The GitHub API

This describes the resources that make up the official GitHub API v3. If you have any problems or requests please contact support.

For the new API v3, start browsing the resources on the right »

View the API Changelog for information on existing and planned changes to the API.

Current Version

Accept: application/vnd.github.beta+json

The GitHub API version is currently in beta. The beta media type property will be valid until sometime in 2013. A notice will be given closer to the actual date.

We consider the “beta” API unchangeable. File a support issue if you have problems.

Deprecations

The following functionality is deprecated. For backwards compatibility purposes, API v3 will continue to provide this functionality. However, this deprecated functionality will be removed in the next major version of the API.

The recommendations below will help you prepare your application for the next major version of the API.

1. Method: /gists/:id/fork

   Recommendation: Use /gists/:id/forks (plural) instead.

2. Method: /legacy/issues/search/:owner/:repository/:state/:keyword

   Recommendation: Use v3 Issue Search API instead.

3. Method: /legacy/repos/search/:keyword

   Recommendation: Use v3 Repository Search API instead.

4. Method: /legacy/user/search/:keyword

   Recommendation: Use v3 User Search API instead.

5. Method: /legacy/user/email/:email

   Recommendation: Use v3 User Search API instead.

6. Method: /repos/:owner/:repo/hooks/:id/test

   Recommendation: Use /repos/:owner/:repo/hooks/:id/tests (plural) instead.

7. Query parameters when POSTing to /repos/:owner/:repo/forks

   Recommendation: Use JSON to POST to this method instead.

8. Pull Request attribute: merge_commit_sha

   Recommendation: Do not use this attribute.

9. Rate Limit attribute: rate

   Recommendation: Use resources[“core”] instead.

10. Repository attribute: forks

    Recommendation: Use fork_count instead.

11. Repository attribute: master_branch

    Recommendation: Use default_branch instead.

12. Repository attribute: open_issues

    Recommendation: Use open_issues_count instead.

13. Repository attribute: public

    Recommendation: When creating a repository, use the private attribute to indicate whether the repository should be public or private. Do not use the public attribute.

14. Repository attribute: watchers

    Recommendation: Use watchers_count instead.

15. User attribute: bio

    Recommendation: Do not use this attribute. It is obsolete.

Breaking Beta Changes

June 12, 2012:

• Removed API v1 support
• Removed API v2 support

June 15th, 2011:

• gravatar_url is being deprecated in favor of avatar_url for all responses that include users or orgs. A default size is no longer included in the URL.
• Creating new gists (both anonymously and with an authenticated user) should use POST /gists from now on. POST /users/:user/gists is no longer supported.

June 1st, 2011:

• Removed support for PUT verb on update requests. Use POST or PATCH instead.
• Removed .json extension from all URLs.
• No longer using the X-Next or X-Last headers. Pagination info is returned in the Link header instead.
• JSON-P response has completely changed to a more consistent format.
• Starring gists now uses PUT verb (instead of POST) and returns 204.