the package is installed globally
- Connection errors: Check your internet connection and GitHub API status
If you encounter any issues, please check the output for error messages or create an issue in the GitHub repository.
Enjoy! ☺️
Star History
Repository Owner
User
Repository Details
Programming Languages
Tags
Topics
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with the latest AI tools, news, and offers by subscribing to our weekly newsletter.
Related MCPs
Discover similar Model Context Protocol servers
Gitingest-MCP
An MCP server for extracting GitHub repository summaries, structure, and file content.
Gitingest-MCP serves as a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server compatible with context-aware AI tools. It enables MCP clients such as Claude Desktop, Cline, Cursor, and others to quickly and efficiently extract key information from GitHub repositories, including summaries, the directory tree, and individual file contents. It supports installation via Smithery or manual configuration and is designed for seamless integration into the MCP client ecosystem. Documentation provides guidance on installation, configuration, and debugging.
- ⭐ 131
- MCP
- puravparab/Gitingest-MCP
GitHub MCP Server
Connect AI tools directly to GitHub for repository, issue, and workflow management via natural language.
GitHub MCP Server enables AI tools such as agents, assistants, and chatbots to interact natively with the GitHub platform. It allows these tools to access repositories, analyze code, manage issues and pull requests, and automate workflows using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The server supports integration with multiple hosts, including VS Code and other popular IDEs, and can operate both remotely and locally. Built for developers seeking to enhance AI-powered development workflows through seamless GitHub context access.
- ⭐ 24,418
- MCP
- github/github-mcp-server
GitHub Repos Manager MCP Server
Token-based, high-performance GitHub automation for MCP clients.
GitHub Repos Manager MCP Server offers a comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for managing GitHub repositories via direct API integration. It enables MCP clients such as Claude Desktop, Roo Code, and Cursor to automate GitHub workflows using just a personal access token, without the need for Docker. With 89 tools, users can handle repository management, issue tracking, collaboration, and advanced configuration with fine-grained control. The server is optimized for simplicity, security, and powerful automation through flexible tool management and granular access permissions.
- ⭐ 13
- MCP
- kurdin/github-repos-manager-mcp
mcp-git-ingest
MCP server for exploring GitHub repository structures and key files.
mcp-git-ingest is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed to programmatically read and visualize GitHub repository structures and retrieve important file contents. It leverages fastmcp for server functionality and gitpython for repository operations, ensuring robust error handling and cleanup. The tool offers commands to generate directory trees and fetch specified files, making it suitable for integrating repository context into AI workflows.
- ⭐ 286
- MCP
- adhikasp/mcp-git-ingest
Driflyte MCP Server
Bridging AI assistants with deep, topic-aware knowledge from web and code sources.
Driflyte MCP Server acts as a bridge between AI-powered assistants and diverse, topic-aware content sources by exposing a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. It enables retrieval-augmented generation workflows by crawling, indexing, and serving topic-specific documents from web pages and GitHub repositories. The system is extensible, with planned support for additional knowledge sources, and is designed for easy integration with popular AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and VS Code.
- ⭐ 9
- MCP
- serkan-ozal/driflyte-mcp-server
GistPad MCP
Manage and share personal knowledge and reusable prompts via GitHub Gists with MCP compatibility.
GistPad MCP is an MCP server designed for managing, organizing, and sharing personal knowledge, daily notes, reusable prompts, and more through GitHub Gists. It integrates with clients like the GistPad VS Code extension and web apps, allowing users to interact with their gists using standardized MCP tools across MCP-enabled AI products. The project features comprehensive gist management, daily notes, collaboration, and prompt creation to streamline knowledge workflows with AI-enabled context. Seamless onboarding is supported via personal access tokens and simple configuration.
- ⭐ 168
- MCP
- lostintangent/gistpad-mcp
Didn't find tool you were looking for?