GitHub MCP Server: Complete Setup & Usage Guide 2026

Step 1: Get a GitHub Personal Access Token

Go to GitHub → Settings → Developer settings → Personal access tokens → Tokens (classic). Click "Generate new token".

Select these scopes:

• repo — Full repository access (or just public_repo for public repos only)
• read:org — Read org membership
• read:user — Read user profile
• workflow — If you want to trigger Actions

Copy the token — you'll only see it once.

Step 2: Add GitHub MCP to Your Config

For Claude Code (~/.claude.json):

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

For Cursor (.cursor/mcp.json in your project):

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

Step 3: Test It

Restart your AI tool, then try these prompts:

• "List my most recent GitHub repositories"
• "Show open issues in [owner]/[repo]"
• "Create an issue titled 'Fix login bug' in my project"

Powerful Example Prompts

Security: Protecting Your Token

• Use fine-grained PATs (new format) over classic tokens when possible — they scope to specific repos
• Set an expiration date on your token (90 days is a good default)
• Store the token in env in your config, never in args
• Add your config file to .gitignore if it contains the token
• Prefer project-scoped configs over global so you only expose tokens for repos you're actively working on

Frequently Asked Questions

Does GitHub MCP work with GitHub Enterprise?

Yes. Set the GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN and optionally GITHUB_API_URL env var to your GitHub Enterprise URL.

Can it create commits directly?

Yes — GitHub MCP can create file contents and commits via the GitHub API without needing a local git clone. However, for local development the Filesystem MCP + git commands is usually more reliable.

What's the rate limit?

GitHub API rate limit is 5,000 requests/hour for authenticated requests. In practice, this is never a constraint for typical developer use.