GitHub · Guide

How to get GitHub repository

TL;DR

To get GitHub repository, sign up for a free Captapi key, then send one GET request to /v1/github/repository with your input. You get clean JSON back in seconds for 3 credits per call — no OAuth, scraping or platform SDKs. Get a GitHub repository — description, stars, forks, language, license, and topics as structured JSON.

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How to get GitHub repository (step by step)

1
Get a free API key
Create a free Captapi account (100 credits, no card) and generate an API key from the dashboard.
2
Call the GitHub Repository API
Send an authenticated GET request to /v1/github/repository with your input. No OAuth, no scraping setup.
3
Read the JSON response
Parse the clean JSON response. Pass cache=true for a free 24h cache hit; default is always fresh.

Code example

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

What the response looks like

{
  "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 (credits charged, cache hit/miss) is returned in the X-Captapi-Credits and X-Captapi-Cache response headers.

Request 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.

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.

Ready to get GitHub repository?

Start free with 100 credits — no credit card required.

Get your free API key