GitHub MCP server

The GitHub MCP Server enables seamless interaction with GitHub's API, providing functionality for file operations, repository management, search features, and more. It streamlines common GitHub tasks by handling branch creation automatically and maintaining proper Git history.

Installation

Setting Up Your GitHub Personal Access Token

Before using the MCP Server, you need to create a GitHub Personal Access Token:

1. Navigate to GitHub's Personal Access Tokens page in your GitHub Settings > Developer settings
2. Choose which repositories the token should access (Public, All, or Select)
3. Create a token with the repo scope for full repository access
   • For public repositories only, you can select just the public_repo scope
4. Copy your generated token for use in the configuration

Configuration Options

Using with Claude Desktop

Add one of the following configurations to your claude_desktop_config.json file:

Docker Option:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN",
        "mcp/github"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "<YOUR_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

NPX Option:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "<YOUR_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using the GitHub MCP Server

File Operations

Creating or Updating a File

// Create or update a single file
{
  "owner": "username",
  "repo": "repository-name",
  "path": "path/to/file.js",
  "content": "console.log('Hello World');",
  "message": "Add hello world script",
  "branch": "main"
}

Pushing Multiple Files

// Push multiple files in a single commit
{
  "owner": "username",
  "repo": "repository-name",
  "branch": "feature-branch",
  "files": [
    {
      "path": "src/component.js",
      "content": "// Your component code"
    },
    {
      "path": "styles/component.css",
      "content": "/* Your component styles */"
    }
  ],
  "message": "Add new component with styles"
}

Getting File Contents

// Get contents of a file
{
  "owner": "username",
  "repo": "repository-name",
  "path": "README.md",
  "branch": "main"
}

Repository Management

Creating a Repository

// Create a new repository
{
  "name": "new-project",
  "description": "A description of my project",
  "private": true,
  "autoInit": true
}

Forking a Repository

// Fork a repository
{
  "owner": "original-owner",
  "repo": "repository-name",
  "organization": "your-organization" // Optional
}

Creating a Branch

// Create a new branch
{
  "owner": "username",
  "repo": "repository-name",
  "branch": "feature-branch",
  "from_branch": "main" // Optional, defaults to repo default branch
}

Issue and Pull Request Management

Creating an Issue

// Create a new issue
{
  "owner": "username",
  "repo": "repository-name",
  "title": "Bug: Application crashes on startup",
  "body": "Detailed description of the bug...",
  "assignees": ["developer-username"],
  "labels": ["bug", "high-priority"]
}

Creating a Pull Request

// Create a new pull request
{
  "owner": "username",
  "repo": "repository-name",
  "title": "Add login functionality",
  "body": "This PR implements the login feature with...",
  "head": "feature-branch",
  "base": "main",
  "draft": false
}

Merging a Pull Request

// Merge a pull request
{
  "owner": "username",
  "repo": "repository-name",
  "pull_number": 42,
  "commit_title": "Merge login functionality",
  "merge_method": "squash"
}

Search Operations

Searching Code

// Search for code
{
  "q": "import express language:typescript path:src/",
  "sort": "indexed",
  "order": "desc",
  "per_page": 50
}

Searching Issues and Pull Requests

// Search for issues
{
  "q": "memory leak is:issue is:open label:bug",
  "sort": "created",
  "order": "desc",
  "per_page": 20
}

Searching Users

// Search for users
{
  "q": "fullstack developer location:London followers:>100",
  "sort": "followers",
  "order": "desc"
}

Search Query Syntax Tips

Code Search Examples

• Search by language: language:javascript
• Search in specific repository: repo:owner/name
• Search in specific path: path:app/src
• Search by file extension: extension:js

Issues Search Examples

• Filter by type: is:issue or is:pr
• Filter by state: is:open or is:closed
• Search by label: label:bug
• Search by author: author:username

Users Search Examples

• Filter by account type: type:user or type:org
• Filter by followers: followers:>1000
• Search by location: location:London

How to add this MCP server to Cursor

There are two ways to add an MCP server to Cursor. The most common way is to add the server globally in the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file so that it is available in all of your projects.

If you only need the server in a single project, you can add it to the project instead by creating or adding it to the .cursor/mcp.json file.

Adding an MCP server to Cursor globally

To add a global MCP server go to Cursor Settings > MCP and click "Add new global MCP server".

When you click that button the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file will be opened and you can add your server like this:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "cursor-rules-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "cursor-rules-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Adding an MCP server to a project

To add an MCP server to a project you can create a new .cursor/mcp.json file or add it to the existing one. This will look exactly the same as the global MCP server example above.

How to use the MCP server

Once the server is installed, you might need to head back to Settings > MCP and click the refresh button.

The Cursor agent will then be able to see the available tools the added MCP server has available and will call them when it needs to.

You can also explictly ask the agent to use the tool by mentioning the tool name and describing what the function does.