GitHub App's user token can't list private repositories

[riywo]

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I created a GitHub App (not OAuth App) and tried this API to list all private repositories with the user's token retrieved by OAuth web flow. However, it returned empty.

Once I installed the GitHub App to one of my private repositories, the repository was returned but that's all. I couldn't see any other private repositories.

Is there any way to list all private repositories which the authenticated user has access?

Note: I added "Read-only" permission for content to the GitHub App.

Note: I can't see the section like below in the GitHub App's settings.

You can select user-level permissions from within your GitHub App's settings in the User permissions section of the Permissions & webhooks page.
https://docs.github.com/en/apps/creating-github-apps/authenticating-with-a-github-app/identifying-and-authorizing-users-for-github-apps#user-level-permissions

[boutell]

I have the same issue, it's driving me bananas.

I have an access token and I'm sending it (the /user/repos endpoint wouldn't work at all if I wasn't). I only get public repos back, no matter what I do.

I gave the github app the following permissions, because I also want it to create and manage repositories:

Repository Permissions: Administration (read-write), Contents (read-write), Metadata (read-only)

Organization Permissions: Members (read-only)

What am I missing?

[RrNn]

Did anyone find a solution or the docs that point on how to list a users private repos?
Its been driving me nuts for a while now

[amber-beasley-liatrio]

Using GraphQL works but using api does not work for getting any private repos (org or user)

[god-s-perfect-idiot]

Please do lmk if u find a fix for this. :(

[rarild]

I finally found a solution! 😅 As mentioned here:

In order to view and access private repos, the Github App needs to be installed on the user's account.

I went into my Developer settings, clicked the Github app > Install App
After installing the app I would finally get the private repos in addition to the public ones in the response from /user/repos

[ninjadev64]

Thank you! I was using the https://github.com/login/oauth/authorize endpoint to obtain an access token and had no idea that it needed to be seperately installed as well.

[Frajdi]

Yeah it worked for me too but does this mean each user has to install the app in their account , isn't there a way to make the users achieve this without leaving my app for example?

[untamed-theory]

I still don't have this one resolved either. Glad to see others with the same problem. I have the app installed and have used the APP ID, Installation ID, and certificate to generate authentication with the app.

These still only list the public repositories. Even when providing the type=all parameter.

Any help appreciated. May have to resort to the GraphQL call since that seems to work for folks.

[ninjadev64]

What URL are you using for the login flow? i.e. the GitHub page where they're prompted to authorise the app

[untamed-theory]

I had tried multiple actually. /user/repos as well as /user/<username>/repos. I have used both third-party libraries which make the call, as well as writing the HTTP request manually. Wondering if the endpoint itself is busted.

Yesterday I resorted to GraphQL which was able to process the same token with success. So that's the path forward I took. Thanks!

[motdotla]

graphql was also able to do this correctly for me BUT then pagination becomes an issue. i can't send a user directly to page 3 for example. forced to iterate through everything to grab the cursor. if anyone has solved this let me know. i attempted base64 encoding of "cursor:30" but apparently that does not work with the repos query for graphql.

[motdotla]

I have run into this issue at the GitHub app level as well - when using the installation access token and corresponding installation client.

[leandrocmaia]

I am also having the same issue.
I haven't tried installing the app as well on the user account, which for me defeats the whole concept of installation access token. I need the private repos coming from the installation access token.

Not sure whatelse to do.

[untamed-theory]

Hey @leandrocmaia , I agree that it defeats the purpose of the installation access token. The solution mentioned above does not actually work for me either. I believe it is actually a problem with the GitHub API itself, not even this library. If I issue the same request via CURL and use an installation token I get the same failure.

For me, I resolved by completely switching to the GraphQL API. I know that isn't the best answer, but it is what I did. I used this library. https://github.com/shurcooL/githubv4

[nunesbeto]

@untamed-theory switching to the GraphQL API also solved for me.. best solution (maybe only) at the moment

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[motdotla]

please fix this GitHub team. it put quite a damper on me wanting to build GitHub Marketplace Add-ons.

[amber-beasley-liatrio]

I believe I am experiencing the same.

The app is installed to my org with read contents and read metadata on all repositories in the org.

I use the private key to generate an installation access token.

Both python Github client and curl command using the token show no results for private repos.

[amber-beasley-liatrio]

There seems to be a related issue: https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/113651