docs: update README by toby · Pull Request #58 · github/github-mcp-server

toby · 2025-04-01T00:37:29Z

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Pull Request Overview

This PR updates the README to improve its documentation and reorganization of usage instructions.

The description now explains that the server provides seamless integration with GitHub’s APIs.
Section headers have been updated (e.g., "Setup" to "Use Cases" and additions like "Usage with VS Code" and "Usage with Claude Desktop").

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SamMorrowDrums

I think it reads a lot better now. A few comments, nothing strongly held other then making sure the config json file matches what's in the code.

SamMorrowDrums · 2025-04-01T05:27:29Z

README.md

+When you start the server, VS Code will prompt for your token. On top of
+`servers`, you should see a `Start` link to start the server.


This didn't quite track for me. Perhaps:

Suggested change

When you start the server, VS Code will prompt for your token. On top of

`servers`, you should see a `Start` link to start the server.

VS Code is now configured to prompt for your token when you start the server. On top of

`servers`, you should see a `Start` link to start the server.

On top of
servers, you should see a Start link to start the server.

Where? It is not clear to me what part of the UO this is referring to.

SamMorrowDrums · 2025-04-01T05:38:38Z

README.md


-Create a new file `.vscode/mcp.json` and provide this configuration:
+The descriptions of the tools can be overridden by creating a
+github-mcp-server.json file in the same directory as the binary.


Suggested change

github-mcp-server.json file in the same directory as the binary.

github-mcp-server-config.json file in the same directory as the binary.

Double check the name of the file, @williammartin changed it for us because it was otherwise trying to read the binary and reporting a warning on startup.

good catch, it is indeed github-mcp-server-config.json

github-mcp-server/pkg/translations/translations.go

Line 27 in 450fa65

v.SetConfigName("github-mcp-server-config")

SamMorrowDrums · 2025-04-01T05:40:57Z

README.md

-}
+```sh
+./github-mcp-server --export-translations
+cat github-mcp-server.json


Suggested change

cat github-mcp-server.json

cat github-mcp-server-config.json

I could be wrong on the name but it's specified in the code, I am on mobile and can't look, but this does need updating also.

SamMorrowDrums · 2025-04-01T05:47:08Z

README.md

+with the permissions you want to give the MCP server. You can also install
+[Docker](https://www.docker.com/) to run the server in a container or build the
+binary from the repo.


Suggested change

with the permissions you want to give the MCP server. You can also install

[Docker](https://www.docker.com/) to run the server in a container or build the

binary from the repo.

with the permissions you want to give the MCP server. To run the server in a container, you will need to have

[Docker](https://www.docker.com/) installed.

Alternatively you can build the binary from the source code in your repo.

agree with breaking this out, the current sentence make it sound like you build the binary in docker.

do we have a preference? if so we should point users to it.

would also help to link to some docs for how to build with go

mntlty · 2025-04-01T17:59:54Z

README.md

 # GitHub MCP Server

-GitHub MCP Server implemented in Go.
+The GitHub MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides


Suggested change

The GitHub MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides

The GitHub MCP Server is a [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction) server that provides

mntlty · 2025-04-01T18:00:10Z

README.md


-GitHub MCP Server implemented in Go.
+The GitHub MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides
+seamless integration with GitHub's APIs, enabling advanced automation and


Suggested change

seamless integration with GitHub's APIs, enabling advanced automation and

seamless integration with GitHub APIs, enabling advanced automation and

mntlty · 2025-04-01T18:05:46Z

README.md

+## Prerequisites

-### Requirements
+[Create a GitHub Personal Access Token](https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new)


the current link doesn't give context to people who aren't familiar with PATs and won't work if a user isn't logged in. suggest pointing to our public docs instead

Suggested change

[Create a GitHub Personal Access Token](https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new)

[Create a GitHub Personal Access Token](https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/keeping-your-account-and-data-secure/managing-your-personal-access-tokens)

mntlty · 2025-04-01T18:06:14Z

README.md


-### Requirements
+[Create a GitHub Personal Access Token](https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new)
+with the permissions you want to give the MCP server. You can also install


which permissions do people need for their token? to avoid confusion it would help to list those out, possibly broken into readonly and and write sections.

mntlty · 2025-04-01T18:07:33Z

README.md

+with the permissions you want to give the MCP server. You can also install
+[Docker](https://www.docker.com/) to run the server in a container or build the
+binary from the repo.


agree with breaking this out, the current sentence make it sound like you build the binary in docker.

do we have a preference? if so we should point users to it.

would also help to link to some docs for how to build with go

mntlty · 2025-04-01T18:10:30Z

README.md

+### Build from source

-Start VS Code Insiders and make sure you pass the `GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN` environment variable to the process.
+If you don't have Docker, you can use `go` to build the binary in the


this makes it sounds like docker is preferred over building from source. is that the case?

mntlty · 2025-04-01T18:10:59Z

README.md


-Start VS Code Insiders and make sure you pass the `GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN` environment variable to the process.
+If you don't have Docker, you can use `go` to build the binary in the
+`cmd/github-mcp-server` directory, and use the `github-mcp-server stdio`


this is hard to parse and will be harder for people who aren't used to building go projects

mntlty · 2025-04-01T18:12:19Z

README.md

 ```bash
-docker pull ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:main
-```
+code --add-mcp '{"name":"github","command":"docker","args":["run", "-i", "--rm", "-e", "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN", "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:main"], "env": {"GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${input:github-pat}"}, "inputs": [{ "id": "github-pat", "type": "promptString", "description": "Github Personal Access Token", "password": true}]}'


is GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN required both as an env var to docker and as an env var for code? I'm not quite sure how to parse this one so maybe it's pulling it in from code and setting it as an env var in the docker 🤔

would be good to explain what this is doing

It's part of the VS Code config. For this one, I modeled it on the Playwright readme: https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp?tab=readme-ov-file#installation-in-vs-code

mntlty · 2025-04-01T18:13:39Z

README.md


-Create a new file `.vscode/mcp.json` and provide this configuration:
+The descriptions of the tools can be overridden by creating a
+github-mcp-server.json file in the same directory as the binary.


Suggested change

github-mcp-server.json file in the same directory as the binary.

`github-mcp-server.json` file in the same directory as the binary.

mntlty · 2025-04-01T18:15:07Z

README.md

-The flag `--gh-host` and the environment variable `GH_HOST` can be used to set the GitHub Enterprise Server hostname.
-
-
 ## Tools


suggest breaking this out into a different file which we link to here. ideally one that is dynamically generated so this doesn't have to be kept up to date manually

SamMorrowDrums

🔥

toby requested review from SamMorrowDrums, Copilot and juruen and removed request for Copilot April 1, 2025 00:37

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 1, 2025

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toby force-pushed the readme branch from fa1e513 to cf36e77 Compare April 1, 2025 00:56

toby changed the title ~~doc: update README~~ docs: update README Apr 1, 2025

toby force-pushed the readme branch from cf36e77 to e1bc53b Compare April 1, 2025 01:04

SamMorrowDrums reviewed Apr 1, 2025

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mntlty reviewed Apr 1, 2025

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docs: update README

a4e05c9

toby force-pushed the readme branch from e1bc53b to a4e05c9 Compare April 1, 2025 18:59

SamMorrowDrums approved these changes Apr 1, 2025

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toby merged commit 671f824 into main Apr 1, 2025
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		When you start the server, VS Code will prompt for your token. On top of
		`servers`, you should see a `Start` link to start the server.

	github-mcp-server.json file in the same directory as the binary.
	github-mcp-server-config.json file in the same directory as the binary.

	The GitHub MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides
	The GitHub MCP Server is a [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction) server that provides

	seamless integration with GitHub's APIs, enabling advanced automation and
	seamless integration with GitHub APIs, enabling advanced automation and

	[Create a GitHub Personal Access Token](https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new)
	[Create a GitHub Personal Access Token](https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/keeping-your-account-and-data-secure/managing-your-personal-access-tokens)

	github-mcp-server.json file in the same directory as the binary.
	`github-mcp-server.json` file in the same directory as the binary.

		The flag `--gh-host` and the environment variable `GH_HOST` can be used to set the GitHub Enterprise Server hostname.


		## Tools

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toby commented Apr 1, 2025

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