About creating GitHub Apps
GitHub Apps let you build integrations to automate processes and extend GitHub's functionality.
In this article
About GitHub Apps
Building a GitHub App
Understanding what type of GitHub App to build
About GitHub Apps
A GitHub App is a type of integration that you can build to interact with and extend the functionality of GitHub. You can build a GitHub App to provide flexibility and reduce friction in your processes, without needing to sign in a user or create a service account.
Common use cases for GitHub Apps include:
Automating tasks or background processes
Supporting "Sign in with GitHub," which allows users to sign in with their GitHub account to provide their identity in your ecosystem
As a developer tool, allowing users to work with GitHub by signing into your GitHub App, which can then act on their behalf
Integrating your tool or external service with GitHub
Like OAuth apps, GitHub Apps use OAuth 2.0 and can act on behalf of a user. Unlike OAuth apps, GitHub Apps can also act independently of a user.
GitHub Apps can be installed directly on organizations and personal accounts and granted access to specific repositories. They come with built-in webhooks and narrow, specific permissions.
By default, only organization owners can manage the settings of GitHub Apps in an organization. To allow additional users to change the developer settings of GitHub Apps owned by the organization, an owner can grant them GitHub App manager permissions. GitHub App Managers can't manage third-party applications. For more information about adding and removing GitHub App managers in your organization, see Roles in an organization.