How to check who has access to a repository?

 

Step 1: Navigate to Your GitHub Repository

 

Go to github.com and sign in. In the top-right corner, click your profile icon and select Your repositories. Then click the repository you want to inspect.

 

Step 2: Open the Settings Tab

 

In the repository page, find the tabs bar below the repo name and click Settings.

 

Step 3: Access the “Manage access” Section

 

Scroll down the left sidebar and click Manage access. You may be prompted to re-enter your password for security.

 

Step 4: View Collaborators and Teams

 

On the Manage access page, you’ll see a list of all users and teams with access. Each entry shows the username or team name, their role (Admin, Write, Read), and any pending invitations.

 

Step 5: Use GitHub CLI to List Collaborators

 

If you prefer command-line tools, install and authenticate the GitHub CLI (gh). Then run:

gh auth login
gh repo view OWNER/REPO --json collaborators --jq ".collaborators[] | {login, permission}"

Replace OWNER/REPO with your repository’s identifier. You’ll get a JSON list of collaborators and their permissions.

 

Step 6: Use the GitHub REST API

 

You can also query the GitHub API directly. First, generate a personal access token with the repo scope. Then run:

curl -H "Authorization: token YOUR\_TOKEN" \\
  https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/collaborators

This returns an array of users who have access. For each user, you can further request:

curl -H "Authorization: token YOUR\_TOKEN" \\
  https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/collaborators/USERNAME/permission

Replace USERNAME to see that user’s permission level.

 

Step 7: Check Organization Team Access

 

If your repo belongs to an organization, team permissions may grant access. To view teams:

• Go to the organization’s main page.
• Click Teams in the sidebar.
• Select any team to see its repositories.

Teams listed with your repository name have access, and clicking the team shows its members.