GitHub MCP Server
by GitHub
GitHub's official MCP server — manage repos, issues, PRs, Actions, and security from any AI tool
code Docker Beginner Self-hostable Docker Verified Featured
⭐ 27.3k stars 📅 Updated: 1mo ago
Description
GitHub's official MCP server that enables AI tools to interact with the entire GitHub platform. Supports repository browsing, issue and pull request management, GitHub Actions monitoring, code security alerts, and discussions — all through the Model Context Protocol. Available as both a remote HTTP endpoint (via api.githubcopilot.com) for instant setup and as a local Docker container for full control. Features configurable toolsets that let you enable only the GitHub capabilities your workflow needs. Built in Go for performance and reliability. Works with 30+ MCP-compatible clients including Cursor, Claude Code, VS Code Copilot, and Windsurf.
✅ Best for
Developers and teams who want seamless GitHub integration in their AI-assisted workflows
⏭️ Skip if
You need access to non-GitHub code hosting platforms like GitLab or Bitbucket
💡 Use cases
- Managing GitHub issues and pull requests directly from AI coding assistants
- Monitoring GitHub Actions workflow runs and debugging failures
- Reviewing code security alerts and vulnerability reports via AI
- Browsing repository contents, branches, and commit history from chat interfaces
👍 Pros
- ✓ Official GitHub project — first-party support and reliability
- ✓ Dual deployment modes — remote HTTP for zero-config or local Docker for control
- ✓ Configurable toolsets let you expose only the GitHub features you need
- ✓ Massive adoption (27k+ stars) with broad client compatibility
👎 Cons
- ✗ Requires a GitHub PAT with appropriate scopes, which needs periodic rotation
- ✗ Remote endpoint depends on GitHub Copilot infrastructure availability
- ✗ Write operations (creating issues, merging PRs) require careful permission scoping
🔧 Exposed tools (6 tools)
| Tool | Category | Description |
|---|---|---|
| actions_monitor | ci-cd | Monitor and manage GitHub Actions workflow runs |
| discussions | community | Browse and participate in GitHub Discussions |
| issue_manage | issues | Create, update, search, and comment on GitHub issues |
| pr_manage | pull-requests | Create, review, merge, and manage pull requests |
| repo_browse | repository | Browse repository contents, branches, and commit history |
| code_security | security | Review code security alerts and vulnerability reports |
⚡ Installation
Prerequisites:
- • docker
- • GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT) with appropriate scopes
- • API key required
Check Claude Code documentation to configure this MCP server.
💡 Tips & tricks
Use the configurable toolsets feature to limit which GitHub capabilities are exposed to the AI. Start with read-only toolsets and expand as you build trust. The remote HTTP endpoint at api.githubcopilot.com requires no local setup — ideal for quick starts.
Quick info
- Author
- GitHub
- License
- MIT
- Runtime
- Docker
- Transport
- stdio
- Category
- code
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Self-hostable
- ✅
- Auth
- —
- Docker
- 🐳 Docker available
- Version
- latest
- Updated
- Feb 28, 2026
Client compatibility
- ✅ Claude Code
- ✅ Cursor
- ✅ VS Code Copilot
- ❓ Gemini CLI
- ✅ Windsurf
- ❓ Cline
- ❓ JetBrains AI
- ❓ Warp
Platforms
🍎 macOS 🐧 Linux 🪟 Windows