GitHub App Installation Guide
Enable real-time similarity search and enhanced repository insights by installing the contributor.info GitHub App. This guide walks you through installation, benefits, and troubleshooting.Overview
The contributor.info GitHub App unlocks advanced features powered by webhooks, enabling instant analysis and AI-powered insights without rate limits or manual data refresh.Benefits
🚀 10× Faster Similarity Searches
- Before: 2-3 second wait for on-demand API calls
- After: Under 500ms using pre-computed embeddings
- Instant results as you browse PRs and issues
📊 100% Data Coverage
- Before: Limited to 100 most recent issues per search
- After: All issues and PRs analyzed automatically
- Complete historical context for better matching
🧠 AI-Powered Semantic Understanding
- Embeddings generated using advanced language models
- Understands context, not just keywords
- Finds truly related issues, even with different wording
⚡ Real-time Updates
- New issues processed immediately as they’re created
- PRs automatically analyzed for similar issues
- Background processing keeps data fresh
🛡️ No Rate Limits
- Uses webhooks instead of repeated API calls
- More reliable and consistent performance
- Scales effortlessly with repository activity
Installation
Step 1: Navigate to Installation Page
Click the “Install GitHub App” button on any repository page, or visit directly:Step 2: Select Repositories
Choose which repositories to connect:- All repositories: Enable for your entire organization or personal account
- Select repositories: Choose specific repositories to analyze
Step 3: Approve Permissions
The app requests these permissions:| Permission | Access Level | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Issues | Read & Write | Find similar issues, post analysis |
| Pull Requests | Read & Write | Analyze PRs, add similarity comments |
| Contents | Read | Access repository metadata |
| Metadata | Read | Repository information |
Step 4: Complete Installation
After approval:- ✅ Installation confirmed - You’ll see a success message
- 🔄 Background processing begins - Historical data is processed
- 📊 Progress tracking - Real-time updates on processing status
- ✨ Features activated - Similarity search is now live
What Happens After Installation
Immediate Processing
The app begins processing your repository’s historical data:- Issue Discovery: Scans all existing issues
- Embedding Generation: Creates semantic embeddings (AI understanding)
- Database Storage: Saves embeddings for instant retrieval
- Similarity Index: Builds searchable similarity index
- Small repos (<100 issues): 1-2 minutes
- Medium repos (100-500 issues): 5-10 minutes
- Large repos (500+ issues): 15-30 minutes
Real-time Updates
Once processing completes, new activity triggers instant analysis:- New Issues: Embeddings generated within seconds
- New PRs: Similarity search runs automatically
- Updates: Changes to issues/PRs refresh embeddings
- Comments: Similarity results posted as PR comments (when enabled)
Using the GitHub App
Similarity Search
After installation, similarity search works automatically:- Open any PR in your repository
- Scroll to “Similar Issues” section
- View AI-powered matches with similarity scores
- Click to explore related issues
Repository Page Integration
The repository page shows installation status:- ✅ Installed: Green badge confirms active GitHub App
- Install: Button appears if not yet installed (admin only)
- Settings: Manage installation via GitHub settings
Managing Installations
To update or remove the app:- Visit GitHub Settings → Installations
- Find “contributor.info” in your installed apps
- Configure repository access or suspend installation
Permissions & Privacy
Data Usage
The GitHub App only processes public repository data:- Issues: Titles, descriptions, labels, status
- Pull Requests: Titles, descriptions, linked issues
- Metadata: Repository name, owner, basic settings
- No access to code contents
- No access to private repositories (unless explicitly granted)
- No personal information collected beyond GitHub profile
Webhook Security
All webhooks use industry-standard security:- HMAC-SHA256 signatures verify authenticity
- Short-lived tokens expire within 1 hour
- Fine-grained permissions limited to necessary access
- Isolated execution in secure environment
Troubleshooting
Installation Status Not Showing
Problem: The repository page doesn’t show installation status Solutions:- Refresh the page (browser cache may be stale)
- Verify you have admin/maintain permissions on the repository
- Check GitHub App settings to confirm installation
Similarity Search Still Empty
Problem: No similar issues appear after installation Solutions:- Wait for processing: Large repos take 15-30 minutes for initial processing
- Check repository has issues: Need at least 3-5 issues for meaningful results
- Verify installation: Ensure the app has access to this specific repository
Processing Taking Too Long
Problem: Historical data processing seems stuck Solutions:- Check repository size: 1000+ issues may take 30-60 minutes
- Refresh status: The progress indicator updates every 30 seconds
- Contact support: If processing exceeds 2 hours, open an issue
Permission Errors
Problem: App shows “insufficient permissions” errors Solutions:- Re-install the app: Go to installations page and reinstall
- Update permissions: The app may need updated permissions after a feature release
- Check organization settings: Org admins may need to approve app installation
Comparing GitHub App vs. Manual Search
Without GitHub App
- ❌ Slower searches (2-3 seconds per query)
- ❌ Limited to recent 100 issues
- ❌ API rate limit concerns
- ❌ Manual refresh required
- ❌ No real-time updates
With GitHub App
- ✅ Lightning-fast searches (<500ms)
- ✅ 100% issue coverage
- ✅ No rate limits
- ✅ Automatic background updates
- ✅ Real-time similarity analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a repository admin?
Yes, only repository admins or users with “maintain” permissions can install GitHub Apps. This is a GitHub security requirement.Can I install it on multiple repositories?
Yes, you can install on all repositories in your account or select specific ones. Installation is per-account, not per-repository.Does it work on private repositories?
Yes, if you grant access during installation. The same privacy and security protections apply.Can I uninstall it later?
Yes, you can uninstall anytime from GitHub settings. Your data will be removed according to our data retention policy.Will it work on forked PRs?
Yes, the GitHub App is specifically designed to work safely with fork PRs, unlike GitHub Actions workflows that expose secrets.Does it cost anything?
No, the GitHub App is free to use for all repositories. There are no hidden costs or premium tiers.Next Steps
After installation:- ✅ Verify installation - Check repository page for green “Installed” badge
- 📊 Monitor processing - Watch the progress indicator
- 🔍 Test similarity search - Open a PR and check for similar issues
- 🚀 Explore features - Browse the features documentation for more capabilities
Related Documentation
- GitHub App Fork PR Checks - Advanced check runs
- Issue #833 - Implementation details
- Repository Documentation - Additional technical details
Support
Need help? We’re here for you:- 📖 Documentation: Browse repository docs
- 🐛 Bug Reports: Open an issue
- 💬 Questions: Join discussions
- 📧 Contact: [email protected]
Pro Tip: Install the GitHub App on your most active repositories first to see the biggest impact on similarity search performance!