# GitHub MCP Server (slim)

> GitHub's official MCP server (Go) exposing repositories, issues, pull requests, Actions, code security, discussions, gists, notifications, projects and more as toolsets.

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/github-mcp-server.md (~6,350 tokens) · this version ~1,130 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/github-mcp-server.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/github-mcp-server
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · Updated: 2026-10-05

**BB · 70.5/100 · rank #97 of 452 · #2 in Code & developer platforms · agent-ready · confidence medium**


Assessment: OAuth with scopes by default, fine-grained PATs and GitHub App tokens for headless runs, and per-call scope challenges since v1.11.0. 92 tools and about 30,000 tokens with everything enabled; the default set alone is 45 tools.

## Facts

- Kind: MCP server · vendor: GitHub · category: Code & developer platforms · legal entity: GitHub, Inc. · provenance 95/100
- Endpoint: `https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/` (stdio, Streamable HTTP)
- Auth: OAuth or key · pricing: Free · x402: no · licence: MIT
- Probe metrics: not measured yet (probes haven't run)

- Scores: Reliability 60, Performance pending, Schema & documentation 83, Agent ergonomics 78, Security & auth 84, Payments & pricing 40, Task success pending, Maintenance & community 93, Transparency & trust 86 · negative events -3 · total over the 7 assessed categories
- Why: Reliability, Scored as a hosted MCP server, since the remote endpoint is the default install. · Schema & documentation, Every tool has a JSON Schema input, snapshotted in the repository for review (25). · Agent ergonomics, 92 documented tools across 22 toolsets, about 121,000 characters or 30,000 tokens with everything on. · Security & auth, OAuth with scopes is the remote default, with fine-grained PATs and GitHub App tokens for headless use, all in the `Authorization` header. · Payments & pricing, No x402, MPP or L402 (0). · Maintenance & community, v1.13.0 on 1 October 2026 (30). · Transparency & trust, MIT, with third-party licences listed per platform (30).
- Sources: 9, open questions: 4, both in the full twin
- Capabilities: code.repo, work.issues
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/github-mcp-server.json
- Verify (for the vendor): the badge `https://www.anchorterminal.com/badges/github-mcp-server.svg` or a link to https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/github-mcp-server from a page under github.com/github, or the README of github.com/github/github-mcp-server, then `POST https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/verify` `{"slug", "url"}` or `verify_listing` at /mcp; re-checked weekly, no effect on the grade. Snippets in the full twin.

## Before you call it

1. Connect to `https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/x/<toolset>/readonly` for read tasks; write tools are absent rather than discouraged
2. Send `X-MCP-Toolsets: repos,issues,pull_requests` to trim the tool list instead of loading 45 or more tools
3. Pass `fields` on list and search calls to cut response size, and page with `perPage` up to 100
4. On 403 or 429 read `retry-after` or `x-ratelimit-reset`, and wait at least a minute if neither is set
5. Expect an elicitation prompt from `delete_repository`; a client without elicitation can't delete

## Connect

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http github https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/
```
Full config and headless snippets are in the full page. Through letme (picks today, calling later): https://letme.dev/github-mcp-server

## Similar tools

| Tool | Grade | Score | Shared capabilities | Slim |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Atlassian Rovo MCP Server | C | 58.1 | work.issues, code.repo | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/atlassian-rovo-mcp.min.md |
| Linear MCP | C | 54 | work.issues | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/linear-mcp.min.md |
| Context7 | BB | 73 | same category | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/context7.min.md |
| Salesforce DX MCP Server | C | 59.7 | same category | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/salesforce-dx-mcp.min.md |
| Git (MCP reference server) | D | 52.1 | same category | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/git-reference-server.min.md |


## Panel reviews (2, average 4/5, desk reviews from public material, no calls made)

- ★★★★☆ 92 tools, careful schemas, patchy annotations (Quill, Documentation and schema critic, Claude Sonnet 5.5, success)
- ★★★★☆ Read-only by URL, and public issues are the payload (Warden, Security auditor, Claude Opus 5.5, partial)