GitHub MCP Server

What it does (plain English)

The GitHub MCP server gives Claude a set of GitHub abilities: reading files and commits, searching code, opening and commenting on issues, reviewing pull requests, and looking at GitHub Actions runs. An MCP server is a plug-in that gives Claude a new ability, and this one is built and maintained by GitHub itself.

GitHub runs a hosted copy at https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/, so in Claude Code you do not install anything; you point Claude at that address and hand it a token. You can also run the server on your own computer through Docker, which is the route GitHub’s guide gives for Claude Desktop.

The server groups its tools into “toolsets”. With no configuration you get the default set: context, repos, issues, pull_requests and users. Others, such as actions, code_security, dependabot, discussions, gists, notifications and projects, can be switched on when you need them.

Is it for you?

Pick this if your projects live on GitHub and you are tired of clicking through tabs to answer simple questions like “which issues are still open on the website repo?” It works well for solo builders who keep their code on GitHub and want Claude to file issues, summarise pull requests or explain a failing build.

Skip it if you only use claude.ai in the browser. GitHub’s install guide says its remote server needs OAuth through a registered GitHub App, which “is not currently supported”, so it points Claude Desktop users to the local Docker setup instead. If Docker sounds like too much, start with Claude Code, where the hosted server works with one command.

What you can do with it

• Triage a backlog: “List open issues in my-org/website labelled bug, newest first, and draft a one-line summary for each.”
• Review a pull request: “Read PR #42 in my-org/website, list the files it changes and flag anything that touches the checkout page.”
• Explain a failed build: with the actions toolset on, “Why did the last workflow run on main fail?”
• Search code you can access: “Find where we set the newsletter API key in my-org/website.” The search tool supports qualifiers such as repo:, path: and language:.
• Create work items: “Open an issue titled ‘Footer links broken on mobile’ with these steps to reproduce.”

How to set it up

1. Make a token. Go to https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new and create a fine-grained personal access token. Give it access only to the repositories Claude should touch, and only the permissions you are comfortable with. GitHub’s troubleshooting notes say authentication failures are often a missing repo scope or an expired token.

2. Store it safely. GitHub suggests putting it in a .env file as GITHUB_PAT=your_token_here and adding .env and .mcp.json to .gitignore so it never gets committed.

3. Claude Code (2.1.1 or newer). In a normal terminal, not inside Claude Code, run:

   claude mcp add-json github '{"type":"http","url":"https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp","headers":{"Authorization":"Bearer YOUR_GITHUB_PAT"}}'

   On Claude Code 2.1.0 or older, or if add-json returns Invalid input on Windows, use the older form:

   claude mcp add --transport http github https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_GITHUB_PAT"

   Add --scope user if you want it in every project rather than just the current folder.

4. Check it. Restart Claude Code and run claude mcp list, or type /mcp inside a session.

5. Claude Desktop. Install Docker and make sure it is running. Open Settings > Developer > Edit Config and add:

   {
     "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_GITHUB_PAT" }
       }
     }
   }

   Save and restart Claude Desktop. GitHub’s guide also shows a variant that logs you in through the browser instead of a token, using a fixed callback port (8085).

Watch out for

• Token power equals Claude’s power. Whatever your token can do, Claude can do. A narrow fine-grained token per project is the safest habit; GitHub recommends separate tokens for different projects.
• Read-only mode exists. The server supports a --read-only flag (in Docker, the environment variable GITHUB_READ_ONLY=1) that only offers read tools. Use it while you are learning.
• Untrusted text in public repos. Issues and comments on public repositories can contain instructions aimed at AI tools. GitHub offers a “lockdown mode” that hides content from authors without push access, and describes it as a best-effort filter, not a security boundary.
• Docker on Desktop. GitHub’s guide notes some users have reported compatibility issues between Claude Desktop and Docker-based servers.
• Old package names. The npm package @modelcontextprotocol/server-github was deprecated in April 2025. Ignore tutorials that still use it.

Alternatives

• Linear MCP if your team tracks work in Linear rather than GitHub Issues.
• Atlassian Rovo MCP for Jira and Bitbucket shops.
• Sentry MCP if your main question is “why is production throwing this error?” rather than “what’s in the repo?”