How to Use GitHub MCP Server

Introduction to GitHub MCP and Its Purpose

GitHub MCP Server represents an exciting advancement in developer tools, providing seamless integration between artificial intelligence and GitHub's robust ecosystem. Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standardized way for Large Language Models (LLMs) to interact with external tools and data sources. GitHub's official MCP server bridges this gap specifically for GitHub repositories, enabling AI assistants to access, search, and interact with GitHub data through a structured interface.

In this tutorial, we'll explore how to set up, configure, and effectively use GitHub MCP Server to enhance your development workflow. Whether you're looking to automate routine GitHub tasks, gain deeper insights into repositories, or build AI-powered tools that interact with GitHub, this guide will provide you with the knowledge to get started.

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Understanding GitHub MCP Server Basics

GitHub MCP Server implements the Model Context Protocol to provide a standardized interface between AI models and GitHub's APIs. Rather than having AI tools parse raw HTML or interact with GitHub in unpredictable ways, the MCP server provides structured tools and resources that AI assistants can reliably use.

Here's what the GitHub MCP Server enables:

Automated GitHub workflow execution
Extraction and analysis of repository data
Interaction with issues, pull requests, and code
Integration with AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot

When an AI assistant needs information from GitHub, it sends a request to the MCP server, which then processes this request and returns structured data. This creates a more reliable and consistent experience when working with AI tools that need to access GitHub resources.

Setting Up Your GitHub MCP Server Environment

Before you can start using GitHub MCP Server, you'll need to set up your environment. The primary prerequisite is Docker, which is required to run the server in a container. You'll also need a GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT) to authenticate with GitHub's APIs.

Creating a GitHub MCP Personal Access Token

Go to your GitHub account settings
Navigate to Developer settings > Personal access tokens > Fine-grained tokens
Click "Generate new token"
Give your token a descriptive name
Set the expiration date
Select the repositories you want the token to access
Choose the necessary permissions based on what GitHub MCP tools you'll be using
Click "Generate token" and copy it to a secure location

Remember to keep your token secure, as it provides access to your GitHub account. The permissions you grant should be limited to what's required for your specific use case.

Installing GitHub MCP Server for Different IDEs

GitHub MCP for VS Code Setup

VS Code offers one of the most straightforward ways to integrate with GitHub MCP Server. Here's how to set it up:

Open VS Code
Press Ctrl + Shift + P (or Cmd + Shift + P on macOS)
Type "Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)"
Add the following JSON configuration to your settings file:

{
  "mcp": {
    "inputs": [
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "id": "github_token",
        "description": "GitHub Personal Access Token",
        "password": true
      }
    ],
    "servers": {
      "github": {
        "command": "docker",
        "args": [
          "run",
          "-i",
          "--rm",
          "-e",
          "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN",
          "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server"
        ],
        "env": {
          "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${input:github_token}"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Alternatively, you can create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your workspace to share this configuration with others. In this case, you don't need the "mcp" top-level key.

GitHub MCP for Claude Desktop Implementation

Claude Desktop also supports MCP servers. Here's how to configure it:

Create the following configuration:

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

Replace <YOUR_TOKEN> with your actual GitHub Personal Access Token

GitHub MCP Server for Enterprise Users

If you're using GitHub Enterprise Server instead of github.com, you'll need to specify your Enterprise instance's hostname. This can be done using the --gh-host flag when running the server or by setting the GH_HOST environment variable.

For example, in your VS Code configuration, you would modify the "args" array to include:

"args": [
  "run",
  "-i",
  "--rm",
  "-e",
  "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN",
  "-e",
  "GH_HOST=github.mycompany.com",
  "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server"
]

This ensures that the MCP server communicates with your Enterprise GitHub instance rather than the public github.com.

Exploring GitHub MCP Server Tools

GitHub MCP Server provides a comprehensive set of tools categorized by functionality. Here are some of the key tool categories:

GitHub MCP User Tools Overview

The User tools allow AI assistants to retrieve information about the authenticated GitHub user. The primary tool is:

get_me: Retrieves details about the currently authenticated user without requiring any parameters.

GitHub MCP Issues Management Tools

Issues tools enable AI assistants to interact with GitHub issues:

get_issue: Retrieves issue details by specifying owner, repository, and issue number
create_issue: Creates new issues with customizable title, body, assignees, and labels
add_issue_comment: Adds comments to existing issues
list_issues: Lists and filters repository issues with various criteria
update_issue: Updates existing issues
search_issues: Searches for issues across GitHub

GitHub MCP Pull Requests Management

Pull Request tools enable interaction with GitHub PRs:

get_pull_request: Retrieves PR details
list_pull_requests: Lists and filters repository PRs
merge_pull_request: Merges open pull requests
get_pull_request_files: Retrieves files changed in a PR
create_pull_request: Creates new PRs
update_pull_request_branch: Updates a PR branch with latest changes from base

GitHub MCP Repository Tools Exploration

Repository tools provide access to repository contents and management:

create_or_update_file: Modifies single files in repositories
push_files: Commits multiple file changes at once
search_repositories: Searches for repositories across GitHub
create_repository: Creates new repositories
get_file_contents: Retrieves file contents from repositories
create_branch: Creates new branches in repositories

GitHub MCP Resources for Repository Content

In addition to tools, GitHub MCP Server provides resource templates that enable direct access to repository content. These templates follow specific URL patterns:

Basic Repository Content: repo://{owner}/{repo}/contents{/path*}
Branch-Specific Content: repo://{owner}/{repo}/refs/heads/{branch}/contents{/path*}
Commit-Specific Content: repo://{owner}/{repo}/sha/{sha}/contents{/path*}
Tag-Specific Content: repo://{owner}/{repo}/refs/tags/{tag}/contents{/path*}
PR-Specific Content: repo://{owner}/{repo}/refs/pull/{prNumber}/head/contents{/path*}

These resources allow AI assistants to directly access specific versions of repository content.

Customizing GitHub MCP Server Descriptions

You can customize the descriptions of GitHub MCP tools to better match your workflow or language preferences. There are two main approaches:

Using a configuration file:
Create a github-mcp-server-config.json file in the same directory as the binary with overridden descriptions:

{
  "TOOL_ADD_ISSUE_COMMENT_DESCRIPTION": "an alternative description",
  "TOOL_CREATE_BRANCH_DESCRIPTION": "Create a new branch in a GitHub repository"
}

Using environment variables:
Set environment variables with the prefix GITHUB_MCP_:

export GITHUB_MCP_TOOL_ADD_ISSUE_COMMENT_DESCRIPTION="an alternative description"

To export the current translations as a starting point, run:

./github-mcp-server --export-translations

Building GitHub MCP Server from Source

If you prefer not to use Docker, you can build GitHub MCP Server from source:

Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/github/github-mcp-server.git
Navigate to the repository directory: cd github-mcp-server
Use Go to build the binary in the cmd/github-mcp-server directory
Run the server using github-mcp-server stdio with the GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN environment variable set

Conclusion: Maximizing GitHub MCP for Development

GitHub MCP Server represents a significant advancement in the integration of AI tools with GitHub's ecosystem. By providing a standardized interface through the Model Context Protocol, it enables AI assistants to interact with GitHub data in structured, predictable ways.

Throughout this tutorial, we've covered how to set up and configure GitHub MCP Server, explored its various tools and resources, and learned how to customize it to meet specific needs. By leveraging GitHub MCP Server in your development workflow, you can enhance productivity, streamline GitHub interactions, and unlock new possibilities for AI-powered development tools.

As AI continues to transform software development, tools like GitHub MCP Server will play an increasingly important role in creating seamless integration between AI assistants and developer platforms. By mastering GitHub MCP Server now, you're positioning yourself at the forefront of this exciting intersection of AI and software development.