GitHub MCP Server Setup Guide

This repository demonstrates how to set up and use a GitHub Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for AI-assisted development workflows.

What is MCP?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) enables AI assistants to interact with external systems and APIs through standardized interfaces. The GitHub MCP server specifically allows AI models to perform GitHub operations like:

• Creating/managing repositories
• Managing files and content
• Working with issues and pull requests
• Accessing repository information
• And more!

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Node.js installed on your system
• A GitHub account
• A GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT) with appropriate permissions

Step 1: Create a GitHub Personal Access Token

1. Go to GitHub Settings → Developer Settings → Personal Access Tokens
2. Create a new fine-grained token with the following permissions:
   • Repository: Read and write (Administration, Contents, Issues, Pull requests)
   • User: Read-only
3. Save your token securely - you'll need it for the configuration

Step 2: Set Up MCP Configuration

1. Create a configuration file named mcp.json in your user directory (e.g., ~/.cursor/mcp.json or C:\Users\YourUsername\.cursor\mcp.json)
2. Add the following configuration:

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

3. Replace your_github_pat_here with your actual GitHub Personal Access Token

Step 3: Test Your MCP Server

1. Install a compatible AI coding assistant that supports MCP (like Cursor)
2. Ask the assistant to perform GitHub operations, such as:
   • Creating repositories
   • Fetching file contents
   • Creating issues
   • Making pull requests

Usage Examples

Here are some examples of operations you can perform with your GitHub MCP:

• Create a new repository: Create a new GitHub repository named "my-project"
• Push code to a repository: Push this file to my repository
• Create an issue: Create an issue titled "Fix navigation bug" in my repository
• Fetch repository contents: Show me the contents of the main.js file from my repository

Troubleshooting

• Permission Errors: Ensure your GitHub PAT has the necessary permissions for the operations you're trying to perform
• Connection Issues: Check that your MCP server is properly configured and running
• Token Expiration: GitHub PATs can expire - check if you need to generate a new one

Resources

• Model Context Protocol (MCP) Documentation
• GitHub API Documentation
• NPM Package: @modelcontextprotocol/server-github

Note: Always keep your GitHub Personal Access Token secure and never commit it to public repositories.