githubpy: Simple GitHub REST API Client

Common errors

• ImportError: cannot import name 'Github' from 'github'

  cause Attempting to import `Github` from the `github` package, which belongs to the `PyGithub` library, while having `githubpy` installed.
  fix If you intend to use `githubpy`, change your import statement to `from githubpy.github import Github`. If you meant to use the `PyGithub` library, install it with `pip install PyGithub` and use `from github import Github`.

• requests.exceptions.HTTPError: 403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://api.github.com/user/repos

  cause The GitHub API returned a 403 Forbidden status, usually due to incorrect, missing, or insufficient permissions on the provided Personal Access Token, or hitting unauthenticated rate limits.
  fix Ensure your GitHub Personal Access Token is valid and has the necessary scopes (e.g., `repo` for repository operations, `read:user` for user profiles). Pass the token correctly during client initialization: `g = Github('YOUR_TOKEN')`. Avoid hardcoding tokens; use environment variables instead.

• AttributeError: 'dict' object has no attribute 'json'

  cause Attempting to call `.json()` on an object that is already a dictionary, or trying to access attributes on a raw response before parsing it.
  fix The `githubpy` client's `.get()` method returns a `requests.Response` object. You need to call `.json()` on this response to get the Python dictionary: `data = response.json()`. Access attributes on the dictionary directly, e.g., `data['login']`.

Warnings

• gotcha This library (`githubpy`) is frequently confused with the more popular and actively maintained `PyGithub` library. They have different import paths and API structures. Ensure you are using the correct library for your project.
  Fix: Verify your `pip install` command and `from ... import ...` statements. If you intend to use the widely supported library, install `PyGithub` (`pip install PyGithub`) and use `from github import Github`.
• breaking Despite a PyPI release (v2.0.0) in May 2023, the official GitHub repository for `githubpy` (michaelliao/githubpy) has not been updated since August 2017. This suggests the project is effectively abandoned, and the 2.0.0 release might be a re-packaging without active code development or bug fixes.
  Fix: Be aware that new features, bug fixes, or compatibility updates for the latest GitHub API changes are unlikely. Consider using an actively maintained alternative like `PyGithub` for production systems.
• gotcha Unauthenticated requests to the GitHub API are heavily rate-limited (e.g., 60 requests per hour). Most practical uses require authentication via a Personal Access Token or GitHub App.
  Fix: Generate a GitHub Personal Access Token with appropriate scopes (e.g., 'repo', 'read:user'). Pass this token during `Github` client initialization: `g = Github('your_token')`. Store tokens securely, preferably as environment variables, not hardcoded.

Install

• pip install githubpy Install latest version

Imports

• Github
  wrong:

  from github import Github

  correct:

  from githubpy.github import Github

  Commonly confused with the 'PyGithub' library, which uses 'from github import Github'.

Quickstart

Initializes the GitHub client with a personal access token and retrieves information about the authenticated user and their repositories. Authentication is crucial for most API interactions to avoid severe rate limits.

import os
from githubpy.github import Github

# It's recommended to use an environment variable for your token
github_token = os.environ.get('GITHUB_TOKEN', 'YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN')

if not github_token or github_token == 'YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN':
    print("WARNING: GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable not set or placeholder used. This may lead to rate limiting or authentication errors.")

try:
    g = Github(github_token)
    
    # Get authenticated user information
    user_response = g.get('/user')
    user_response.raise_for_status() # Raise an exception for bad status codes (4xx or 5xx)
    user_data = user_response.json()
    print(f"Authenticated as: {user_data.get('login')}")

    # List repositories for the authenticated user
    repos_response = g.get('/user/repos')
    repos_response.raise_for_status()
    repos_data = repos_response.json()
    print("\nUser Repositories:")
    for repo in repos_data[:3]: # Print first 3 repos for brevity
        print(f"- {repo.get('name')}")

except Exception as e:
    print(f"An error occurred: {e}")
    if hasattr(e, 'response') and e.response is not None:
        print(f"Response Status: {e.response.status_code}")
        print(f"Response Body: {e.response.text}")