GitHub Connector

Connect GitHub so Applied can read repository content or run controlled repository actions from Flows.

Use this Connector when a workflow needs to inspect files, create updates, or work with pull requests in selected repositories.

Common use cases

• Read repository files for internal workflow context.
• Create or update files from an approved Flow.
• Work with branches, commits, and pull requests.
• Add engineering handoff context to an existing repository workflow.

Repository write actions can change source code. Use a Flow that captures clear approval before writing to GitHub.

Before you begin

Before connecting GitHub, make sure:

• You know which GitHub user or service account should own the token.
• You know which repositories Applied should access.
• Your organization allows personal access tokens for those repositories.
• Your team agrees on whether Applied should have read-only or write access.

For long-lived organization integrations, a GitHub App may be more appropriate than a personal access token. Use a token only when it fits your team’s security model.

Get a GitHub token

GitHub recommends fine-grained personal access tokens when they support the operations you need.

1. In GitHub, open your profile menu and click Settings.
2. Go to Developer settings.
3. Open Personal access tokens > Fine-grained tokens.
4. Click Generate new token.
5. Choose the resource owner.
6. Select only the repositories Applied should access.
7. Set an expiration.
8. Add the repository permissions Applied needs.
9. Generate and copy the token.

If the selected organization requires token approval, the token may stay pending until an organization owner approves it.

Choose GitHub permissions

Use the narrowest repository permissions possible:

• Contents: Read for reading files.
• Contents: Read and write for creating, updating, or deleting files.
• Pull requests: Read for reading pull request details.
• Pull requests: Read and write for creating or updating pull requests and pull request comments.

Select specific repositories instead of all repositories whenever possible.

Connect GitHub in Applied

1. Open Connectors.
2. Click New.
3. Choose GitHub.
4. Paste the fine-grained personal access token into the API token field.
5. Create the connection.

Flow actions usually ask for repository owner, repository name, branch or ref, and file path when they run.

Validate the connection

After setup:

1. Read a harmless file from a selected repository.
2. Confirm repositories outside the intended selection are not accessible.
3. If write actions are enabled, create or update a test branch or test file.
4. Confirm GitHub records the action under the expected token owner.

Common issues

GitHub returns not found

For private repositories, GitHub often returns not found when the token lacks repository access. Edit the fine-grained token and add the repository.

Reads work, but writes fail

Add Contents: Read and write for file changes or the relevant pull request permission for PR workflows.

Organization approval is pending

Ask a GitHub organization owner to approve the fine-grained token request.

Provider docs

• Managing personal access tokens 
• Repository contents API permissions 
• Pull request API permissions 

Next steps

• Understanding Connectors
• Automated Workflows
• Secrets