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
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! ☺️
