This article describes how to quickly get started with the {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} REST API using {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %}, curl , or JavaScript. For a more detailed guide, see " AUTOTITLE ."

{% cli %}

{% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} is the easiest way to use the {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} REST API from the command line.

{% data reusables.rest-api.github-cli-install-and-auth %}

1. Make a request using the {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} api subcommand, followed by the path. Use the --method or -X flag to specify the method. For more information, see the {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} api documentation .

   This example makes a request to the "Get Octocat" endpoint, which uses the method GET and the path /octocat . For the full reference documentation for this endpoint, see " AUTOTITLE ."

   gh api /octocat --method GET
   

You can also use {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} in your {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflows. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE ."

Instead of using the gh auth login command, pass an access token as an environment variable called GH_TOKEN . {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} recommends that you use the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN instead of creating a token. If this is not possible, store your token as a secret and replace GITHUB_TOKEN in the example below with the name of your secret. For more information about GITHUB_TOKEN , see " AUTOTITLE ." For more information about secrets, see " AUTOTITLE ."

The following example workflow uses the " List repository issues " endpoint, and requests a list of issues in {% ifversion ghes %}a repository you specify{% else %}the octocat/Spoon-Knife repository{% endif %}.{% ifversion ghes %} Replace HOSTNAME with the name of {% data variables.location.product_location %}. Replace REPO-OWNER with the name of the account that owns the repository. Replace REPO-NAME with the name of the repository.{% endif %}

on
:
  
workflow_dispatch
:
jobs
:
  
use_api
:
    
runs-on
: 
ubuntu-latest

    permissions
:
      
issues
: 
read

    steps
:
      - 
env
:
          
GH_TOKEN
: 
{% raw %}${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}{% endraw %}

        run
: 
|

          gh api {% data variables.product.rest_url %}{% data variables.rest.example_request_url %}

If you are authenticating with a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}, you can create an installation access token within your workflow:

1. Store your {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}'s ID as a configuration variable. In the following example, replace APP_ID with the name of the configuration variable. You can find your app ID on the settings page for your app or through the API. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE ." For more information about configuration variables, see " AUTOTITLE ."

2. Generate a private key for your app. Store the contents of the resulting file as a secret. (Store the entire contents of the file, including -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- and -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY----- .) In the following example, replace APP_PEM with the name of the secret. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE ." For more information about secrets, see " AUTOTITLE ."

3. Add a step to generate a token, and use that token instead of GITHUB_TOKEN . Note that this token will expire after 60 minutes. {% ifversion fpt or ghec %}For example:{% else %}In the following example, replace HOSTNAME with the name of {% data variables.location.product_location %}. Replace REPO-OWNER with the name of the account that owns the repository. Replace REPO-NAME with the name of the repository.{% endif %}

   {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}
   
   {% data reusables.actions.actions-not-certified-by-github-comment %}
   
   
   {% data reusables.actions.actions-use-sha-pinning-comment %}
   
   {% endif %}
   
   on
   :
     
   workflow_dispatch
   :
   jobs
   :
     
   track_pr
   :
       
   runs-on
   : 
   ubuntu-latest
   
       steps
   :
         - 
   name
   : 
   Generate token
   
           id
   : 
   generate-token
   
           uses
   : 
   {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}tibdex/github-app-token@32691ba7c9e7063bd457bd8f2a5703138591fa58 
   #
    v1.9.0{% else %}actions/create-github-app-token@v1{% endif %}
   
           with
   :
             
   {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}app_id{% else %}app-id{% endif %}: {% raw %}${{ vars.APP_ID }}{% endraw %}
   
             {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}private_key{% else %}private-key{% endif %}: {% raw %}${{ secrets.APP_PEM }}{% endraw %}
   
         - 
   name
   : 
   Use API
   
           env
   :
             
   GH_TOKEN
   : 
   {% raw %}${{ steps.generate-token.outputs.token }}{% endraw %}
   
           run
   : 
   |
   
             gh api {% data variables.product.rest_url %}{% data variables.rest.example_request_url %}
   

{% endcli %}

{% javascript %}

You can use Octokit.js to interact with the {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} REST API in your JavaScript scripts. For more information, see " Scripting with the REST API and JavaScript ."

1. Create an access token. For example, create a {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} or a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} user access token. You will use this token to authenticate your request, so you should give it any scopes or permissions that are required to access that endpoint. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE " or " Identifying and authorizing users for GitHub Apps ."

   {% warning %}

   Warning : Treat your access token like a password.

   To keep your token secure, you can store your token as a secret and run your script through {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}. For more information, see the " Using Octokit.js in {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} " section.

   {%- ifversion fpt or ghec %}

   You can also store your token as a {% data variables.product.prodname_codespaces %} secret and run your script in {% data variables.product.prodname_codespaces %}. For more information, see " Managing encrypted secrets for your codespaces ."{% endif %}

   If these options are not possible, consider using another CLI service to store your token securely.

   {% endwarning %}

2. Install octokit . For example, npm install octokit . For other ways to install or load octokit , see the Octokit.js README .

3. Import octokit in your script. For example, import { Octokit } from "octokit"; . For other ways to import octokit , see the Octokit.js README .

4. Create an instance of Octokit with your token.{% ifversion ghes %} Replace HOSTNAME with the name of {% data variables.location.product_location %}.{% endif %} Replace YOUR-TOKEN with your token.

   const
    octokit
    =
    new
    Octokit
   (
   {
    {
   %
    ifversion 
   ghes
    %
   }
   
     baseUrl
   : 
   "{% data variables.product.rest_url %}"
   ,
   {
   %
    endif 
   %
   }
   
     auth
   : 
   'YOUR-TOKEN'
   
   }
   )
   ;
   

5. Use octokit.request to execute your request. Send the HTTP method and path as the first argument. Specify any path, query, and body parameters in an object as the second argument. For more information about parameters, see " AUTOTITLE ."

   For example, in the following request the HTTP method is GET , the path is /repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues , and the parameters are {% ifversion ghes %} owner: "REPO-OWNER" and repo: "REPO-NAME" {% else %} owner: "octocat" and repo: "Spoon-Knife" {% endif %}.{% ifversion ghes %} Replace REPO-OWNER with the name of the account that owns the repository, and REPO-NAME with the name of the repository.{% endif %}

   await
    octokit
   .
   request
   (
   "GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues"
   ,
    {
   
     owner
   : 
   "{% ifversion ghes %}REPO-OWNER{% else %}octocat{% endif %}"
   ,
   
     repo
   : 
   "{% ifversion ghes %}REPO-NAME{% else %}Spoon-Knife{% endif %}"
   ,
   
   }
   )
   ;
   

You can also execute your JavaScript scripts in your {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflows. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE ."

{% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} recommends that you use the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN instead of creating a token. If this is not possible, store your token as a secret and replace GITHUB_TOKEN in the example below with the name of your secret. For more information about GITHUB_TOKEN , see " AUTOTITLE ." For more information about secrets, see " AUTOTITLE ."

The following example workflow:

1. Checks out the repository content
2. Sets up Node.js
3. Installs octokit
4. Stores the value of GITHUB_TOKEN as an environment variable called TOKEN and runs .github/actions-scripts/use-the-api.mjs , which can access that environment variable as process.env.TOKEN

on
:
  
workflow_dispatch
:
jobs
:
  
use_api_via_script
:
    
runs-on
: 
ubuntu-latest

    permissions
:
      
issues
: 
read

    steps
:
      - 
name
: 
Check out repo content

        uses
: 
{% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %}


      - 
name
: 
Setup Node

        uses
: 
{% data reusables.actions.action-setup-node %}

        with
:
          
node-version
: 
'
16.17.0
'

          cache
: 
npm


      - 
name
: 
Install dependencies

        run
: 
npm install octokit


      - 
name
: 
Run script

        run
: 
|

          node .github/actions-scripts/use-the-api.mjs

        env
:
          
TOKEN
: 
{% raw %}${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}{% endraw %}

The following is an example JavaScript script with the file path .github/actions-scripts/use-the-api.mjs .{% ifversion ghes %} Replace HOSTNAME with the name of {% data variables.location.product_location %}. Replace REPO-OWNER with the name of the account that owns the repository. Replace REPO-NAME with the name of the repository.{% endif %}

import
 {
 Octokit
 }
 from
 "octokit"


const
 octokit
 =
 new
 Octokit
(
{
 {
%
 ifversion 
ghes
 %
}

  baseUrl
: 
"{% data variables.product.rest_url %}"
,
{
%
 endif 
%
}

  auth
: 
process
.
env
.
TOKEN

}
)
;


try
 {

  const
 result
 =
 await
 octokit
.
request
(
"GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues"
,
 {

      owner
: 
"{% ifversion ghes %}REPO-OWNER{% else %}octocat{% endif %}"
,

      repo
: 
"{% ifversion ghes %}REPO-NAME{% else %}Spoon-Knife{% endif %}"
,

    }
)
;


  const
 titleAndAuthor
 =
 result
.
data
.
map
(
issue
 =>
 {
title
: 
issue
.
title
,
 authorID
: 
issue
.
user
.
id
}
)


  console
.
log
(
titleAndAuthor
)


}
 catch
 (
error
)
 {

  console
.
log
(
`Error! Status: 
${
error
.
status
}
. Message: 
${
error
.
response
.
data
.
message
}
`
)

}

If you are authenticating with a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}, you can create an installation access token within your workflow:

1. Store your {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}'s ID as a configuration variable. In the following example, replace APP_ID with the name of the configuration variable. You can find your app ID on the settings page for your app or through the App API. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE ." For more information about configuration variables, see " AUTOTITLE ."

2. Generate a private key for your app. Store the contents of the resulting file as a secret. (Store the entire contents of the file, including -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- and -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY----- .) In the following example, replace APP_PEM with the name of the secret. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE ." For more information about secrets, see " AUTOTITLE ."

3. Add a step to generate a token, and use that token instead of GITHUB_TOKEN . Note that this token will expire after 60 minutes. For example:

   {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}
   
   {% data reusables.actions.actions-not-certified-by-github-comment %}
   
   
   {% data reusables.actions.actions-use-sha-pinning-comment %}
   
   {% endif %}
   
   on
   :
     
   workflow_dispatch
   :
   jobs
   :
     
   use_api_via_script
   :
       
   runs-on
   : 
   ubuntu-latest
   
       steps
   :
         - 
   name
   : 
   Check out repo content
   
           uses
   : 
   {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %}
   
   
         - 
   name
   : 
   Setup Node
   
           uses
   : 
   {% data reusables.actions.action-setup-node %}
   
           with
   :
             
   node-version
   : 
   '
   16.17.0
   '
   
             cache
   : 
   npm
   
   
         - 
   name
   : 
   Install dependencies
   
           run
   : 
   npm install octokit
   
   
         - 
   name
   : 
   Generate token
   
           id
   : 
   generate-token
   
           uses
   : 
   {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}tibdex/github-app-token@32691ba7c9e7063bd457bd8f2a5703138591fa58 
   #
    v1.9.0{% else %}actions/create-github-app-token@v1{% endif %}
   
           with
   :
             
   {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}app_id{% else %}app-id{% endif %}: {% raw %}${{ vars.APP_ID }}{% endraw %}
   
             {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}private_key{% else %}private-key{% endif %}: {% raw %}${{ secrets.APP_PEM }}{% endraw %}
   
   
         - 
   name
   : 
   Run script
   
           run
   : 
   |
   
             node .github/actions-scripts/use-the-api.mjs
   
           env
   :
             
   TOKEN
   : 
   {% raw %}${{ steps.generate-token.outputs.token }}{% endraw %}
   
   

{% endjavascript %}

{% curl %}

{% note %}

Note: If you want to make API requests from the command line, {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} recommends that you use {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %}, which simplifies authentication and requests. For more information about getting started with the REST API using {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %}, see the {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} version of this article.

{% endnote %}

1. Install curl if it isn't already installed on your machine. To check if curl is installed, execute curl --version in the command line. If the output provides information about the version of curl , that means curl is installed. If you get a message similar to command not found: curl , you need to download and install curl . For more information, see the curl project download page .

2. Create an access token. For example, create a {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} or a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} user access token. You will use this token to authenticate your request, so you should give it any scopes or permissions that are required to access the endpoint. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE ."

   {% warning %}

   Warning : Treat your access token like a password.

   {%- ifversion fpt or ghec %}

   To keep your token secure, you can store your token as a {% data variables.product.prodname_codespaces %} secret and use the command line through {% data variables.product.prodname_codespaces %}. For more information, see " Managing encrypted secrets for your codespaces ."{% endif %}

   You can also use {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} instead of curl . {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} will take care of authentication for you. For more information, see the {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} version of this page.

   If these options are not possible, consider using another CLI service to store your token securely.

   {% endwarning %}

3. Use the curl command to make your request. Pass your token in an Authorization header.{% ifversion ghes %} Replace HOSTNAME with the name of {% data variables.location.product_location %}. Replace REPO-OWNER with the name of the account that owns the repository. Replace REPO-NAME with the name of the repository.{% endif %} Replace YOUR-TOKEN with your token.

   curl --request GET \
   --url 
   "
   {% data variables.product.rest_url %}{% data variables.rest.example_request_url %}
   "
    \
   --header 
   "
   Accept: application/vnd.github+json
   "
    \
   --header 
   "
   Authorization: Bearer YOUR-TOKEN
   "
   

   {% note %}

   Note: {% data reusables.getting-started.bearer-vs-token %}

   {% endnote %}

You can also use curl commands in your {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflows.

{% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} recommends that you use the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN instead of creating a token. If this is not possible, store your token as a secret and replace GITHUB_TOKEN in the example below with the name of your secret. For more information about GITHUB_TOKEN , see " AUTOTITLE ." For more information about secrets, see " AUTOTITLE ."

{% ifversion ghes %}In the following example, replace HOSTNAME with the name of {% data variables.location.product_location %}. Replace REPO-OWNER with the name of the account that owns the repository. Replace REPO-NAME with the name of the repository.{% endif %}

on
:
  
workflow_dispatch
:
jobs
:
  
use_api
:
    
runs-on
: 
ubuntu-latest

    permissions
:
      
issues
: 
read

    steps
:
      - 
env
:
          
GH_TOKEN
: 
{% raw %}${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}{% endraw %}

        run
: 
|

          curl --request GET \

          --url "{% data variables.product.rest_url %}{% data variables.rest.example_request_url %}" \

          --header "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \

          --header "Authorization: Bearer $GH_TOKEN"

If you are authenticating with a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}, you can create an installation access token within your workflow:

1. Store your {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}'s ID as a configuration variable. In the following example, replace APP_ID with the name of the configuration variable. You can find your app ID on the settings page for your app or through the App API. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE ." For more information about configuration variables, see " AUTOTITLE ."

2. Generate a private key for your app. Store the contents of the resulting file as a secret. (Store the entire contents of the file, including -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- and -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY----- .) In the following example, replace APP_PEM with the name of the secret. For more information, see " AUTOTITLE ." For more information about storing secrets, see " AUTOTITLE ."

3. Add a step to generate a token, and use that token instead of GITHUB_TOKEN . Note that this token will expire after 60 minutes. {% ifversion fpt or ghec %}For example:{% else %}In the following example, replace HOSTNAME with the name of {% data variables.location.product_location %}. Replace REPO-OWNER with the name of the account that owns the repository. Replace REPO-NAME with the name of the repository.{% endif %}

   {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}
   
   {% data reusables.actions.actions-not-certified-by-github-comment %}
   
   
   {% data reusables.actions.actions-use-sha-pinning-comment %}
   
   {% endif %}
   
   on
   :
     
   workflow_dispatch
   :
   jobs
   :
     
   use_api
   :
       
   runs-on
   : 
   ubuntu-latest
   
       steps
   :
         - 
   name
   : 
   Generate token
   
           id
   : 
   generate-token
   
           uses
   : 
   {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}tibdex/github-app-token@32691ba7c9e7063bd457bd8f2a5703138591fa58 
   #
    v1.9.0{% else %}actions/create-github-app-token@v1{% endif %}
   
           with
   :
             
   {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}app_id{% else %}app-id{% endif %}: {% raw %}${{ vars.APP_ID }}{% endraw %}
   
             {% ifversion ghes < 3.12 %}private_key{% else %}private-key{% endif %}: {% raw %}${{ secrets.APP_PEM }}{% endraw %}
   
   
         - 
   name
   : 
   Use API
   
           env
   :
             
   GH_TOKEN
   : 
   {% raw %}${{ steps.generate-token.outputs.token }}{% endraw %}
   
           run
   : 
   |
   
             curl --request GET \
   
             --url "{% data variables.product.rest_url %}{% data variables.rest.example_request_url %}" \
   
             --header "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
   
             --header "Authorization: Bearer $GH_TOKEN"
   
   

{% endcurl %}

For a more detailed guide, see " Getting started with the REST API ."