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GitHub repositories

Add GitHub repositories to include documentation, README files, and code comments in your chatbot's knowledge base.

tip

File content remains private. Your chatbot won't expose file links as sources to users.

When to use GitHub repositories​

Use GitHub repositories for:

  • Documentation stored with code (README files, docs folders)
  • Private internal documentation
  • API documentation and code examples
  • Developer guides and technical content

Add a repository​

  1. In the Biel.ai dashboard, select your project.
  2. Go to Settings > Sources > GitHub.
  3. Enter the repository URL (e.g., https://github.com/owner/repo).
  4. Click Save.

Private repositories​

Private repos require a GitHub personal access token:

  1. Go to GitHub Settings > Personal access tokens.
  2. Click Generate new token (classic).
  3. Select the repo scope and click Generate token.
  4. Copy the token.
  5. In Biel.ai, expand Advanced options on the GitHub source and paste the token in the GitHub Token field.

Filter files​

Control which files get indexed using include and exclude patterns.

PatternActionEffect
*.mdIncludeOnly Markdown files
docs/IncludeOnly files in docs folder
*.rstIncludeOnly reStructuredText files
node_modules/ExcludeSkip dependencies
.git/ExcludeSkip Git metadata
*.test.*ExcludeSkip test files
build/ExcludeSkip build artifacts

Advanced options​

  • Multiple repositories: Add different repositories as separate sources
  • Branch selection: Default branch is indexed (usually main or master)
  • Submodules: Not automatically indexed—add as separate sources

Troubleshooting​

Repository not found​

  • Check URL format: https://github.com/owner/repo.
  • For private repos, verify the token has repo scope and hasn't expired.

Files not indexing​

  • Check that include patterns match your file paths.
  • Review exclude patterns for over-exclusion.
  • Verify files are in supported formats (Markdown, plain text, reStructuredText).

Token issues​

  • Confirm the token has repo scope.
  • Regenerate the token if it has expired.
  • Check that repository permissions haven't changed.