Is there a limit to how many READMEs I can fetch?

While the skill uses caching to stay within limits, GitHub's standard API rate limits apply. Using a Personal Access Token significantly increases your available quota.

Does this skill support private repositories?

Yes, by providing a GitHub Personal Access Token via the --token flag or GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable, you can fetch READMEs from private repositories you have access to.

What README file formats are supported?

The skill automatically detects and prioritizes standard formats including README.md, .markdown, .rst, .asciidoc, .textile, .creole, and plain text README files.

Can I bypass the local cache to get the latest version?

Yes, you can use the --no-cache flag to bypass the 1-hour local cache and fetch fresh documentation directly from the GitHub API.

Does it work with full GitHub URLs?

Absolutely. It accepts simple 'owner/repo' formats as well as full HTTPS, SSH, and git+https URLs.

GitHub README Fetcher

Name: GitHub README Fetcher
Author: Mearman

byMearman

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Learning & Documentation

Fetches and decodes the primary documentation file from any public or private GitHub repository.

About

The GitHub README Fetcher skill empowers Claude to instantly retrieve and parse documentation directly from GitHub repositories. It streamlines the research process by providing immediate access to installation guides, project overviews, and usage instructions without leaving the terminal. By automatically handling base64 decoding, supporting multiple markup formats (Markdown, RST, AsciiDoc), and providing secure access to private repositories via tokens, it ensures that developers have the necessary context to understand and integrate new tools or libraries efficiently.

Key Features

Private repository support via GitHub Personal Access Tokens
Automatic base64 decoding of GitHub API content for instant readability
2 GitHub stars
Supports multiple URL formats including owner/repo, HTTPS, and SSH
Local caching mechanism to optimize performance and respect API rate limits
Smart detection of various README extensions like .md, .rst, and .asciidoc

Use Cases

Accessing internal technical documentation from private organization repositories
Retrieving setup instructions and contribution guidelines for open-source projects
Quickly reviewing library documentation before adding a new project dependency

About

Key Features

Private repository support via GitHub Personal Access Tokens
Automatic base64 decoding of GitHub API content for instant readability
2 GitHub stars
Supports multiple URL formats including owner/repo, HTTPS, and SSH
Local caching mechanism to optimize performance and respect API rate limits
Smart detection of various README extensions like .md, .rst, and .asciidoc

Use Cases

Accessing internal technical documentation from private organization repositories
Retrieving setup instructions and contribution guidelines for open-source projects
Quickly reviewing library documentation before adding a new project dependency