# GitHub MCP Server - Setup Complete ✅

**Date:** 2025-12-20
**Server:** Official Anthropic GitHub MCP Server v0.6.2
**Status:** Configured and tested

---

## What Was Installed

**GitHub MCP Server** - Official server from Anthropic/Model Context Protocol
- **Package:** `@modelcontextprotocol/server-github`
- **Version:** 0.6.2
- **Documentation:** https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
- **Capabilities:** Access GitHub repos, issues, PRs, branches, commits, and more

---

## Configuration Locations

### 1. Claude Desktop (~/.claude/settings.json)

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "gho_***"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

**Authentication:** Uses your existing `gh` CLI token
- Token retrieved via `gh auth token`
- Same token used for both Desktop and Browser extension
- Scopes: gist, project, read:org, repo, workflow

### 2. Browser Extension (~/projects/dev-tools/claude-mcp/MCP_SERVER_CONFIG.json)

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "github": {
      "name": "github",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "gho_***"
      },
      "description": "Official GitHub MCP server - access repos, issues, PRs, branches, commits"
    }
  }
}
```

---

## How to Use

### In Claude Desktop/CLI

The GitHub MCP server provides tools for:

1. **Repository Operations**
   - List repositories
   - Get repository details
   - Search repositories

2. **Issue Management**
   - List issues
   - Create issues
   - Update issues
   - Search issues

3. **Pull Request Operations**
   - List PRs
   - Get PR details
   - Create PRs
   - Update PRs

4. **Branch Operations**
   - List branches
   - Create branches
   - Get branch details

5. **Commit Operations**
   - Get commit details
   - List commits
   - Compare commits

### In Browser Extension (claude.ai)

Same capabilities, accessible through any claude.ai chat tab:
- Full GitHub API access
- Works in parallel across multiple tabs
- Uses local credentials (no API costs)

---

## Example Use Cases

### 1. Check Repository Status
```
"What's the status of the aiterm repository? Show me recent commits and open PRs."
```

### 2. Create Issue
```
"Create an issue in the aiterm repo titled 'Add GitHub MCP documentation' with a description of what we just did."
```

### 3. Review Pull Request
```
"Show me the details of PR #42 in the aiterm repository, including all comments and review status."
```

### 4. Search Issues
```
"Search for all open issues in my repositories labeled 'bug' or 'enhancement'."
```

### 5. Branch Management
```
"List all branches in the aiterm repository and show which ones are merged."
```

---

## Relationship to Existing Tools

**You now have 3 GitHub integration methods:**

1. **`gh` CLI** (command-line tool)
   - Direct shell commands
   - Full GitHub CLI capabilities
   - Auto-approved in settings

2. **GitHub Plugin** (`github@claude-plugins-official`)
   - Claude Code plugin
   - Higher-level GitHub operations
   - Already enabled in your settings

3. **GitHub MCP Server** (NEW!) ✨
   - Direct API access through MCP
   - Programmatic control
   - Works in both Desktop and Browser

**When to use each:**
- **gh CLI:** Quick manual operations, scripts
- **GitHub Plugin:** Workflow automation, integrated tasks
- **GitHub MCP:** Programmatic access, complex queries, multi-step operations

---

## Verification

Tested successfully:
```bash
✅ Server loads and initializes
✅ Protocol version: 2024-11-05
✅ Server info: github-mcp-server v0.6.2
✅ Token authentication working
```

---

## Next Steps

### Immediate (Optional)
1. Restart Claude Desktop to load the new MCP server
2. Test a simple query like "List my GitHub repositories"
3. Verify tools are available

### Future Enhancements
1. Add more GitHub tokens for different accounts (if needed)
2. Configure specific repository access patterns
3. Create workflows that combine GitHub MCP with other MCPs

---

## Troubleshooting

**If GitHub MCP doesn't load:**
1. Check token is valid: `gh auth status`
2. Verify settings.json syntax is valid
3. Restart Claude Desktop
4. Check Claude Code logs: `claude doctor`

**If authentication fails:**
1. Refresh token: `gh auth refresh`
2. Update token in both config files
3. Ensure token has required scopes (repo, workflow)

---

## Resources

- **Official MCP Servers:** https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers
- **GitHub MCP Docs:** https://www.pulsemcp.com/servers/modelcontextprotocol-github
- **Claude Code MCP Guide:** https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp
- **GitHub Changelog:** https://github.blog/changelog/2025-04-04-github-mcp-server-public-preview/

---

**Status:** ✅ Ready to use!
**Configured:** Claude Desktop + Browser Extension
**Tested:** Successfully initialized
