BusyBot

Reference · Credentials

GitHub API credentials

Used by 2 BusyBot nodes.

Type githubApi 3 fields

The GitHub credential holds your username and a personal access token, plus an optional server URL for GitHub Enterprise. The token's scopes decide what the automation can do, so grant them deliberately — a token with `repo` can write to every repository you can.

Fields

FieldTypeRequiredNotes
GitHub Server
server		 string No The GitHub API server URL. Only needs to be changed for GitHub Enterprise.
User
user		 string Yes GitHub username
Access Token
accessToken		 password Yes GitHub personal access token

Getting your credentials

  1. Sign in to GitHub and open Settings → Developer settings → Personal access tokens.
  2. Create a token. Fine-grained tokens let you limit access to specific repositories, which is preferable for automation; classic tokens are scoped by broad permission instead.
  3. Grant only the scopes the workflow needs — repository contents, issues, pull requests or Actions as applicable.
  4. Copy the token immediately; it is shown only once.
  5. Enter your GitHub username and paste the token into Access Token.
  6. Leave Server at its default unless you are on GitHub Enterprise, in which case set it to your instance’s API URL.

Permissions and scopes

Prefer a fine-grained token limited to the specific repositories in play. A classic token with repo grants write access to every repository the account can reach, which is rarely what an automation needs.

Troubleshooting

  • 404 on a repository that exists — GitHub returns 404 rather than 403 when the token lacks access. It is usually a permissions problem, not a wrong name.
  • 401 Bad credentials — the token is wrong, expired or revoked. Fine-grained tokens can have an expiry date.
  • Enterprise instance failing — the Server field must point at your instance’s API URL, not the web URL.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I get a 404 for a repository I can see?

GitHub returns 404 rather than 403 when a token lacks access, to avoid confirming that a private repository exists. Check the token's repository access before assuming the name is wrong.

Fine-grained or classic token?

Fine-grained, where possible — it can be limited to specific repositories and permissions. A classic token with `repo` can write to everything the account can reach.

Do fine-grained tokens expire?

They can have an expiry date, so a workflow that suddenly returns 401 may have hit it. Check the token's status in GitHub settings.

What goes in the Server field?

Nothing for github.com. For GitHub Enterprise, your instance's API URL.

Nodes that use GitHub API

One credential works across every node below — create it once and reuse it.

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