What is Github Repo Mcp

GitHub Repo MCP is an open-source MCP server that allows AI assistants to browse GitHub repositories, explore directories, and view file contents.

Use cases

Use cases include assisting developers in exploring codebases, integrating AI tools with GitHub for automated code reviews, and enhancing productivity by providing easy access to repository contents.

How to use

To use GitHub Repo MCP, install it via NPX or configure it in your IDE’s mcp.json file. Ensure you have Node.js 18+ and npm or yarn installed.

Key features

Key features include compatibility with various MCP clients, the ability to browse public GitHub repositories, navigate through directories, view file contents, and easy installation via package manager.

Where to use

GitHub Repo MCP can be used in software development, AI assistant applications, and any context where GitHub repository access is required.

GitHub Repo MCP

GitHub Repo MCP is an open-source MCP server that lets your AI assistants browse GitHub repositories, explore directories, and view file contents.

Table of contents

Getting started • Feature overview

✨ Key features

• 💻 Compatible with Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Desktop, and other MCP clients supporting stdio protocol
• 🔎 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:

1. Create a personal access token at https://github.com/settings/tokens
2. Set the token as an environment variable in mcp.json:

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 repository
  • path: 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 repository
  • path: 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:

1. Browsing a repository root:
   Ask your AI assistant to “Show me the contents of the repository at https://github.com/Ryan0204/github-repo-mcp”

2. Exploring a specific directory:
   Ask “What files are in the src directory of https://github.com/Ryan0204/github-repo-mcp?”

3. 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! ☺️