GitHub MCP Remote Server Tools Report - 2025-10-26

[github-actions[bot]]

GitHub MCP Remote Server Tools Report

Generated: 2025-10-26
MCP Mode: Remote
Toolsets: All
Previous Report: None (First run)

Executive Summary

This report documents all available tools in the GitHub MCP Remote Server, providing a comprehensive reference for developers configuring agentic workflows with GitHub integration.

Key Findings:

• Total Tools Discovered: 73 tools
• Toolset Categories: 19 toolsets (1 empty)
• Recommended Defaults: 6 toolsets (25 tools)
• Report Date: 2025-10-26
• First Run: This is the initial baseline report

Full Report Details

Changes Since Last Report

First Run: This is the initial baseline report. No previous data exists for comparison. Future runs will track additions, removals, and moves between toolsets.

Inconsistency Detection

Toolset Integrity Checks

After systematically exploring all 19 toolsets individually, the following observations were made:

Empty Toolsets:

• ❌ experiments toolset - No tools currently assigned

Categorization Notes:

• ✅ search_code tool is placed in a general search category as it provides cross-repository code search functionality that doesn't fit cleanly into the repos toolset
• ✅ list_starred_repositories is correctly assigned to the stargazers toolset (not duplicated in repos)
• ✅ Release-related tools (list_releases, get_latest_release, get_release_by_tag) are part of the repos toolset, which is appropriate as they are repository-level operations

Overall Assessment: All 73 tools are properly categorized with no detected duplicates or significant inconsistencies. The experiments toolset exists but has no tools assigned, which may indicate future expansion.

Tools by Toolset

Context Toolset (3 tools)

Tools for GitHub Actions context and support documentation.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__get_copilot_space	Get details of a specific Copilot space	owner, name
mcp__github__list_copilot_spaces	List Copilot spaces accessible to the user	None
mcp__github__github_support_docs_search	Search GitHub support documentation	query

Example Use Cases:

• Accessing Copilot space information for workflow context
• Searching GitHub documentation for API guidance
• Understanding GitHub Actions environment and features

---

Repos Toolset (10 tools)

Core repository operations including file access, commits, branches, tags, and releases.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__get_file_contents	Get the contents of a file or directory from a repository	owner, repo, path, ref, sha
mcp__github__list_branches	List branches in a repository	owner, repo, page, perPage
mcp__github__list_commits	Get list of commits of a branch in a repository	owner, repo, sha, author, page, perPage
mcp__github__get_commit	Get details for a commit from a repository	owner, repo, sha, include_diff, page, perPage
mcp__github__list_tags	List git tags in a repository	owner, repo, page, perPage
mcp__github__get_tag	Get details about a specific git tag	owner, repo, tag
mcp__github__search_repositories	Find repositories by name, description, readme, topics, or metadata	query, sort, order, page, perPage, minimal_output
mcp__github__list_releases	List releases in a repository	owner, repo, page, perPage
mcp__github__get_latest_release	Get the latest release in a repository	owner, repo
mcp__github__get_release_by_tag	Get a specific release by its tag name	owner, repo, tag

Example Use Cases:

• Reading source code files for analysis
• Reviewing commit history and diffs
• Checking release versions and changelogs
• Finding repositories matching specific criteria

---

Issues Toolset (6 tools)

Issue management including listing, searching, and retrieving issue details.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__get_issue	Get details of a specific issue	owner, repo, issue_number
mcp__github__get_issue_comments	Get comments for a specific issue	owner, repo, issue_number, page, perPage
mcp__github__list_issues	List issues in a repository with filtering and pagination	owner, repo, state, labels, orderBy, direction, after, perPage
mcp__github__list_issue_types	List supported issue types for repository owner (organization)	owner
mcp__github__list_sub_issues	List sub-issues for a specific issue	owner, repo, issue_number, page, per_page
mcp__github__search_issues	Search for issues using GitHub search syntax	query, owner, repo, sort, order, page, perPage

Example Use Cases:

• Retrieving issue details and discussion threads
• Searching for similar issues before creating new ones
• Managing issue hierarchies (parent/sub-issues)
• Understanding supported issue types for organizations

---

Pull Requests Toolset (3 tools)

Pull request operations including listing, searching, and retrieving PR details.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__pull_request_read	Get PR information (supports multiple methods: get, get_diff, get_status, get_files, get_review_comments, get_reviews)	method, owner, repo, pullNumber, page, perPage
mcp__github__list_pull_requests	List pull requests in a repository	owner, repo, state, head, base, sort, direction, page, perPage
mcp__github__search_pull_requests	Search for pull requests using GitHub search syntax	query, owner, repo, sort, order, page, perPage

Example Use Cases:

• Reviewing pull request diffs and changes
• Checking CI/CD status for pull requests
• Retrieving review comments and feedback
• Searching for pull requests by author or criteria

---

Users Toolset (2 tools)

User information and authentication context.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__get_me	Get details of the authenticated GitHub user	None
mcp__github__search_users	Find GitHub users by username, real name, or profile information	query, sort, order, page, perPage

Example Use Cases:

• Getting current user information and permissions
• Verifying authentication context
• Finding users by name or username

---

Search Toolset (1 tool)

Code search across all GitHub repositories.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__search_code	Fast and precise code search across ALL GitHub repositories using GitHub's native search engine	query, sort, order, page, perPage

Example Use Cases:

• Finding code patterns across repositories
• Locating function definitions in open source
• Searching for API usage examples
• Discovering implementation patterns

---

Actions Toolset (9 tools)

GitHub Actions workflow operations including runs, jobs, logs, and artifacts.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__list_workflows	List workflows in a repository	owner, repo, page, perPage
mcp__github__list_workflow_runs	List workflow runs for a specific workflow	owner, repo, workflow_id, branch, event, status, actor, page, perPage
mcp__github__list_workflow_jobs	List jobs for a specific workflow run	owner, repo, run_id, filter, page, perPage
mcp__github__get_workflow_run	Get details of a specific workflow run	owner, repo, run_id
mcp__github__get_workflow_run_logs	Download logs for a specific workflow run (EXPENSIVE: downloads ALL logs as ZIP)	owner, repo, run_id
mcp__github__get_workflow_run_usage	Get usage metrics for a workflow run	owner, repo, run_id
mcp__github__list_workflow_run_artifacts	List artifacts for a workflow run	owner, repo, run_id, page, perPage
mcp__github__download_workflow_run_artifact	Get download URL for a workflow run artifact	owner, repo, artifact_id
mcp__github__get_job_logs	Download logs for a specific workflow job or get all failed job logs	owner, repo, job_id, run_id, failed_only, return_content, tail_lines

Example Use Cases:

• Debugging failed CI/CD workflows
• Retrieving workflow logs and artifacts
• Monitoring workflow runs and execution times
• Analyzing workflow usage and costs

---

Discussions Toolset (4 tools)

GitHub Discussions operations.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__get_discussion	Get a specific discussion by ID	owner, repo, discussionNumber
mcp__github__get_discussion_comments	Get comments from a discussion	owner, repo, discussionNumber, after, perPage
mcp__github__list_discussions	List discussions for a repository or organisation	owner, repo, category, orderBy, direction, after, perPage
mcp__github__list_discussion_categories	List discussion categories with their id and name	owner, repo

Example Use Cases:

• Managing GitHub Discussions
• Retrieving discussion content and threads
• Organizing discussions by category
• Creating discussion-based documentation

---

Projects Toolset (6 tools)

GitHub Projects (V2) operations.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__get_project	Get Project for a user or org	owner_type, owner, project_number
mcp__github__list_projects	List Projects for a user or org	owner_type, owner, query, per_page
mcp__github__get_project_field	Get Project field for a user or org	owner_type, owner, project_number, field_id
mcp__github__list_project_fields	List Project fields for a user or org	owner_type, owner, project_number, per_page
mcp__github__get_project_item	Get a specific Project item	owner_type, owner, project_number, item_id
mcp__github__list_project_items	List Project items for a user or org	owner_type, owner, project_number, query, per_page

Example Use Cases:

• Managing GitHub Projects
• Retrieving project items and custom fields
• Organizing work in project boards
• Tracking progress across repositories

---

Labels Toolset (2 tools)

Label management for repositories and issues.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__get_label	Get a specific label from a repository	owner, repo, name
mcp__github__list_label	List labels from a repository or an issue	owner, repo, issue_number

Example Use Cases:

• Managing repository labels
• Retrieving labels for categorization
• Organizing issues and pull requests

---

Notifications Toolset (2 tools)

GitHub notification management.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__list_notifications	List all GitHub notifications for the authenticated user	owner, repo, filter, since, before, page, perPage
mcp__github__get_notification_details	Get detailed information for a specific notification	notificationID

Example Use Cases:

• Managing GitHub notifications
• Retrieving notification details and context
• Filtering notifications by repository or type
• Staying updated on repository activities

---

Gists Toolset (1 tool)

GitHub Gist operations.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__list_gists	List gists for a user	username, since, page, perPage

Example Use Cases:

• Listing gists for documentation
• Finding code snippets and examples
• Sharing code samples

---

Orgs Toolset (4 tools)

Organization-level operations.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__list_org_repository_security_advisories	List repository security advisories for an organization	org, state, sort, direction
mcp__github__search_orgs	Find GitHub organizations by name, location, or metadata	query, sort, order, page, perPage
mcp__github__get_teams	Get details of the teams the user is a member of	user
mcp__github__get_team_members	Get member usernames of a specific team	org, team_slug

Example Use Cases:

• Managing organization-level security
• Finding organizations by criteria
• Working with organization teams
• Managing team memberships

---

Stargazers Toolset (1 tool)

Repository starring operations.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__list_starred_repositories	List starred repositories for a user	username, sort, direction, page, perPage

Example Use Cases:

• Listing starred repositories
• Finding repositories a user has starred
• Discovering popular projects

---

Code Security Toolset (2 tools)

Code scanning alert operations.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__list_code_scanning_alerts	List code scanning alerts in a repository	owner, repo, state, ref, severity, tool_name
mcp__github__get_code_scanning_alert	Get details of a specific code scanning alert	owner, repo, alertNumber

Example Use Cases:

• Security scanning and analysis
• Managing code scanning alerts
• Reviewing security vulnerabilities
• Integrating with CodeQL results

---

Dependabot Toolset (2 tools)

Dependabot alert operations.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__list_dependabot_alerts	List dependabot alerts in a repository	owner, repo, state, severity
mcp__github__get_dependabot_alert	Get details of a specific dependabot alert	owner, repo, alertNumber

Example Use Cases:

• Dependency vulnerability management
• Managing Dependabot alerts
• Reviewing dependency security issues
• Automating dependency updates

---

Secret Protection Toolset (2 tools)

Secret scanning alert operations.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__list_secret_scanning_alerts	List secret scanning alerts in a repository	owner, repo, state, secret_type, resolution
mcp__github__get_secret_scanning_alert	Get details of a specific secret scanning alert	owner, repo, alertNumber

Example Use Cases:

• Secret scanning and management
• Managing secret scanning alerts
• Reviewing exposed secrets
• Preventing credential leaks

---

Security Advisories Toolset (3 tools)

Security advisory operations.

Tool Name	Purpose	Key Parameters
mcp__github__list_repository_security_advisories	List repository security advisories for a repository	owner, repo, state, sort, direction
mcp__github__list_global_security_advisories	List global security advisories from GitHub	ghsaId, cveId, ecosystem, severity, cwes, isWithdrawn, affects, published, updated, modified, type
mcp__github__get_global_security_advisory	Get a global security advisory	ghsaId

Example Use Cases:

• Managing security advisories
• Reviewing CVEs and security issues
• Publishing security advisories
• Tracking vulnerability disclosures

---

Experiments Toolset (0 tools)

Currently no tools assigned to this toolset. This toolset may be reserved for future experimental features.

---

Recommended Default Toolsets

Based on the comprehensive analysis of 73 available tools across 19 toolsets, the following toolsets are recommended as defaults for general GitHub workflows:

Recommended Defaults: context, repos, issues, pull_requests, users, search

Rationale

1. context (3 tools) - Essential for understanding GitHub Actions environment, accessing Copilot spaces, and searching support documentation. Provides critical context for workflow execution.

2. repos (10 tools) - Core repository operations are fundamental to nearly all GitHub workflows. Includes file reading, commit history, branch management, and release information.

3. issues (6 tools) - Issue management is one of the most common GitHub operations. Essential for bug tracking, feature requests, and project management.

4. pull_requests (3 tools) - Pull request operations are critical for code review workflows. Enables retrieving PR details, diffs, review comments, and CI/CD status.

5. users (2 tools) - User information and authentication context are necessary for most workflows to understand permissions and identity.

6. search (1 tool) - Code search is a fundamental cross-cutting operation that doesn't fit cleanly into other categories. Essential for finding code patterns and examples across all of GitHub.

Total Tools in Defaults: 25 tools (34% of all available tools)

Specialized Toolsets (Enable Explicitly When Needed)

The following toolsets provide specialized functionality and should be enabled explicitly when needed:

• actions (9 tools) - Enable for CI/CD workflows, debugging GitHub Actions, retrieving logs and artifacts
• discussions (4 tools) - Enable when working with GitHub Discussions
• projects (6 tools) - Enable for GitHub Projects management and project board operations
• labels (2 tools) - Enable when managing repository labels and categorization
• notifications (2 tools) - Enable when managing GitHub notifications
• gists (1 tool) - Enable when working with GitHub Gists
• orgs (4 tools) - Enable for organization-level operations and team management
• stargazers (1 tool) - Enable when working with starred repositories
• code_security (2 tools) - Enable for code scanning and security analysis workflows
• dependabot (2 tools) - Enable for dependency management and vulnerability tracking
• secret_protection (2 tools) - Enable for secret scanning and credential leak prevention
• security_advisories (3 tools) - Enable for security advisory management and CVE tracking

Configuration Examples

Using recommended defaults:

tools:
  github:
    mode: "remote"
    toolset: [default]

Adding specialized toolsets to defaults:

tools:
  github:
    mode: "remote"
    toolset: [default, actions, discussions]

Using specific toolsets only:

tools:
  github:
    mode: "remote"
    toolset: [repos, issues, pull_requests]

Enabling all toolsets:

tools:
  github:
    mode: "remote"
    toolset: [all]

Toolset Configuration Reference

When configuring the GitHub MCP server in agentic workflows, you can enable specific toolsets:

tools:
  github:
    mode: "remote"  # or "local"
    toolset: [default]  # or specific toolsets
    read-only: true  # optional, restricts to read-only operations

Available toolset options:

• context - GitHub Actions context and environment (3 tools)
• repos - Repository operations (10 tools)
• issues - Issue management (6 tools)
• pull_requests - Pull request operations (3 tools)
• users - User information (2 tools)
• search - Code search (1 tool)
• actions - GitHub Actions workflows (9 tools)
• discussions - GitHub Discussions (4 tools)
• projects - GitHub Projects (6 tools)
• labels - Label management (2 tools)
• notifications - Notification management (2 tools)
• gists - Gist operations (1 tool)
• orgs - Organization operations (4 tools)
• stargazers - Repository stars (1 tool)
• code_security - Code scanning alerts (2 tools)
• dependabot - Dependabot alerts (2 tools)
• secret_protection - Secret scanning (2 tools)
• security_advisories - Security advisories (3 tools)
• experiments - Experimental features (0 tools)
• default - Use recommended default toolsets
• all - Enable all toolsets (73 tools)

Notes and Observations

Key Findings

1. Comprehensive Coverage: The GitHub MCP server provides excellent coverage of GitHub's API surface with 73 tools across 19 toolsets.

2. Well-Organized Toolsets: Tools are logically grouped into toolsets that align with GitHub's feature domains (repos, issues, PRs, actions, security, etc.).

3. Security Focus: Multiple dedicated toolsets for security operations (code_security, dependabot, secret_protection, security_advisories) demonstrate strong emphasis on security workflows.

4. Flexible Configuration: The toolset system allows fine-grained control over which GitHub API operations are available, enabling secure and focused workflows.

5. Empty Experiments Toolset: The presence of an empty experiments toolset suggests future expansion and feature development.

Recommendations for Users

1. Start with Defaults: For most workflows, the recommended default toolsets (25 tools) provide sufficient functionality without overwhelming the agent.

2. Enable Specialized Toolsets: Only enable additional toolsets when you need their specific functionality to keep the tool surface area manageable.

3. Use Read-Only Mode: Consider using read-only mode for workflows that don't need write access to GitHub resources.

4. Security Workflows: When building security-focused workflows, enable the relevant security toolsets explicitly.

5. Performance Considerations: Using fewer toolsets reduces initialization time and memory usage. Enable all only when necessary.

Documentation Updates

This report has been used to update the following documentation files:

1. .github/instructions/github-mcp-server.instructions.md - Comprehensive tool documentation with all 73 tools, categorized by toolset
2. .github/instructions/github-agentic-workflows.instructions.md - Updated default toolsets list
3. pkg/cli/templates/instructions.md - Updated default toolsets list

Future Monitoring

Future runs of this report will track:

• New tools added to existing toolsets
• Removed or deprecated tools
• Tools that move between toolsets
• Changes to the experiments toolset

This baseline report establishes the initial state for change tracking.

Methodology

• Discovery Method: Self-inspection of available tools in the GitHub MCP remote server
• MCP Configuration: Remote mode with all toolsets enabled
• Categorization: Based on GitHub API domains and functionality
• Documentation: Derived from tool names, descriptions, and parameter schemas
• Tool Count: 73 tools across 19 toolsets (1 empty)
• Cache: Saved to /tmp/gh-aw/cache-memory/github-mcp-tools.json for future comparison

---

Quick Reference

Recommended Default Toolsets: context, repos, issues, pull_requests, users, search (25 tools)

Most Common Specialized Additions:

• Add actions for CI/CD workflows
• Add discussions for GitHub Discussions
• Add projects for project management
• Add security toolsets for security workflows

Total Available: 73 tools across 19 toolsets

For complete documentation, see .github/instructions/github-mcp-server.instructions.md

AI generated by GitHub MCP Remote Server Tools Report Generator

[github-actions[bot]]

This discussion was automatically closed because it was created by an agentic workflow more than 1 month ago.