API and GitHub LICENSE links inconsistency

[alex-bacart]

Description

There's an inconsistency in GitHub website and API responses.

For example you can take this exact repository. On readme page you have a "MIT license" link with address https://github.com/github/rest-api-description/blob/main/LICENSE.md

But API response returns an invalid address for license link.

curl 'https://api.github.com/repos/github/rest-api-description/readme' \
--header 'Accept: application/vnd.github.html'

Expected link address

https://github.com/github/rest-api-description/blob/main/LICENSE.md

Actual link address

LICENSE.md

Issue

This relative link gives 404 pages in any of the following relations:

• https://github.com/github/rest-api-description/LICENSE.md 404
• https://api.github.com/repos/github/rest-api-description/readme/LICENSE.md 404

More affected repositories

Every repository having license links in format LICENSE and ./LICENSE is affected. Just a few of them:

• https://github.com/github/gitignore
• https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql
• https://github.com/Ramotion/animated-tab-bar
• https://github.com/bacart/symfony-aware

[alex-bacart]

More simple reproduction script:

curl 'https://api.github.com/repos/github/rest-api-description/readme' \
--header 'Accept: application/vnd.github.html' | grep "MIT license"

Result:

<p dir="auto">github/rest-api-description is licensed under the <a href="LICENSE.md">MIT license</a></p>