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GitHub Explorer MCP

GitHub Explorer MCP

Local
github.com/x51xxxVersion Control1Updated 82w ago

About GitHub Explorer MCP

GitHub Explorer MCP is a server for MCP clients that retrieves repository structure, file contents, summaries, and metadata. It also offers caching, optional local cloning, and text or JSON output.

Key features

  1. 01Repository summaries and metadata
  2. 02ASCII directory tree views
  3. 03Read selected repository files
  4. 04Caching and optional local cloning
  5. 05Text or structured JSON output
  6. 06Progress updates and autocomplete

Use cases

  1. 01Reviewing a repository's layout
  2. 02Retrieving files and repository metadata
  3. 03Using repository data in MCP clients

MCP support

Provides MCP tools for repository summaries, directory structures, and selected file contents. It can run over stdio or HTTP/SSE.

Configuration

Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.

mcp.json · Universal config
{
"mcpServers": {
"github-explorer": {
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run",
"-i",
"--rm",
"build"
]
}
}
}
Run commanddocker run -i --rm build

Local servers need a runtime on your machine (e.g. Node.js 18+). Config file locations differ by client; see your client’s docs.

Packages
ocibuild

Tools

No tool list yet

Local servers expose tools only once running on your machine, and the maintainer has not provided a tool list.

Details

From the project README

GitHub Explorer MCP

The MCP server that provides GitHub repository information including file content, directory structure, and other metadata for MCP clients like Claude Desktop, Cursor, and others.

Features

  • Repository Summaries: Get comprehensive information about GitHub repositories
  • Directory Structure: View the complete file structure of any repository with a nice ASCII tree visualization
  • File Content: Access the content of specific files
  • Metadata Enhancement: Get stars, forks, description, and last updated information
  • Local Repository Cloning: Clone repositories locally for faster processing and more complete data
  • Caching System: Efficiently cache repository data to reduce API calls
  • Progress Notifications: Updates on long-running operations
  • Format Options: Get data in text or structured JSON format
  • Auto-Completion: Suggestions for repository owners and names
  • Web Interface: Basic status page and info when running in HTTP mode

Installation

Using NPM
# Install from npm
npm install @trishchuk/github-explorer-mcp -g

# Run the server (stdio mode for MCP clients)
github-explorer-mcp

# Or run in HTTP/SSE mode
github-explorer-mcp-sse
Using Docker
# Build Docker image
docker build -t github-explorer-mcp .

# Run container
docker run -p 3000:3000 github-explorer-mcp

Usage with MCP Clients

Claude Desktop

Add to your Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-explorer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@trishchuk/github-explorer-mcp"]
    }
  }
}
Cursor

Add to your Cursor configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-explorer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@trishchuk/github-explorer-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

API Reference

The MCP server provides the following tools:

github_repository_summary

Get a summary of a GitHub repository.

{
  owner: string;    // GitHub organization or username
  repo: string;     // Repository name
  branch?: string;  // Optional branch name
  includeMetadata?: boolean; // Include stars, forks, etc.
}
github_directory_structure

Get the tree structure of a GitHub repository.

{
  owner: string;    // GitHub organization or username
  repo: string;     // Repository name
  branch?: string;  // Optional branch name
}
github_read_important_files

Get the content of specific files from a GitHub repository.

{
  owner: string;     // GitHub organization or username
  repo: string;      // Repository name
  filePaths: string[]; // List of paths to files
  branch?: string;   // Optional branch name
  format?: 'text' | 'json'; // Output format
}
git_search (Coming Soon)

Search for content within a GitHub repository.

{
  owner: string;     // GitHub organization or username
  repo: string;      // Repository name
  query: string;     // Search query
  branch?: string;   // Optional branch name
  maxResults?: number; // Maximum results to return
}
git_diff (Coming Soon)

Get a diff between two branches or commits.

{
  owner: string;     // GitHub organization or username
  repo: string;      // Repository name
  base: string;      // Base branch/commit
  head: string;      // Head branch/commit
}

Development

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/x51xxx/github-explorer-mcp.git
cd github-explorer-mcp

# Install dependencies
npm install

# IMPORTANT: This project requires Node.js 18 or later
# If using nvm, run:
nvm use

# Build the project
npm run build

# Run the built server
npm start
# or
npm run start:sse

Troubleshooting

Node.js Version Issues

This project requires Node.js 18 or newer because it uses modern Web APIs like ReadableStream. If you encounter errors like:

ReferenceError: ReadableStream is not defined

You should:

  1. Update Node.js to version 18 or later
  2. If using nvm, run nvm use in the project directory
  3. Make sure to use the modified scripts that include necessary polyfills

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

MIT

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