What is GitMCP? How to use it, private repo support and privacy
Replace github.com with gitmcp.io in a repository address (gitmcp.io/{owner}/{repo}) and add that address to your assistant; GitMCP serves the public repository's documentation (README, llms.txt) and code as a remote MCP server your assistant can read. It is a free, open-source service; no account is needed. It does not work with private repositories; the maintainer answered that request with "currently, no". Your queries go to the gitmcp.io server; the README says queries are not stored, which is the operator's own statement. The README does not name the person or company that runs it.
- What it does
- Lets your assistant read a public GitHub repository
- Type
- MCP server (remote, hosted service)
- Maker
- Repository under the idosal account; the operator is not named in the README
- Writing
- Writes nowhere; fetch and search only
- Private repos
- Not supported
- Status
- Single hosted service, no backup endpoint
- Price
- Free, no sign-up
What does GitMCP do?
MCP is the standard AI programs use to connect to outside tools. Assistants may not know the current documentation of a library. GitMCP opens a public GitHub repository (or GitHub Pages site) to your assistant as a source of docs and code: its tools fetch the documentation, run smart searches in it, and look through the code with GitHub code search.
It only reads and searches, never writes anywhere; it does not work with private repositories.
| Tool (repo name is substituted) | What it does |
|---|---|
| fetch_<repo>_documentation | Fetches the repository's main documentation (llms.txt first) |
| search_<repo>_documentation | Searches the documentation with a query |
| search_<repo>_code | Searches the repository's code with GitHub code search |
| fetch_url_content | Fetches the content of links found in the documentation |
All four tools are read-only. On the gitmcp.io/docs dynamic endpoint, the same jobs run under names like fetch_generic_documentation, and the repository is specified in each request.
Who it helps: Anyone who wants their assistant to read current documentation while working with a library.
How do you connect GitMCP?
First pick the address: gitmcp.io/{owner}/{repo} for a repository, {owner}.gitmcp.io/{repo} for a GitHub Pages site, gitmcp.io/docs for any repository. The address converter on the site's home page turns a github.com address into an MCP address. The configurations below are taken verbatim from the README.
› {"mcpServers":{"gitmcp":{"url":"https://gitmcp.io/{owner}/{repo}"}}}› {"mcpServers":{"gitmcp":{"command":"npx","args":["mcp-remote","https://gitmcp.io/{owner}/{repo}"]}}}On this path, mcp-remote is a third-party npm package, not part of GitMCP, and it runs on your computer; the README does not pin a version. Node.js is required.
Windsurf: the serverUrl field in ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. VS Code: type: sse and a url field under servers in .vscode/mcp.json.
The README also gives steps for Cline, Highlight AI, Augment Code and Msty. The README has no steps for Claude Code or ChatGPT; that does not mean they don't work.
How do you use GitMCP?
Once connected, just ask your assistant something about the repository; the assistant picks the right tool itself.
Which clients does GitMCP work in?
| Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, ClineYes | Configuration in the README. |
|---|---|
| Claude DesktopYes | Through the mcp-remote bridge. |
| Highlight AI, Augment Code, MstyYes | Steps in the README. |
| Claude Code, ChatGPTUnclear | No steps in the README. |
What does GitMCP access, and where do my queries go?
Documentation of public GitHub repositories and GitHub Pages sites, plus GitHub code search. It does not touch local files or your GitHub account.
Writes nowhere; makes no commits, issues or other changes.
Nothing.
The repository name you ask about and your search queries go to the gitmcp.io server. The README says that because no authentication is required it does not access personal information, does not store agents' queries and does not permanently store data from GitHub projects. These are the operator's statements.
!The service is run remotely by an operator, and the repository configuration shows Cloudflare Workers, a KV cache and a search index; the documentation does not say what these keep or for how long. No detailed privacy or terms page appears to be published. The repository content it fetches is text anyone can write; open third-party issues on GitHub describe a prompt injection risk (#227, #229, #249), with no maintainer reply and no warning in the official README.
No GitMCP security advisory has been published; that does not mean "safe". The mcp-remote package once had a critical command injection vulnerability (CVE-2025-6514), fixed in 0.1.16; version 0.14.3 on the atlas card is not affected, and the current version has reached 0.15.1.
Is GitMCP free?
Yes. The README says it is a free community service with no charge; no account is needed either. There is no quota or rate-limit page: in May 2026 the service hit Cloudflare limits and was throttled for a few hours (issue #245). There is no backup endpoint; if you need constant access, you have to host it yourself (requires Cloudflare).
Common problems and fixes
| What happens | What to do |
|---|---|
| I can't connect a private repository | Not supported: the README and the site refer to public repositories; the feature requests (#81, #248) are still open. |
| gitmcp.io is not responding | It is a single hosted service; it was throttled in May 2026 (#245). There is no backup; you would have to host it yourself. |
| Reported by users A "Server disconnected"-type error in Claude Desktop | This path runs mcp-remote; Node.js/npx must be installed. A detailed fix is not clear in official sources. |
How do you disconnect GitMCP?
- In the client: Delete the gitmcp entry from the MCP settings.
- Account: There is no account, so there is no membership to cancel.
Frequently asked questions
What is GitMCP and what does it do?
It is a free, open-source service that serves a public GitHub repository's documentation and code as a remote MCP server your assistant can read. You create the address by writing gitmcp.io instead of github.com.
Is GitMCP free?
Yes. The README says it is a free community service with no charge; no account is needed either.
Does GitMCP work with private repositories?
No. The README and the site refer to public repositories; the maintainer answered the private repo request with currently no, and the issues are still open.
Where does my data go, and are my queries stored?
The repository name and your query go to the gitmcp.io server. The README says agents' queries are not stored; this is the operator's statement. The README does not name the person or company that runs it.
Which programs does GitMCP work in?
The README gives setup steps for Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, VS Code, Cline, Highlight AI, Augment Code and Msty. Claude Code and ChatGPT are not mentioned in the docs; that does not mean they don't work.
Is GitMCP safe?
There is no safety seal. The service is run remotely by an operator, and the repository content it fetches is text anyone can write. No security advisory has been published.
Related guides
Sources
Not clear in the official sources: The operating legal entity · whether the no-storage statement is accurate (the code has a cache and a search index) · a separate privacy and terms page (none) · quota and rate limits · the exact limits of the fetch_url_content tool · Claude Code and ChatGPT support. Each is covered in its section.