How do I install the Building Github Index skill?

Run npx skillmds add tools-only/building-github-index in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Building Github Index safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: makes network calls, reads secrets. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Building Github Index?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Building Github Index free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Building Github Index?

tools-only (@tools-only) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Building Github Index by tools-only

Name: Building Github Index
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: tools-only

Building Github Index

Generate progressive disclosure indexes for GitHub repositories to use as Claude project knowledge. Use when setting up projects referencing external documentation, creating searchable indexes of technical blogs or knowledge bases, combining multiple repos into one index, or when user mentions "index", "github repo", "project knowledge", or "documentation reference".

tools-only b4a2a17 3 files · 7.5 KB Updated Sep 8, 2026 7 repo stars

File contents

Building GitHub Index

Create markdown indexes of GitHub repositories optimized for Claude project knowledge. Indexes enable retrieval of source content (.md, .qmd, .ipynb) via GitHub API without parsing rendered HTML/CSS/JS noise.

Quick Start

python scripts/github_index.py owner/repo -o index.md
python scripts/github_index.py owner/repo1 owner/repo2 -o combined.md
python scripts/github_index.py owner/repo --include-patterns "docs/**" "blog/**"

Script Options

Flag	Description
`-o, --output`	Output file (default: `github_index.md`)
`--token`	GitHub PAT; also reads `GITHUB_TOKEN` env var
`--include-patterns`	Only index matching globs: `"docs/" "blog/"`
`--exclude-patterns`	Skip matching globs: `"test/" "drafts/"`
`--max-files`	Cap files per repo (default: 200)
`--skip-fetch`	Tree only, no content fetch; faster but filename-derived descriptions

Default exclusions: node_modules, .git, __pycache__, venv, dist, build, _site, .next, plus underscore-prefixed files.

Rate limits: 60/hr unauthenticated, 5000/hr with token.

Output Structure

# {Repo Name} - Content Index

**Repository:** {url}
**Branch:** `{branch}`

## Retrieval Method
{API curl commands}

---

## {Category}

| Description | Path |
|-------------|------|
| {What this covers} | `{path/to/file.md}` |

## Key Themes
{Concepts that reduce need to fetch}

Lead rows with description (relevance matching), path second (retrieval key).

API Access

Fetch tree (enumerate files):

curl -sL "https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/git/trees/BRANCH?recursive=1"

Fetch file content:

curl -s "https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/contents/PATH?ref=BRANCH" \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" | \
  python3 -c "import sys,json,base64; print(base64.b64decode(json.load(sys.stdin)['content']).decode())"

Include retrieval instructions in generated indexes.

Manual Index Creation

When script doesn't fit or for curated indexes:

Get tree, filter to content files (.md, .qmd, .ipynb)
Fetch files, extract frontmatter (title/description from YAML between --- markers)
Group by directory structure or theme
Write tables: Description | Path
Add Key Themes section for frequent queries

Quality Standards

Descriptions: Lead with problem/question addressed. Include searchable terms. Under 100 chars.

Categories: Semantic groupings, not flat lists. Subcategories help navigation.

Themes: Extract after reviewing content. Summarize frequently-asked concepts.

Network Requirements

Project allowlist: api.github.com (required), raw.githubusercontent.com (optional).

Related Skills

accessing-github-repos - Private repos, PAT setup
mapping-codebases - Code structure (functions/classes) vs documentation

---name: building-github-indexdescription: Generate progressive disclosure indexes for GitHub repositories to use as Claude project knowledge. Use when setting up projects referencing external documentation, creating searchable indexes of technical blogs or knowledge bases, combining multiple repos into one index, or when user mentions "index", "github repo", "project knowledge", or "documentation reference".---# Building GitHub IndexCreate markdown indexes of GitHub repositories optimized for Claude project knowledge. Indexes enable retrieval of source content (.md, .qmd, .ipynb) via GitHub API without parsing rendered HTML/CSS/JS noise.## Quick Start```bashpython scripts/github_index.py owner/repo -o index.mdpython scripts/github_index.py owner/repo1 owner/repo2 -o combined.mdpython scripts/github_index.py owner/repo --include-patterns "docs/**" "blog/**"```## Script Options| Flag | Description ||------|-------------|| `-o, --output` | Output file (default: `github_index.md`) || `--token` | GitHub PAT; also reads `GITHUB_TOKEN` env var || `--include-patterns` | Only index matching globs: `"docs/**" "blog/**"` || `--exclude-patterns` | Skip matching globs: `"test/**" "drafts/**"` || `--max-files` | Cap files per repo (default: 200) || `--skip-fetch` | Tree only, no content fetch; faster but filename-derived descriptions |**Default exclusions:** `node_modules`, `.git`, `__pycache__`, `venv`, `dist`, `build`, `_site`, `.next`, plus underscore-prefixed files.**Rate limits:** 60/hr unauthenticated, 5000/hr with token.## Output Structure```markdown# {Repo Name} - Content Index**Repository:** {url}**Branch:** `{branch}`## Retrieval Method{API curl commands}---## {Category}| Description | Path ||-------------|------|| {What this covers} | `{path/to/file.md}` |## Key Themes{Concepts that reduce need to fetch}```Lead rows with **description** (relevance matching), path second (retrieval key).## API AccessFetch tree (enumerate files):```bashcurl -sL "https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/git/trees/BRANCH?recursive=1"```Fetch file content:```bashcurl -s "https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/contents/PATH?ref=BRANCH" \ -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" | \ python3 -c "import sys,json,base64; print(base64.b64decode(json.load(sys.stdin)['content']).decode())"```Include retrieval instructions in generated indexes.## Manual Index CreationWhen script doesn't fit or for curated indexes:1. Get tree, filter to content files (.md, .qmd, .ipynb)2. Fetch files, extract frontmatter (title/description from YAML between `---` markers)3. Group by directory structure or theme4. Write tables: Description | Path5. Add Key Themes section for frequent queries## Quality Standards**Descriptions**: Lead with problem/question addressed. Include searchable terms. Under 100 chars.**Categories**: Semantic groupings, not flat lists. Subcategories help navigation.**Themes**: Extract after reviewing content. Summarize frequently-asked concepts.## Network RequirementsProject allowlist: `api.github.com` (required), `raw.githubusercontent.com` (optional).## Related Skills- `accessing-github-repos` - Private repos, PAT setup- `mapping-codebases` - Code structure (functions/classes) vs documentation

Frequently asked questions