Gh MCP Server

A Spring Boot-based Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides GitHub integration tools for AI assistants like Claude Desktop.

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What is the Gh MCP server?

A Spring Boot-based Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides GitHub integration tools for AI assistants like Claude Desktop. The gh mcp server wraps that behind the Model Context Protocol, so an assistant can use it rather than through you.

What it actually does

This server implements the Model Context Protocol to expose GitHub operations as tools that can be used by MCP clients. It leverages the GitHub CLI (gh) to perform various GitHub operations including repository management, issue tracking, pull request management, and more. This provides a lightweight alternative to the official GitHub MCP server that doesn't require Docker.

Adding it to your client

Setup follows the usual MCP pattern — install or clone the server, register it in your client's configuration file, restart the client. The configuration blocks on this page cover the common clients.

Configuration

  • Java 21 or higher - Uses modern Java features (virtual threads, records, pattern matching) - GitHub CLI (gh) - Must be installed and authenticated - Gradle - Wrapper included in project

Caveats

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the gh mcp server does with a few real requests.

When to reach for it

Among the developer tooling options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. It is maintained by kousen; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

This entry was verified against Gh's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.

How to install the Gh MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "java",
      "args": ["-jar", "/path/to/gh_mcp_server/build/libs/gh_mcp_server.jar"],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

  • Java 21 or higher - Uses modern Java features (virtual threads, records, pattern matching) - GitHub CLI (gh) - Must be installed and authenticated - Gradle - Wrapper included in project

Frequently asked questions

It connects Gh to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Gh directly.