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GitHub API Setup Guide

Problem: GitHub API Rate Limiting

The GitHub API limits unauthenticated requests to 60 per hour per IP. On hosted platforms like Vercel, this limit is quickly exceeded, causing the contributors list to fail loading.

Solution: GitHub Personal Access Token

By adding authentication, you can increase the rate limit to 5000 requests per hour.

Step-by-Step Setup:

1. Generate GitHub Token

  1. Go to GitHub Settings > Developer settings > Personal access tokens
  2. Click "Generate new token (classic)"
  3. Give it a descriptive name: "AnimateHub Contributors API"
  4. Set expiration as needed (recommend 1 year)
  5. Select scopes: Only check public_repo (for reading public repository data)
  6. Click "Generate token"
  7. IMPORTANT: Copy the token immediately (you won't see it again)

2. Add Token to Environment Variables

For Local Development:

  1. Create .env file in your project root:
VITE_GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_your_token_here

For Vercel Deployment:

  1. Go to your Vercel project dashboard
  2. Navigate to Settings > Environment Variables
  3. Add new variable:
    • Name: VITE_GITHUB_TOKEN
    • Value: ghp_your_token_here
    • Environment: Production, Preview, Development
  4. Redeploy your application

3. Environment Variables are Automatically Used

The Contributors.jsx component automatically uses the environment variable. No code changes needed after setting up the token!

// This is already implemented in the code:
const GITHUB_TOKEN = import.meta.env.VITE_GITHUB_TOKEN;
if (GITHUB_TOKEN) {
  headers['Authorization'] = `token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}`;
}

Security Notes:

  • Never commit tokens to your repository
  • Use environment variables for all deployments
  • The token only needs public_repo scope for reading public data
  • Consider token rotation every 6-12 months

Rate Limits Comparison:

  • Without token: 60 requests/hour
  • With token: 5000 requests/hour
  • Current app usage: ~1-2 requests per user session

This setup will ensure your contributors page works reliably on both local development and production!