Invite collaborators to a GitHub repository by going to Settings, then Collaborators, clicking Add people, and entering their GitHub username or email. They receive an invitation and must accept before gaining access. You control permission levels — Read, Write, or Admin — to determine what each person can do.
Sharing Your Repository with Team Members
A GitHub repository starts as a private space only you can access (unless you made it public). When you want a developer, designer, co-founder, or contractor to work on the same codebase, you invite them as a collaborator.
Collaborators get access to your repository based on the permission level you assign:
- Read: can view code and issues but cannot make changes. Good for stakeholders who need visibility. - Write: can push code, create branches, and manage issues. This is the standard level for team members. - Admin: can change repository settings, manage collaborators, and delete the repo. Only give this to co-owners.
On GitHub's free plan, you can add unlimited collaborators to public repositories but only up to 3 on private repositories. Paid plans (Pro at $4/month, Team at $4/user/month) lift this limit.
When you invite someone, they receive an email and a GitHub notification. They must accept the invitation before they can access the repo. Pending invitations expire after 7 days.
If your repository is connected to an AI tool like Lovable or V0, collaborators can see and interact with the code those tools push. However, the AI tool connection itself is tied to the original owner's account — collaborators cannot manage the Lovable or V0 integration.
Prerequisites
- A GitHub repository you own
- The GitHub username or email of the person you want to invite
- Admin access to the repository (you have this automatically as the owner)
Step-by-step guide
Open your repository settings
Open your repository settings
Navigate to your repository on github.com. Click the Settings tab in the top navigation bar (it is the last tab on the right, with a gear icon). If you do not see the Settings tab, you may not have admin access to the repository — only owners and admins can manage collaborators.
Expected result: The repository Settings page opens, showing the General settings section.
Navigate to Collaborators
Navigate to Collaborators
In the left sidebar of the Settings page, click Collaborators (it may be listed under 'Collaborators and teams' if you are using a GitHub organization). GitHub may ask you to confirm your password or re-authenticate. The Collaborators page shows a list of people who currently have access and any pending invitations.
Expected result: The Collaborators page displays with an 'Add people' button and a list of current collaborators.
Add a new collaborator
Add a new collaborator
Click the green Add people button. A search box appears. Type the person's GitHub username, full name, or email address. As you type, GitHub shows matching accounts. Click the correct person from the dropdown results. Then click the green Add button to send the invitation. A dropdown next to their name lets you choose the permission level — select Read, Write, or Admin based on their role.
Expected result: An invitation is sent to the person. They appear in the Collaborators list as 'Pending invitation.'
Verify the invitation was accepted
Verify the invitation was accepted
The invited person receives an email from GitHub with a link to accept the invitation. They can also see it in their GitHub notifications (the bell icon on github.com). After they accept, return to your repository's Settings, then Collaborators page. Their status changes from 'Pending invitation' to an active collaborator with their assigned permission level.
Expected result: The collaborator's status changes from 'Pending' to active, confirming they accepted the invitation.
Complete working example
1# Contributing to This Project23Welcome! This project uses AI tools for development.4Please follow these guidelines when collaborating.56## Before You Start71. Accept the GitHub invitation from the repo owner82. Read this file completely93. Check the open Issues tab for tasks1011## How This Repo Works12- Code is auto-synced from Lovable (AI builder)13- Do NOT push directly to main — create a branch first14- The lovable-dev bot commits will appear frequently15- Always pull latest changes before starting work1617## Permission Levels18- **Read**: View code and issues only19- **Write**: Push code, create branches, manage issues20- **Admin**: Full repo settings access2122## Making Changes231. Create a new branch from main242. Make your changes on the branch253. Open a Pull Request for review264. Wait for approval before merging2728## Questions?29Open an Issue or contact the project owner.Common mistakes when inviting Collaborators to a GitHub Repository
Why it's a problem: Inviting someone by email when they do not have a GitHub account
How to avoid: Ask them to create a free GitHub account first at github.com/join, then invite using their GitHub username.
Why it's a problem: Giving Admin access to a contractor or freelancer
How to avoid: Use Write access for contractors. Admin access lets them change settings, manage other collaborators, or even delete the repository.
Why it's a problem: Not checking if the invitation expired
How to avoid: Invitations expire after 7 days. Go to Settings, then Collaborators and check for expired invitations. Send a new one if needed.
Why it's a problem: Expecting collaborators to see the Lovable or V0 editor
How to avoid: GitHub access is separate from AI tool access. Collaborators can see the code on GitHub but cannot access your Lovable or V0 editor unless you share those accounts separately.
Best practices
- Use Write permission for most team members — it covers all normal development tasks.
- Reserve Admin access for co-founders or project leads who need to manage settings.
- Add a CONTRIBUTING.md file to your repo so new collaborators know the workflow.
- Keep the collaborator list current — remove people who no longer work on the project.
- Set up branch protection rules so collaborators cannot push directly to main without review.
- Communicate that the repo may have AI-generated commits (from Lovable, V0, etc.) so collaborators are not surprised.
- Use GitHub Issues to assign tasks to specific collaborators.
- Review the collaborator list quarterly to ensure only active team members have access.
Still stuck?
Copy one of these prompts to get a personalized, step-by-step explanation.
I added a freelance developer as a collaborator on my GitHub repository that is connected to Lovable. They need to make backend changes but I do not want them to accidentally break the Lovable sync. What permission level should I give them and what guardrails should I set up?
Frequently asked questions
How many collaborators can I add for free?
On GitHub's free plan, you can add unlimited collaborators to public repositories. For private repositories, the free plan allows up to 3 collaborators. GitHub Pro ($4/month) or Team ($4/user/month) removes this limit.
Can a collaborator access my Lovable editor?
No. GitHub access and Lovable access are separate. Adding someone as a GitHub collaborator lets them see and edit code on GitHub, but they cannot access your Lovable editor or send prompts unless you share your Lovable account.
What happens if a collaborator pushes to main on a Lovable-connected repo?
Lovable's two-way sync will pull their changes into the Lovable editor. This works but can cause confusion if both Lovable and the collaborator edit the same file. Establish a rule: one person (or tool) edits at a time.
Can I change a collaborator's permission level after inviting them?
Yes. Go to Settings, then Collaborators, find the person, and use the dropdown next to their name to change their permission level. The change takes effect immediately.
Can RapidDev help me set up a team workflow on GitHub?
Yes. RapidDev's engineering team can help you configure collaborator permissions, branch protection rules, code review processes, and CI/CD pipelines for team-based development on AI-built projects.
Do collaborators see all branches or just main?
Collaborators with Read or Write access can see all branches in the repository, not just main. They can also see pull requests, issues, and the full commit history.
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