GitHub official MCP server

Last verified: 2026-09

GitHub's own MCP server (Go), remote or local.

Community Developer tools Needs a secret Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf

What it does

GitHub's maintained Go MCP server. Remote at api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/ or a local binary. Prefer this over the older npm @modelcontextprotocol/server-github. Tool set is large (repos, issues, PRs, Actions, code search) and still changing.

It sits in Developer tools: Split this category in two.

Good for

Remote URL at api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/ plus a PAT — no local binary.
Issues, PRs, Actions logs, and code search on repos the token can see.
Open a PR from the chat after a read-only week.
Rerun a workflow only when you meant to spend CI minutes.

Tools

get_file_contents / create_or_update_file / push_files — Read and write repo files.
list_issues / create_issue / update_issue / add_issue_comment — Issues.
create_pull_request / get_pull_request / merge_pull_request / pull_request_review — PRs.
list_commits / search_code / search_repositories — History and search.
list_workflow_runs / rerun_workflow / get_job_logs — Actions.

Config (Claude Desktop / Cursor / Windsurf)

Paste the JSON below. Same mcpServers shape. Replace placeholder paths and secrets. Windows paths look like C:\\Users\\you\\project, not /path/to. Host-side steps →

Claude Desktop

OS	Config file
macOS	`~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
Windows	`%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` (usually `C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Roaming\Claude\`)
Linux	`~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`

Cursor

Scope	macOS / Linux	Windows
This project	`.cursor/mcp.json` in the repo root
This user	`~/.cursor/mcp.json`	`%USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json`

Windsurf

OS	Config file
macOS / Linux	`~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`
Windows	`%USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json`

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github_official": {
      "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer $GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windsurf remote MCP: use serverUrl instead of url if the block below is HTTP.

One-liner: https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/

Secrets it wants: GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN

Source repo →

How to get started

Easiest: remote URL plus a PAT in Authorization.
Or run the GitHub-hosted binary as command/args.
Start with read-only scopes. Add write when you want the model to open PRs.

Access risk

Same as any GitHub token: the model can do whatever the token can. Remote mode sends traffic to GitHub.

When to skip it

Skip it if the npm GitHub server already does what you need and you do not want to redo auth.

Instead: GitHub, Git, GitLab.

OfficialGitHubRepos, issues, PRs, and file contents on GitHub. OfficialGitRead a local git repo: log, diff, status. OfficialGitLabProjects, issues, and merge requests on GitLab.

Vs alternatives

Server	Official?	Needs a secret?	Best for
GitHub official	No	Yes	GitHub's own MCP server (Go), remote or local.
GitHub	Yes	Yes	Repos, issues, PRs, and file contents on GitHub.
Git	Yes	No	Read a local git repo: log, diff, status.
GitLab	Yes	Yes	Projects, issues, and merge requests on GitLab.

More in Developer tools

OfficialEverythingReference server that exercises the whole MCP protocol. OfficialGitRead a local git repo: log, diff, status. OfficialGitHubRepos, issues, PRs, and file contents on GitHub. OfficialGitLabProjects, issues, and merge requests on GitLab.

All 18 in this category →

FAQ

Remote or local binary?

Remote is easiest (URL + Authorization). Local is the github-mcp-server binary from GitHub.

Why not the npm server?

This is the maintained Go server. Larger tool set. Prefer it for new installs.

What scopes?

Read-only on the repos you care about. Add pull_requests write when you want the model to open PRs.

Does remote send my code to GitHub?

Tool calls go to GitHub's MCP endpoint. That is the trade for not running a binary.