SERVER

GitHub MCP Server

Rank #176

io.github.github/github-mcp-server

Connect AI assistants to GitHub - manage repos, issues, PRs, and workflows through natural language.

62 versions

33,649 GitHub stars

by github (4 servers)View repository ↗

First listed

Apr 4, 2025

Last publish date

Oct 8, 2026

PURPOSE

What you can do with GitHub MCP Server

GitHub's official MCP server connects an agent to the GitHub API so it can read repositories and code, manage issues and pull requests, inspect code security alerts, monitor Actions workflows and work with discussions and notifications.

Suitable tasks

Triage and comment on issues across repositories
Create, review, update and merge pull requests
Search code, commits, issues and repositories
Read and write files, branches and releases
Trigger Actions workflows and read job logs
List code scanning, Dependabot and secret scanning alerts

CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS

What GitHub MCP Server can and cannot do

Capabilities

Tools are grouped into toolsets (context, repos, issues, pull_requests, users on by default; actions, code_security, dependabot, discussions, gists, git, governance, labels, notifications, orgs, projects, secret_protection, security_advisories, stargazers and more on request). A read-only flag drops every write tool, and lockdown mode filters content from public-repo authors without push access.

Documented tools

get_me
list_issues
issue_read
issue_write
search_issues
add_issue_comment
create_pull_request
pull_request_read
pull_request_review_write
merge_pull_request
get_file_contents
create_or_update_file
push_files
create_branch
list_commits
search_code
search_repositories
actions_list
actions_run_trigger
get_job_logs
list_code_scanning_alerts
list_dependabot_alerts
list_secret_scanning_alerts
list_notifications

Limitations

The remote server does not support GitHub Enterprise Server; GHES needs the local server with GITHUB_HOST
OAuth on the remote server requires a host that configures its own GitHub App or OAuth App
--read-only overrides any write tool named in --tools; a misspelled tool name fails startup
search_code queries are capped at 256 characters; search_commits searches only the default branch; perPage maxes at 100
Lockdown mode is a best-effort prompt-injection filter, not an authorization boundary

REQUIREMENTS

What you need before using GitHub MCP Server

DeclaredNo credentialsNo credentials declared

The registry listing declares no required environment variables or authentication. This is declared metadata, not a verified install — the repository README is the authority.

MCP Toplist probed the public endpoint on Oct 12, 2026 and could not complete the MCP handshake (jsonrpc error). Requirements remain unverified.

Declared by the Official MCP Registry, last synced Oct 16, 2026. Not independently verified by MCP Toplist.

Runtime: None for the remote server; Docker image ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server or a Go build for local
Credentials: OAuth sign-in (remote, supporting hosts) or a personal access token; PAT takes precedence over OAuth
Permissions: PAT scopes: repo for most tools, workflow for push_files, security_events for security tools, read:org for teams
Also needed: GHES or ghe.com hosts are set with --gh-host / GITHUB_HOST (HTTPS only)

Declared in the registry install config

Hosted endpoint declared as public.

INSTALLATION AND FIRST TASK

Connect GitHub MCP Server and confirm it works

Remote: add https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/ as an HTTP server; sign in with OAuth or send Authorization: Bearer <PAT>
Local: run the ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server Docker image with -i --rm and GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN set
Optionally narrow exposure with --toolsets (or GITHUB_TOOLSETS) and --read-only
For GHES, set GITHUB_HOST to the instance's HTTPS URL on the local server

Remote · HTTP

claude mcp add --transport http github-mcp-server https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/

Docker image

claude mcp add github-mcp-server -- docker run -i --rm -p 127.0.0.1:8085:8085 -e GITHUB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PORT=8085 -e "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN={token}" ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:2.0.2

Remote · HTTP

[mcp_servers.github-mcp-server]
url = "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"

Add to ~/.codex/config.toml.

Docker image

[mcp_servers.github-mcp-server]
command = "docker"
args = ["run", "-i", "--rm", "-p", "127.0.0.1:8085:8085", "-e", "GITHUB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PORT=8085", "-e", "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN={token}", "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:2.0.2"]

Add to ~/.codex/config.toml.

Remote · HTTP

https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/

Settings → Connectors → “Add custom connector”, then paste this URL.

Docker image

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-mcp-server": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-p",
        "127.0.0.1:8085:8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PORT=8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN={token}",
        "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:2.0.2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json (Settings → Developer → Edit Config).

Remote · HTTP

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-mcp-server": {
      "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (per project).

Docker image

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-mcp-server": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-p",
        "127.0.0.1:8085:8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PORT=8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN={token}",
        "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:2.0.2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (per project).

Remote · HTTP

{
  "servers": {
    "github-mcp-server": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"
    }
  }
}

Save as .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.

Docker image

{
  "servers": {
    "github-mcp-server": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-p",
        "127.0.0.1:8085:8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PORT=8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN={token}",
        "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:2.0.2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Save as .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.

Remote · HTTP

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-mcp-server": {
      "serverUrl": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.

Docker image

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-mcp-server": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-p",
        "127.0.0.1:8085:8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PORT=8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN={token}",
        "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:2.0.2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.

Remote · HTTP

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-mcp-server": {
      "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"
    }
  }
}

Docker image

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-mcp-server": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-p",
        "127.0.0.1:8085:8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_OAUTH_CALLBACK_PORT=8085",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN={token}",
        "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:2.0.2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

First successful task

Ask the agent "who am I on GitHub?" so it calls get_me.

Expected: The agent returns the login, name and profile details of the authenticated GitHub user.

ALTERNATIVES

When to choose another server

gitlab-mcp#12
Your repositories live on GitLab rather than GitHub.
GitMCP#3,026
You only need documentation and code search for a public repository, with no token.
Repomix#39
You want a whole repository packed into one file for context, not API actions.

Compared side by side in GitHub MCP servers.

MAINTENANCE AND EVIDENCE

What changed, and when this was checked

First listed: Apr 4, 2025
Latest version published: Oct 8, 2026
Version history: 62 versions tracked (below)
Requirements evidence: MCP Toplist probed the public endpoint on Oct 12, 2026 and could not complete the MCP handshake (jsonrpc error). Requirements remain unverified.
Profile checked: Oct 8, 2026 against README
Ranking data as of: Oct 8, 2026

Registry sightings

Official MCP ↗listed since Apr 25, 2026 · still listed
PulseMCP ↗listed since Jun 4, 2026 · delisted, last seen Jun 4, 2026
mcp.so ↗listed since Jun 4, 2026 · delisted, last seen Jun 4, 2026
Glama ↗listed since Jun 4, 2026 · delisted, last seen Jun 4, 2026

Do you maintain GitHub MCP Server? to correct or enrich this profile.

VERSIONS

Available versions (62)

Version	Published
2.0.2	Oct 8, 2026
2.0.1	Oct 7, 2026
2.0.0	Oct 6, 2026
1.13.0	Oct 1, 2026
1.12.2	Sep 16, 2026
1.12.1	Sep 8, 2026
1.12.0	Sep 3, 2026
1.11.0	Aug 25, 2026
1.10.1	Aug 20, 2026
1.10.0	Aug 19, 2026
1.9.0	Aug 10, 2026
1.8.0	Jul 30, 2026
1.7.0	Jul 23, 2026
1.6.0	Jul 15, 2026
1.5.0	Jun 27, 2026
1.4.0	Jun 18, 2026
1.3.0	Jun 11, 2026
1.2.0	Jun 8, 2026
1.1.2	May 29, 2026
1.1.1	May 29, 2026
1.1.0	May 28, 2026
1.0.4	May 11, 2026
1.0.3	Apr 24, 2026
1.0.2	Apr 22, 2026
1.0.1	Apr 21, 2026
1.0.0	Apr 16, 2026
0.33.1	Apr 14, 2026
0.34.0	Apr 14, 2026
0.33.0	Mar 9, 2026
0.32.0	Mar 6, 2026
0.31.0	Feb 19, 2026
0.30.3	Feb 3, 2026
0.30.2	Jan 27, 2026
0.30.1	Jan 26, 2026
0.30.0	Jan 26, 2026
0.29.0	Jan 19, 2026
0.28.1	Jan 12, 2026
0.28.0	Jan 12, 2026
0.27.0	Jan 5, 2026
0.26.3	Dec 19, 2025
0.26.2	Dec 18, 2025
0.26.1	Dec 18, 2025
0.26.0	Dec 18, 2025
0.26.0-rc.3	Dec 16, 2025
0.26.0-rc.2	Dec 16, 2025
0.24.1	Dec 8, 2025
0.24.0	Dec 2, 2025
0.23.0	Nov 26, 2025
0.23.0-gosdk	Nov 24, 2025
0.22.0	Nov 24, 2025
0.21.1	Nov 21, 2025
0.21.0	Nov 17, 2025
0.20.2	Nov 10, 2025
0.20.1	Oct 27, 2025
0.20.0	Oct 27, 2025
0.19.1	Oct 22, 2025
0.19.1-test	Oct 22, 2025
0.18.0	Oct 10, 2025
0.17.1	Oct 3, 2025
0.17.0	Sep 30, 2025
0.16.0	Sep 26, 2025
0.1.0	Nov 25, 2024

STANDING

#176of 144,396 active serversTop 0.5%

Ranks ahead of 144,220 of 144,396 servers on MCP Toplist.

Recent momentum

+4,193GitHub stars since Apr 27 (+14%)

BADGE

Show your rank

Maintain this server? Add the live rank badge to your README — it updates automatically as the leaderboard changes.

Markdown

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HTML

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Variants: append ?metric=score or ?metric=stars to the image URL.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Who maintains GitHub MCP Server?: GitHub MCP Server is maintained by github, which publishes 4 MCP servers (62 total versions) tracked on MCP Toplist.
Is GitHub MCP Server listed on the Official MCP Registry?: Yes — GitHub MCP Server is listed on the Official MCP Registry, alongside PulseMCP, mcp.so and Glama.
How many versions does GitHub MCP Server have?: MCP Toplist tracks 62 versions of GitHub MCP Server, most recently published on Oct 8, 2026.
Where can I find the source code for GitHub MCP Server?: The source code for GitHub MCP Server is hosted at github.com/github/github-mcp-server.

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