GitHub MCP
Published · Updated
The GitHub official MCP server. Browse repositories, manage issues and PRs, monitor Actions, and run code security analysis — all from Claude Code.
/plugin install github GitHub official MCP server
What it does
The GitHub MCP server exposes the GitHub API to Claude Code as first-class tools, so you can browse repositories, triage issues, manage pull requests, monitor CI workflows, and run security analysis without jumping between the web UI, gh CLI, and the API.
Features
- Repository management — code browsing, file search, commit analysis, project structure
- Issue / PR automation — create, update, comment; manage labels and assignees
- CI/CD intelligence — monitor GitHub Actions workflows, analyze build failures, manage releases
- Code security — vulnerability analysis, Dependabot alerts, code pattern checks
- Team collaboration — Discussions, notifications, team activity
Toolsets
The server exposes 19 toolsets in total. The default set enabled on startup is 5:
- context — repo and user context for the current session
- repos — repo browsing, file access, commit analysis
- issues — create, update, search, comment
- pull_requests — create, review, merge
- users — user lookups
Opt into additional toolsets as needed: actions, code_security, copilot, dependabot, discussions, gists, git, labels, notifications, orgs, projects, secret_protection, security_advisories, stargazers. Use the meta-toolsets all or default as shortcuts.
Authentication
- OAuth — recommended for remote server connections (VS Code 1.101+)
- Personal Access Token (PAT) — set the
GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKENenvironment variable
Use cases
- Analyze open issues on a repo, sort by priority, and assign owners.
- Pull PR diffs, review the changes, and leave review comments — all from Claude Code.
- On a failed Actions workflow, inspect logs, pinpoint the cause, and propose a fix.
When to use it
- Investigate a failing CI run without leaving the PR context
- Triage issue backlog in natural language
- Pull release notes directly from merged PRs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GitHub MCP?
GitHub's official MCP server. From Claude Code you can browse repositories, manage issues and PRs, monitor GitHub Actions, and run code security analysis.
Where does it run?
Claude Code, Claude Desktop, VS Code, and Cursor.
How do I install it?
In Claude Code, run `/plugin install github`. It's listed on the claude-plugins-official marketplace.
How do I authenticate?
OAuth is recommended for remote-server connections (VS Code 1.101+). Alternatively, set a Personal Access Token via the `GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN` environment variable.
Which toolsets are enabled by default?
5 of 19 toolsets are enabled at startup: context, repos, issues, pull_requests, and users. You can enable more (actions, code_security, dependabot, etc.) individually or via the meta toolsets `all` / `default`.
What can it do?
Repository management (code browsing, file search, commit analysis), issue/PR automation (create, edit, review, labels), CI/CD intelligence (Actions monitoring, build failure analysis, releases), code security (vulnerabilities, Dependabot), and team collaboration (discussions, notifications, team activity).