Connect GitHub and choose repository access

In one line

Connect GitHub and choose repository access
Before opening up all your code, pick only the repositories you need.

The big picture

Illustration (may look a little different from the real screen)

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Follow along

Tell the ChatGPT connection apart from Codex tasks

This guide starts with the connection that lets ChatGPT read repository content. It doesn’t automatically set up a Codex Cloud environment or give commit and push permissions. Have a GitHub account and a test repository ready.

Allow only the repositories you need

1. Find GitHub under plugins in Settings

Choose GitHub, or an official plugin that includes GitHub, and go on to connect your account.

2. Check the GitHub account and where it’s being installed

Check whether it’s your personal account or a company organization. Organization repositories may need an admin to approve.

3. Review the repository selection screen

If there’s an option to allow only selected repositories, pick your practice repository. Finish GitHub’s permission approval and come back.

4. Test it by reading the README

Use the prompt below to ask about a specific repository’s README. Check that the answer is based on the actual file.

Prompts you can copy

Check the connection with a README

Read the README of [owner/repository] on GitHub and summarize what the project is for and how to get started. Show the path of the file you read and a link to the original. If you can't read the repository, tell me why. Don't change code, commit, push, or open a pull request.

Separate what the connection covers from Codex

Separate the read-only things this GitHub connection can do from Codex Cloud tasks that need their own setup. Keep features you actually confirmed on my account separate from ones you only saw in official docs. Don't expand the connected repositories or permissions on your own.

Where people get stuck

Lots of people get stuck here. Find the one that matches your situation!

Missing repositories and write access

If a repository doesn’t show up, check the connected account’s access, which repositories the app is allowed to see, and organization approval. Also check which chat modes your account supports.

Being able to read the README doesn’t mean editing files, opening pull requests, or deploying will work too. Change access or disconnect in GitHub’s app settings.

Quick check: If it read the README, does that confirm it has deploy permissions too?

Answer: “No, check write, run, and deploy permissions separately”
Reading successfully and writing or deploying successfully are different checks.

Official sources

Next tip

Connect Notion and check which pages it can see →

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