# Github Connector **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Requests\ **Tags:** search, agent\ **Created:** [September 2, 2026, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.perplexity.ai/t/github-connector/5984 "2026-09-02T21:13:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gregor\_Arz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.perplexity.ai/gregor_arz/32/3517_2.png) [@Gregor\_Arz](https://community.perplexity.ai/u/Gregor_Arz)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.perplexity.ai/t/github-connector/5984/1 "2026-09-02T21:13:17Z")
## Feature Request: GitHub Connector - `read_file` Support ### Problem The GitHub Connector can currently only read commits (`list_commits`, `get_commit`), but cannot directly access current files in the repository. This makes code reviews extremely cumbersome: - You have to search through commit history - Cannot read the current state of a file directly - Workspace integration had `read_file` for local files – this is now missing ### Use Case As a developer, I want to: - Read current files in the repo (e.g., `src/lib/components/DialogMessage.svelte`) - Do code reviews without searching commit history - Inspect live code like with the old Workspace file system ### Solution Add `read_file` tool for GitHub Connector: ```json { "tool": "read_file", "arguments": { "owner": "MY_NAME", "repo": "MY_REPO", "path": "PATH-TO-REPO" } } ``` ### Priority HEssential for code-based assistance. ### Context This feature existed in the Workspace (formerly “Space”) file system and was crucial for code reviews. The GitHub Connector is a cost-saving replacement for Workspace, but lacks this critical functionality. ---
**Author:** ![andrewmadson-pplx](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.perplexity.ai/andrewmadson-pplx/32/3428_2.png) [@andrewmadson-pplx](https://community.perplexity.ai/u/andrewmadson-pplx)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 9:33pm UTC](https://community.perplexity.ai/t/github-connector/5984/2 "2026-09-02T21:33:12Z")
Hi Gregor, Thanks for the detailed request. The tool you want I believe already exists, and there are two ways to read the current state of a file. **1. Connector only.** The GitHub connector exposes additional tools. One of them is `get_file_contents`. It takes `owner`, `repo`, and `path` (plus an optional `ref`) and returns the current file, or a directory listing if `path` points to a folder. You can see the full tool set by making a request with only the connector and reading the `mcp_list_tools` item in the output. **2. Connector plus sandbox.** If you add the sandbox tool using `{"type": "sandbox"}` to the same request and leave `allowed_tools` off, then the agent gets `git` and `gh` inside a Linux container, already authenticated with the connector’s credentials. It can clone the repo and read `src/lib/components/DialogMessage.svelte` directly, diff branches, run `gh api repos/{owner}/{repo}/contents/{path}`, and open a pull request. You will see `sandbox_results` items in the output instead of `mcp_call` items. Access is scoped to whatever the connected GitHub account can reach. Docs: [Connectors](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/agent-api/tools/connectors) and [Sandbox](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/agent-api/tools/sandbox). Andrew ---
**Author:** ![kr0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.perplexity.ai/kr0n/32/3577_2.png) [@kr0n](https://community.perplexity.ai/u/kr0n)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.perplexity.ai/t/github-connector/5984/3 "2026-09-15T16:42:07Z")
Hi @andrewmadson-pplx, I can confirm this exact issue with the Perplexity GitHub connector. `get_file_contents` doesn’t work, the LLM says that it returns only: “successfully downloaded text file” but the actual file content is never shown or accessible. This makes it impossible to read current files directly from repositories. Workaround that the LLM does to get the full content of a file: The LLM is using `get_commit` with `detail: “full_patch”` to see file contents through commit diffs and reconstructing the full file iterating commit by commit. Hope this gets fixed soon, as it’s a basic feature for a GitHub integration ---
**Author:** ![andrewmadson-pplx](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.perplexity.ai/andrewmadson-pplx/32/3428_2.png) [@andrewmadson-pplx](https://community.perplexity.ai/u/andrewmadson-pplx)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.perplexity.ai/t/github-connector/5984/4 "2026-09-15T20:01:15Z")
Thank you @kr0n , I ran the managed Github connector with, and without, the sandbox tool, and each time I was able to retrieve the file contents and the connectors worked as expected. For my test I used GPT 5.6 SOL as the model and retrieved a GitHub repo README file. Which model were you using and was the file you were trying to retrieve very large? Andrew ---
**Author:** ![kr0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.perplexity.ai/kr0n/32/3577_2.png) [@kr0n](https://community.perplexity.ai/u/kr0n)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.perplexity.ai/t/github-connector/5984/5 "2026-09-15T21:36:23Z")
Sonnet 5 with reasoning. I also tested with GPT 5.6 Terra (with reasoning) and same problem. I didn’t use the sandbox tool. I don’t have access to GPT 5.6 SOL The file has only 36 lines of plain text. ![Captura de pantalla 2026-09-16 001648](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/uploads/sonar1/original/2X/8/81589f6418df41e0a956a2075c2bb00f7adad2aa.png) ---
**Author:** ![andrewmadson-pplx](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.perplexity.ai/andrewmadson-pplx/32/3428_2.png) [@andrewmadson-pplx](https://community.perplexity.ai/u/andrewmadson-pplx)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.perplexity.ai/t/github-connector/5984/6 "2026-09-15T23:50:39Z")
@kr0n Ah, I understand. This is for the application, rather than the API. The GitHub connector and tool I have access to are through the [Perplexity Agent API](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/agent-api/tools/connectors). To get your account associated with a new or existing support ticket for the application, please use the “share feedback” button in the app menu and select “bug report”. This routes the bug to the application support team. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/uploads/sonar1/original/2X/a/a41f04eb6676bc7bb7b91ad20f02390d768295b7.png)