How to Set Up a GitHub Token for Authenticated API Access in Agent-Reach

To set up a GitHub token for authenticated API access in Agent-Reach, use the CLI command python -m agent_reach.cli config set github-token <YOUR_TOKEN> or manually edit the ~/.config/agent-reach/config.yaml file to include the github_token key.

Agent-Reach is an open-source automation tool that interacts with the GitHub API for operations like release monitoring and repository queries. Without authentication, the tool hits strict rate limits and cannot access protected endpoints. This guide explains how to configure your personal access token using the built-in configuration system, based on the implementation in Panniantong/Agent-Reach.

Why Authenticated Access Matters

Agent-Reach makes HTTP requests to the GitHub API that require an Authorization header. Without a valid token, GitHub returns "unauthenticated" errors and applies a low rate limit of 60 requests per hour. By storing a GitHub token in the configuration, the tool transparently injects a Bearer <token> header into every request via the _github_get_with_retry helper in agent_reach/cli.py, allowing for 5,000 requests per hour and access to private repository data.

Setting Up the GitHub Token via CLI

The Config Set Command

The recommended way to store your token is using the built-in CLI interface. The command parses the github-token subcommand and writes the value to the persistent configuration store:

python -m agent_reach.cli config set github-token ghp_YourGeneratedTokenHere

Behind the scenes, this command invokes config.set("github_token", value) defined in agent_reach/config.py.

Implementation Details

In agent_reach/cli.py, the CLI argument parser handles the config set command and validates the input before passing it to the Config class. The key is stored internally as the string "github_token" (underscore), even though the CLI accepts the hyphenated version github-token for usability.

Manual GitHub Token Configuration

Editing the YAML Config File

If you prefer file-based configuration or need to automate setup across multiple machines, you can write the token directly to the YAML configuration file. The file resides at:

~/.config/agent-reach/config.yaml

Add the following line to the file:

github_token: ghp_YourGeneratedTokenHere

The Config class in agent_reach/config.py reads this value on demand using config.get("github_token"), ensuring the token is available to all components without environment variables.

How Agent-Reach Uses Your Token

The Authorization Header

When the tool needs to query the GitHub API, it retrieves the stored token and constructs an authenticated request. The internal helper _github_get_with_retry in agent_reach/cli.py implements the logic:

headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {github_token}"}
resp = requests.get(url, headers=headers)

This pattern ensures that every API call carries the necessary credentials, preventing 401 Unauthorized responses and rate-limit throttling.

Security Best Practices

The token is stored only in the local configuration file and is never logged to stdout or written to log files. To protect this sensitive data:

• Restrict file permissions to owner-only: chmod 600 ~/.config/agent-reach/config.yaml
• Never commit the config file to version control
• Use a fine-grained personal access token with minimal scopes (e.g., repo read-only access) rather than a classic token with broad permissions

Verifying the Configuration

To confirm the token is correctly stored, retrieve it via the CLI:

python -m agent_reach.cli config get github-token

If configured correctly, the output displays the token value. You can also verify programmatically:

from agent_reach import config

token = config.get("github_token")
print(f"Token configured: {token[:4]}..." if token else "No token found")

Summary

• Store the token using python -m agent_reach.cli config set github-token <TOKEN> which calls config.set("github_token", value) in agent_reach/config.py.
• Manual alternative involves editing ~/.config/agent-reach/config.yaml and setting the github_token key.
• Internal usage occurs in agent_reach/cli.py where the _github_get_with_retry function adds the Bearer <token> header to GitHub API requests.
• Security requires chmod 600 on the config file to prevent unauthorized access.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I generate a GitHub personal access token?

Navigate to GitHub Settings > Developer settings > Personal access tokens > Fine-grained tokens. Generate a new token with at least "Read" access to repositories that Agent-Reach needs to monitor. Copy the token string (starting with ghp_) and use it with the CLI command or YAML configuration.

What permissions does the token need?

For basic repository queries and release checks, the token only requires read-only access to repositories. If Agent-Reach needs to create issues or pull requests, you must grant additional read-write permissions. Always follow the principle of least privilege when generating tokens.

Where is the configuration file stored on Windows?

On Windows systems, the configuration file is located at %APPDATA%\agent-reach\config.yaml instead of the Unix ~/.config/ path. You can open this location by running explorer %APPDATA%\agent-reach in the command prompt.

Why do I still see "unauthenticated" errors after setting the token?

This usually indicates the token was not saved to the correct key. Verify that agent_reach/config.py contains the key "github_token" (underscore) and not "github-token" (hyphen) when retrieved via config.get(). Also ensure the YAML file has no indentation errors and that you have restarted the Agent-Reach process after configuration.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}