servers-modelcontextprotocol-1/src/github/README.md

GitHub MCP Server

MCP Server for the GitHub API, enabling file operations, repository management, and more.

Features

• Automatic Branch Creation: When creating/updating files or pushing changes, branches are automatically created if they don't exist
• Comprehensive Error Handling: Clear error messages for common issues
• Git History Preservation: Operations maintain proper Git history without force pushing
• Batch Operations: Support for both single-file and multi-file operations

Tools

1. create_or_update_file

   • Create or update a single file in a repository
   • Inputs:
     • owner (string): Repository owner (username or organization)
     • repo (string): Repository name
     • path (string): Path where to create/update the file
     • content (string): Content of the file
     • message (string): Commit message
     • branch (string): Branch to create/update the file in
     • sha (optional string): SHA of file being replaced (for updates)
   • Returns: File content and commit details

2. push_files

   • Push multiple files in a single commit
   • Inputs:
     • owner (string): Repository owner
     • repo (string): Repository name
     • branch (string): Branch to push to
     • files (array): Files to push, each with path and content
     • message (string): Commit message
   • Returns: Updated branch reference

3. search_repositories

   • Search for GitHub repositories
   • Inputs:
     • query (string): Search query
     • page (optional number): Page number for pagination
     • perPage (optional number): Results per page (max 100)
   • Returns: Repository search results

4. create_repository

   • Create a new GitHub repository
   • Inputs:
     • name (string): Repository name
     • description (optional string): Repository description
     • private (optional boolean): Whether repo should be private
     • autoInit (optional boolean): Initialize with README
   • Returns: Created repository details

5. get_file_contents

   • Get contents of a file or directory
   • Inputs:
     • owner (string): Repository owner
     • repo (string): Repository name
     • path (string): Path to file/directory
     • branch (optional string): Branch to get contents from
   • Returns: File/directory contents

6. create_issue

   • Create a new issue
   • Inputs:
     • owner (string): Repository owner
     • repo (string): Repository name
     • title (string): Issue title
     • body (optional string): Issue description
     • assignees (optional string[]): Usernames to assign
     • labels (optional string[]): Labels to add
     • milestone (optional number): Milestone number
   • Returns: Created issue details

7. create_pull_request

   • Create a new pull request
   • Inputs:
     • owner (string): Repository owner
     • repo (string): Repository name
     • title (string): PR title
     • body (optional string): PR description
     • head (string): Branch containing changes
     • base (string): Branch to merge into
     • draft (optional boolean): Create as draft PR
     • maintainer_can_modify (optional boolean): Allow maintainer edits
   • Returns: Created pull request details

8. fork_repository

   • Fork a repository
   • Inputs:
     • owner (string): Repository owner
     • repo (string): Repository name
     • organization (optional string): Organization to fork to
   • Returns: Forked repository details

9. create_branch

   • Create a new branch
   • Inputs:
     • owner (string): Repository owner
     • repo (string): Repository name
     • branch (string): Name for new branch
     • from_branch (optional string): Source branch (defaults to repo default)
   • Returns: Created branch reference

Setup

Personal Access Token

Create a GitHub Personal Access Token with appropriate permissions:

• Go to Personal access tokens (in GitHub Settings > Developer settings)
• Select which repositories you'd like this token to have access to (Public, All, or Select)
• Create a token with the repo scope ("Full control of private repositories")
  • Alternatively, if working only with public repositories, select only the public_repo scope
• Copy the generated token

Usage with Claude Desktop

To use this with Claude Desktop, add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcp-server-github": {
    "command": "mcp-server-github",
    "env": {
      "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "<YOUR_TOKEN>"
    }
  }
}