Installing GitHub MCP Server in Antigravity

December 16, 2025 · View on GitHub

This guide covers setting up the GitHub MCP Server in Google's Antigravity IDE.

Prerequisites

  • Antigravity IDE installed (latest version)
  • GitHub Personal Access Token with appropriate scopes

Installation Methods

Uses GitHub's hosted server at https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/.

Note

We recommend this manual configuration method because the "official" installation via the Antigravity MCP Store currently has known issues (often resulting in Docker errors). This direct remote connection is more reliable.

Step 1: Access MCP Configuration

  1. Open Antigravity
  2. Click the "..." (Additional Options) menu in the Agent panel
  3. Select "MCP Servers"
  4. Click "Manage MCP Servers"
  5. Click "View raw config"

This will open your mcp_config.json file at:

  • Windows: C:\Users\<USERNAME>\.gemini\antigravity\mcp_config.json
  • macOS/Linux: ~/.gemini/antigravity/mcp_config.json

Step 2: Add Configuration

Add the following to your mcp_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "serverUrl": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_GITHUB_PAT"
      }
    }
  }
}

Important: Note that Antigravity uses serverUrl instead of url for HTTP-based MCP servers.

Step 3: Configure Your Token

Replace YOUR_GITHUB_PAT with your actual GitHub Personal Access Token.

Create a token here: https://github.com/settings/tokens

Recommended scopes:

  • repo - Full control of private repositories
  • read:org - Read org and team membership
  • read:user - Read user profile data

Step 4: Restart Antigravity

Close and reopen Antigravity for the changes to take effect.

Step 5: Verify Installation

  1. Open the MCP Servers panel (... menu → MCP Servers)
  2. You should see "github" with a list of available tools
  3. You can now use GitHub tools in your conversations

Note

The status indicator in the MCP Servers panel might not immediately turn green in some versions, but the tools will still function if configured correctly.

Option 2: Local Docker Server

If you prefer running the server locally with Docker:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN",
        "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "YOUR_GITHUB_PAT"
      }
    }
  }
}

Requirements:

  • Docker Desktop installed and running
  • Docker must be in your system PATH

Troubleshooting

"Error: serverUrl or command must be specified"

Make sure you're using serverUrl (not url) for the remote server configuration. Antigravity requires serverUrl for HTTP-based MCP servers.

Server not appearing in MCP list

  • Verify JSON syntax in your config file
  • Check that your PAT hasn't expired
  • Restart Antigravity completely

Tools not working

  • Ensure your PAT has the correct scopes
  • Check the MCP Servers panel for error messages
  • Verify internet connection for remote server

Available Tools

Once installed, you'll have access to tools like:

  • create_repository - Create new GitHub repositories
  • push_files - Push files to repositories
  • search_repositories - Search for repositories
  • create_or_update_file - Manage file content
  • get_file_contents - Read file content
  • And many more...

For a complete list of available tools and features, see the main README.

Differences from Other IDEs

  • Configuration key: Antigravity uses serverUrl instead of url for HTTP servers
  • Config location: .gemini/antigravity/mcp_config.json instead of .cursor/mcp.json
  • Tool limits: Antigravity recommends keeping total enabled tools under 50 for optimal performance

Next Steps