GitHub

GET /v1/github/repository

GitHub Repository API

Get a GitHub repository — description, stars, forks, language, license, and topics as structured JSON.

3 credits per request

Try in Playground Get your API key — free Read the docs

TL;DR

Get a GitHub repository — description, stars, forks, language, license, and topics as structured JSON. The GitHub Repository API (GitHub) is a single authenticated GET request to /v1/github/repository that responds with clean JSON and costs 3 credits. Pass cache=true for a free 24h cache hit; default is always fresh. Start with 100 free credits — no credit card.

What is the GitHub Repository API?

Pass a repository URL or owner/name and get the repo metadata as clean JSON: description, stars, forks, open issues, primary language, license, topics, and timestamps. Flat 3 credits per call.

What you get

Repository fields as clean structured JSON
IDs, URLs, and titles where the platform exposes them
Engagement or popularity signals when available
Stable IDs for joining with other endpoints

Try it

Open in Playground

Fill in the parameters below and copy a ready-to-run request, or open the live Playground to run it against your account (no API key paste).

Parameters

repo*stringRepository URL or owner/name, e.g. vercel/next.js.cacheoptionalbooleanSet true to serve from the 24h response cache. Default false — always fetch fresh data.

API keyoptionalPaste your key to get a ready-to-run snippet. It stays in your browser.Sign in to run live

curl "https://api.captapi.com/v1/github/repository?repo=vercel%2Fnext.js" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer capt_live_..."
# or: -H "x-api-key: capt_live_..."

Edit the parameters and the code updates instantly. Switch languages and hit copy.

Example response

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "platform": "github",
    "type": "repository",
    "name": "linux",
    "fullName": "torvalds/linux",
    "url": "https://github.com/torvalds/linux",
    "description": "Linux kernel source tree",
    "owner": "torvalds",
    "ownerUrl": "https://github.com/torvalds",
    "language": "C",
    "stars": 239734,
    "forks": 63487,
    "watchers": 239734,
    "openIssues": 3,
    "defaultBranch": "master",
    "homepage": null,
    "license": "NOASSERTION",
    "topics": [],
    "isFork": false,
    "isArchived": false,
    "ownerAvatar": "https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/1024025?v=4",
    "pushedAt": "2026-07-18T04:53:39Z",
    "createdAt": "2011-09-04T22:48:12Z",
    "updatedAt": "2026-07-18T18:40:38Z"
  }
}

Billing metadata is returned in response headers: X-Captapi-Credits (credits charged), X-Captapi-Cache (hit or miss), and X-Captapi-Source. Failed requests (4xx/5xx) are never charged. See the full list of error codes in the error reference.

Response structure

A successful call returns success, cached, creditsUsed, and a data object with the following fields:

Top-level fields

platformPlatform identifier (e.g. youtube, instagram).
typeContent type of the item.
nameName of the item or account.
fullNameFull display name.
urlCanonical URL of the item.
descriptionDescription text.
ownerOwner of the repository.
ownerUrlOwner url URL.
languageDetected or requested language code.
starsStar count.
forksFork count.
watchersWatcher count.
openIssuesOpen issue count.
defaultBranchDefault branch name.
homepageProject homepage URL.
licenseLicense identifier.
topicsDetected topics and themes.
isForkWhether the repository is a fork.
isArchivedWhether the repository is archived.
ownerAvatarOwner avatar URL.
pushedAtLast push date (ISO 8601).
createdAtCreation date (ISO 8601).
updatedAtLast update date (ISO 8601).

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
repo	string	Yes	Repository URL or owner/name, e.g. vercel/next.js.
cache	boolean	No	Set true to serve from the 24h response cache. Default false — always fetch fresh data.

Authentication: send your key as Authorization: Bearer capt_live_.... A typical call costs 3 credits. Pass cache=true for a free 24h cache hit; default is always fresh.

Using an AI agent? This endpoint is the MCP tool github_repository via @captapi/mcp. Set it up →

How it works

1. Sign up — get 100 free credits, no card required.
2. Create a key from your dashboard.
3. Send one request to /v1/github/repository and parse the JSON response.

Use cases

Analytics

Track views, likes, and engagement over time.

Competitor Monitoring

Benchmark the performance of other creators.

Dashboards

Power reporting and BI with real metadata.

Content Curation

Filter and rank videos by performance.

Frequently asked questions

What does the GitHub Repository API do?+

The GitHub Repository API lets you fetch full metadata and key stats from a public GitHub GitHub resource using one GET request to /v1/github/repository. It returns clean JSON — no OAuth or infrastructure setup required.

How many credits does the GitHub Repository API cost?+

Each successful call costs 3 credits. Pass cache=true to serve from the 24h shared cache (0 credits on hit); default is always fresh. Failed or empty results are never charged.

Do I need a GitHub API key or OAuth?+

No. A single Captapi key works across every platform Captapi supports — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Reddit, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Rumble, Spotify, Kwai, and more. We handle proxies, rate limits, retries, and authentication for you.

Is the GitHub Repository API suitable for production use?+

Yes. It is a stable REST endpoint with predictable JSON and automatic retries. Pass cache=true to serve from the 24h shared cache (0 credits on hit); default is always fresh. Use it for analytics, monitoring, and content automation.

More GitHub APIs

GitHub User API GitHub Repositories API GitHub Pull Requests API GitHub Activity API GitHub Followers API GitHub Following API GitHub Contributions API GitHub Trending Repositories API GitHub Trending Developers API

Ready to use the GitHub Repository API?

Get started free