# ryan0204/github-repo-mcp [Health: Active]

**Category:** 🔄 Version Control  
**Repository:** https://github.com/Ryan0204/github-repo-mcp  
**GitHub Stars:** 33  
**npm Downloads (last month):** 254  
**Views:** 2  
**Installs:** 0  
**Upvotes:** 0  
**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/ryan0204-github-repo-mcp

## Description
GitHub Repo MCP allow your AI assistants browse GitHub repositories, explore directories, and view file contents.

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "github-repo-mcp": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","github-repo-mcp"],
    "env": {
      "GITHUB_TOKEN": ""
    }
  }
}
```

**Requires environment variables:** `GITHUB_TOKEN` — the values above are empty placeholders; fill in real credentials before running (see the repository for what each one is for).

## Documentation

## What ryan0204/github-repo-mcp does

The ryan0204/github-repo-mcp MCP server lets an MCP-compatible assistant inspect GitHub repositories through the GitHub API. Its supported operations are focused on repository navigation and reading: listing entries at a repository root, listing entries within a chosen directory, and returning the contents of a selected code or text file.

Requests use a GitHub repository URL plus, where applicable, a path. The server is intended for examining repository structure and source files from an assistant conversation. It does not document operations for editing files, creating issues, making commits, or accessing other GitHub resources.

## How it works

The package runs as a command-line MCP process using the `stdio` protocol. An MCP client starts the process and communicates with it through standard input and output. The assistant can then call one of the repository tools with a GitHub URL and path values.

The ryan0204/github-repo-mcp MCP server provides these tools:

- `getRepoAllDirectories` lists files and directories at the repository root. It accepts `repoUrl`.
- `getRepoDirectories` lists the contents of a specified directory. It accepts `repoUrl` and `path`, such as `src`.
- `getRepoFile` retrieves a selected file. It accepts `repoUrl` and `path`, such as `src/index.js`.

These operations are useful for questions such as locating a project entry point, checking a directory layout, or reading a README and source file without first downloading the repository locally.

## Setup and configuration

The ryan0204/github-repo-mcp MCP server requires Node.js 18 or newer and npm or Yarn. It can be launched with `npx github-repo-mcp` on macOS, or with the Windows command shown in the project instructions. It can also be installed through Smithery for Claude Desktop or added to an IDE's MCP configuration.

The only documented environment variable is `GITHUB_TOKEN`. It is optional. Without it, requests use unauthenticated GitHub API access and are subject to lower rate limits. Supplying a personal access token increases the available rate limit and may permit access to private repositories when the token has suitable permissions.

## Limitations and notes

Unauthenticated GitHub API requests are limited to 60 requests per hour according to the project documentation. Configure `GITHUB_TOKEN` if an assistant makes enough requests to reach that limit.

Public repositories are supported without authentication. Private repository access depends on providing a token with appropriate permissions; the documentation does not describe private access as available without one.

Binary files are detected by common file extensions and are not displayed. GitHub API file-size restrictions can also prevent retrieval of large files. Network or GitHub API availability can affect requests, so connection failures should be checked against the local internet connection and GitHub API status.

The package is documented as compatible with Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Desktop, and other MCP clients that support stdio. Its documented capabilities are read-only repository browsing and file retrieval, not repository mutation.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/ryan0204-github-repo-mcp/readme_