---
title: GitHub
description: Connect your GitHub repositories to SurfSense
---

# GitHub Connector

Connect your GitHub repositories to SurfSense for code search and AI-powered insights. The connector uses [gitingest](https://gitingest.com) to efficiently index entire codebases.

## What Gets Indexed

| Content Type | Examples |
|--------------|----------|
| Code Files | Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Rust, Java, etc. |
| Documentation | README files, Markdown documents, text files |
| Configuration | JSON, YAML, TOML, .env examples, Dockerfiles |

> ⚠️ Binary files and files larger than 5MB are automatically excluded.

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## Quick Start (Public Repos)

1. Navigate to **Connectors** → **Add Connector** → **GitHub**
2. Enter repository names: `owner/repo` (e.g., `facebook/react, vercel/next.js`)
3. Click **Connect GitHub**

No authentication required for public repositories.

---

## Private Repositories

For private repos, you need a GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT).

### Generate a PAT

1. Go to [GitHub's token creation page](https://github.com/settings/tokens/new?description=surfsense&scopes=repo) (pre-filled with `repo` scope)
2. Set an expiration
3. Click **Generate token** and copy it

> ⚠️ The token starts with `ghp_`. Store it securely.

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## Connector Configuration

| Field | Description | Required |
|-------|-------------|----------|
| **Connector Name** | A friendly name to identify this connector | Yes |
| **GitHub Personal Access Token** | Your PAT (only for private repos) | No |
| **Repository Names** | Comma-separated list: `owner/repo1, owner/repo2` | Yes |

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## Periodic Sync

Enable periodic sync to automatically re-index repositories when content changes:

| Frequency | Use Case |
|-----------|----------|
| Every 5 minutes | Active development |
| Every 15 minutes | Frequent commits |
| Every hour | Regular workflow |
| Every 6 hours | Less active repos |
| Daily | Reference repositories |
| Weekly | Stable codebases |

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## Troubleshooting

**Repository not found**
- Verify format is `owner/repo`
- For private repos, ensure PAT has access

**Authentication failed**
- Check PAT is valid and not expired
- Token should start with `ghp_` or `github_pat_`

**Rate limit exceeded**
- Use a PAT for higher limits (5,000/hour vs 60 unauthenticated)
- Reduce sync frequency