Add a Remote MCP configuration example that employs a PAT

[jww3]

No description provided.

[Copilot]

Pull Request Overview

This PR adds a configuration example for using a GitHub Personal Access Token when connecting to a remote MCP server.

• Adjusted heading levels for the Remote and Local GitHub MCP Server sections.
• Introduced an HTML table comparing OAuth and PAT-based JSON configs.
• Added an inputs prompt block for capturing the PAT in the PAT example.

Comments suppressed due to low confidence (4)

README.md:15

• [nitpick] Heading level was bumped to H1 here, which is inconsistent with other sections using ##. Consider reverting to ## Remote GitHub MCP Server.

# Remote GitHub MCP Server

README.md:92

• [nitpick] Similarly, this heading is H1 but other sections use H2. For consistency, use ## Local GitHub MCP Server.

# Local GitHub MCP Server

README.md:46

• Missing comma after the "url" property, causing invalid JSON.

"url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"

README.md:64

• Remove the trailing comma in the "headers" object to ensure valid JSON.

"Authorization": "Bearer ${input:github_mcp_pat}",

[jww3]

In the Claude docs, I don't see a way to prompt or otherwise read the PAT dynamically (e.g. from an environment variable). As far as I can tell, it has to be pasted into the JSON as plain text.

Please correct me if I'm wrong!

[SamMorrowDrums]

I believe you are correct

[SamMorrowDrums]

Suggested change

	"authorization_token": "<your GitHub PAT>"
	"authorization_token": "bearer <your GitHub PAT>"

Technically it needs that. Claude code adds it automatically apparently.

[jww3]

Hmmm ... none of their examples include Bearer and this wasn't even meant to be Claude-specific.

[jww3]

(see disclaimer below)

[SamMorrowDrums]

Their tools add it automatically but it still works with it included and I'm worried about other clients doing it wrong. I confirmed that with Anthropic yesterday.

[jaril]

Finally got this working with Cursor, though it took more guesswork than I'd like to admit.

Initially thought about filing an issue for adding host-specific setup instructions, but you're right—the responsibility should be on each client to properly document their configuration requirements. Anthropic does it a bit better than Cursor where they don't even mention it.

But FWIW in case anybody else asks, this is how to set it up for Cursor.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github-remote": {
      "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    },
  }
}

[nehalecky]

Hi @jww3, thanks for this! Any tips for setting up with claude code, using the cli? I like how HF gives all flavors of clients. Happy to submit a PR, with guidance. Thanks! :)
https://huggingface.co/settings/mcp

[jaril]

Hi @jww3, thanks for this! Any tips for setting up with claude code, using the cli? I like how HF gives all flavors of clients. Happy to submit a PR, with guidance. Thanks! :) https://huggingface.co/settings/mcp

Either of these should work:

claude mcp add --t http github https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/ --H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN"

claude mcp add-json github '{"type": "http", "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/", "headers": {"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN"

(fwiw it works even if you drop the Bearer part)

[nehalecky]

Hi @jaril , thank you! I had tried before, but my PAT wasn't setup correctly previously. 🫠 With minor changes to the flags in your command (single dash for abbreviations), I got it to work, like this:

claude mcp add -t http github https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN"

Or, if you use 1password for secrets management (there are dozens!)

claude mcp add -t http github https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/ -H "Authorization: Bearer $(op read "op://Private/<YOUR-SECRET-REFERENCE>")"

which felt nice. :)

Also, for a starting working model for auth perms for claude code for those just getting started, I went with this (✅ granted, and ❌ no):

• ✅ Write, review, and manage code
• ✅ Create/manage issues and PRs
• ✅ Automate workflows
• ✅ Coordinate team activities
• ❌ Destructive operations
• ❌ Security compromises
• ❌ Unnecessary access to sensitive data