Overview
What is 🔗 GitHub MCP Server for Claude Desktop?
This MCP server connects Claude Desktop directly to your GitHub repositories and git commands, allowing you to interact with code and repositories through natural conversation.
How to use 🔗 GitHub MCP Server for Claude Desktop?
Clone the repository, install dependencies with npm install, make start.sh and index.js executable, and add your GitHub token via a .github_token file. Then edit Claude Desktop’s config file (macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json, Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json) to add the server entry with command and args pointing to start.sh, and restart Claude.
Key features of 🔗 GitHub MCP Server for Claude Desktop
- Clone any repository with
git-clone - Check repository status with
git-status - Browse GitHub repositories with
github-list-repos - Get detailed repository info with
github-repo-info - Commit changes with
git-commit - Push commits to GitHub with
git-push - Create new repositories with
github-create-repo
Use cases of 🔗 GitHub MCP Server for Claude Desktop
- Clone a repository (e.g., “Clone the tensorflow/models repository to my downloads folder”)
- Check the git status of a project directory
- List your GitHub repositories
- Get details about a specific repository (e.g., microsoft/vscode)
- Commit and push changes using natural language prompts
FAQ from 🔗 GitHub MCP Server for Claude Desktop
What dependencies are required?
Node.js 16+, Git command-line tools, Claude Desktop, and a GitHub Personal Access Token for API access.
How do I authenticate with GitHub?
Provide your GitHub token via a .github_token file in the project folder, set the GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable, or add it directly in Claude’s config under env.
Can I use it with private repositories?
Yes, if you provide a GitHub Personal Access Token with the appropriate permissions.
How do I configure it in Claude Desktop?
Edit Claude’s config file (claude_desktop_config.json) and add the server entry with "command": "/bin/sh", "args": ["-c", "/path/to/github-mcp-server/start.sh"], and optionally an env object with your token.
What commands are available?
git-clone, git-status, github-list-repos, github-repo-info, git-commit, git-push, and github-create-repo.
