|
| 1 | +# Install GitHub MCP Server in OpenAI Codex |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +## Prerequisites |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +1. OpenAI Codex (MCP-enabled) installed / available |
| 6 | +2. A [GitHub Personal Access Token](https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new) |
| 7 | + |
| 8 | +> The remote GitHub MCP server is hosted by GitHub at `https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/` and supports Streamable HTTP. |
| 9 | +
|
| 10 | +## Remote Configuration |
| 11 | + |
| 12 | +Edit `~/.codex/config.toml` (shared by CLI and IDE extension) and add: |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | +```toml |
| 15 | +[mcp_servers.github] |
| 16 | +url = "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/" |
| 17 | +# Replace with your real PAT (least-privilege scopes). Do NOT commit this. |
| 18 | +bearer_token_env_var = "GITHUB_PAT_TOKEN" |
| 19 | +``` |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +You can also add it via the Codex CLI: |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +```cli |
| 24 | +codex mcp add github --url https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/ |
| 25 | +``` |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | +<details> |
| 28 | +<summary><b>Storing Your PAT Securely</b></summary> |
| 29 | +<br> |
| 30 | + |
| 31 | +For security, avoid hardcoding your token. One common approach: |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +1. Store your token in `.env` file |
| 34 | +``` |
| 35 | +GITHUB_PAT_TOKEN=ghp_your_token_here |
| 36 | +``` |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +2. Add to .gitignore |
| 39 | +```bash |
| 40 | +echo -e ".env" >> .gitignore |
| 41 | +``` |
| 42 | +</details> |
| 43 | + |
| 44 | +## Local Docker Configuration |
| 45 | + |
| 46 | +Use this if you prefer a local, self-hosted instance instead of the remote HTTP server, please refer to the [OpenAI documentation for configuration](https://developers.openai.com/codex/mcp). |
| 47 | + |
| 48 | +## Verification |
| 49 | + |
| 50 | +After starting Codex (CLI or IDE): |
| 51 | +1. Run `/mcp` in the TUI or use the IDE MCP panel; confirm `github` shows tools. |
| 52 | +2. Ask: "List my GitHub repositories". |
| 53 | +3. If tools are missing: |
| 54 | + - Check token validity & scopes. |
| 55 | + - Confirm correct table name: `[mcp_servers.github]`. |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +## Usage |
| 58 | + |
| 59 | +After setup, Codex can interact with GitHub directly. It will use the default tool set automatically but can be [configured](../../README.md#default-toolset). Try these example prompts: |
| 60 | + |
| 61 | +**Repository Operations:** |
| 62 | +- "List my GitHub repositories" |
| 63 | +- "Show me recent issues in [owner/repo]" |
| 64 | +- "Create a new issue in [owner/repo] titled 'Bug: fix login'" |
| 65 | + |
| 66 | +**Pull Requests:** |
| 67 | +- "List open pull requests in [owner/repo]" |
| 68 | +- "Show me the diff for PR #123" |
| 69 | +- "Add a comment to PR #123: 'LGTM, approved'" |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | +**Actions & Workflows:** |
| 72 | +- "Show me recent workflow runs in [owner/repo]" |
| 73 | +- "Trigger the 'deploy' workflow in [owner/repo]" |
| 74 | + |
| 75 | +**Gists:** |
| 76 | +- "Create a gist with this code snippet" |
| 77 | +- "List my gists" |
| 78 | + |
| 79 | +> **Tip**: Use `/mcp` in the Codex UI to see all available GitHub tools and their descriptions. |
| 80 | +
|
| 81 | +## Choosing Scopes for Your PAT |
| 82 | + |
| 83 | +Minimal useful scopes (adjust as needed): |
| 84 | +- `repo` (general repository operations) |
| 85 | +- `workflow` (if you want Actions workflow access) |
| 86 | +- `read:org` (if accessing org-level resources) |
| 87 | +- `project` (for classic project boards) |
| 88 | +- `gist` (if using gist tools) |
| 89 | + |
| 90 | +Use the principle of least privilege: add scopes only when a tool request fails due to permission. |
| 91 | + |
| 92 | +## Troubleshooting |
| 93 | + |
| 94 | +| Issue | Possible Cause | Fix | |
| 95 | +|-------|----------------|-----| |
| 96 | +| Authentication failed | Missing/incorrect PAT scope | Regenerate PAT; ensure `repo` scope present | |
| 97 | +| 401 Unauthorized (remote) | Token expired/revoked | Create new PAT; update `bearer_token_env_var` | |
| 98 | +| Server not listed | Wrong table name or syntax error | Use `[mcp_servers.github]`; validate TOML | |
| 99 | +| Tools missing / zero tools | Insufficient PAT scopes | Add needed scopes (workflow, gist, etc.) | |
| 100 | +| Token in file risks leakage | Committed accidentally | Rotate token; add file to `.gitignore` | |
| 101 | + |
| 102 | +## Security Best Practices |
| 103 | +1. Never commit tokens into version control |
| 104 | +3. Rotate tokens periodically |
| 105 | +4. Restrict scopes up front; expand only when required |
| 106 | +5. Remove unused PATs from your GitHub account |
| 107 | + |
| 108 | +## References |
| 109 | +- Remote server URL: `https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/` |
| 110 | +- Release binaries: [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/github/github-mcp-server/releases) |
| 111 | +- OpenAI Codex MCP docs: https://developers.openai.com/codex/mcp |
| 112 | +- Main project README: [Advanced configuration options](../../README.md) |
0 commit comments