Do I have to choose one?

No — they pair naturally. The Git server handles the local commit loop (status, diffs, commits, branches) while the GitHub server handles platform work (code search, issues, PRs, Actions). Many agents run both at once.

Does the Git server need a token?

No. It operates only on a local repository pinned with --repository and needs no credentials, which makes it a low-risk companion. The GitHub server, by contrast, authenticates with OAuth or a Personal Access Token because it acts on the hosted platform.

Git vs GitHub

The Git and GitHub MCP servers are constantly confused, but they operate on opposite sides of the same workflow — and most agents benefit from running both. The Git server is a reference implementation in the official Model Context Protocol repository, and it gives an agent direct control over a local Git repository: inspect status, read staged and unstaged diffs, stage files, commit, create and switch branches, and walk the log. It touches only the working tree in front of you and needs no credentials. The GitHub server is GitHub's official integration with the hosted platform: reading repo files, searching code across all of GitHub, managing issues and pull requests, inspecting commits and releases, and driving Actions workflows, with selectable toolsets and OAuth or a PAT for auth. So the question is rarely which to pick — it is which side of the loop you need. Here is how they compare.

How they compare

Dimension	Git	GitHub
Scope	The local working tree: status, diffs, staging, commits, branches, and history on a checkout you pin with --repository.	The hosted GitHub platform: repo files, cross-GitHub code search, issues, pull requests, commits, releases, and Actions.
What it changes	Local commits and branches — the agent records its work with proper commits rather than leaving a dirty tree.	Platform objects — opening and updating issues and PRs, running Actions, and reading code across repositories.
Credentials and risk	None. It touches only the local repository, which makes it a low-risk companion to the GitHub server.	OAuth for interactive clients or a Personal Access Token for headless use — scope it, since it can act on real repositories and platform data.
How it runs	Local stdio via uvx (the standalone Python tool runner), with a --repository argument pinning it to a specific checkout.	Hosted remote at api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/, or a local Docker image reading GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN; toolsets let you enable only what's needed.
Best-fit task	Making code changes and recording them — stage, commit, branch, and review diffs without leaving the conversation.	Acting on the platform — searching code, managing issues and pull requests, and driving CI after the local work is committed and pushed.

Verdict

These are complements, not competitors. Use the Git server for the local commit workflow: it inspects diffs, stages, commits, and manages branches on the checkout in front of you, with no credentials and minimal risk. Use the GitHub server for everything on the platform: cross-GitHub code search, issues and pull requests, releases, and Actions, authenticated with OAuth or a scoped PAT. The cleanest setup runs both — Git records the work locally while GitHub handles reviews, PRs, and CI once you push. If you only ever need one, choose Git for a purely local edit-commit loop, and GitHub when the agent must read or act on hosted repositories and collaboration.

FAQ

Do I have to choose one?: No — they pair naturally. The Git server handles the local commit loop (status, diffs, commits, branches) while the GitHub server handles platform work (code search, issues, PRs, Actions). Many agents run both at once.
Does the Git server need a token?: No. It operates only on a local repository pinned with --repository and needs no credentials, which makes it a low-risk companion. The GitHub server, by contrast, authenticates with OAuth or a Personal Access Token because it acts on the hosted platform.