# GitHub Citation Generator
[](https://github.com/ezefranca/github-citation/tree/main/skills/github-citation)
A web, CLI, MCP, and agent-skill tool to generate BibTeX, APA, MLA, Chicago, IEEE, and Harvard citations from any GitHub repository. It supports repositories with `CITATION.bib` or `CITATION.cff` files and falls back to GitHub metadata when citation files are unavailable.
## Features
- **Multi-style output**: Switch between BibTeX, APA, MLA, Chicago, IEEE, and Harvard formats.
- **CITATION file support**: Prefers `CITATION.bib`, converts `CITATION.cff` when needed, and falls back to GitHub metadata.
- **CLI and MCP support**: Use the same citation engine from terminals, scripts, and agent clients.
- **Agent skill included**: `skills/github-citation` teaches agents when to use the CLI, MCP, and provenance details.
- **Highlighted BibTeX Output**: Displays BibTeX in a copyable, syntax-highlighted format.
- **Responsive Design**: Works seamlessly on both desktop and mobile devices.
## Web
Use the hosted app at [ezefranca.com/github-citation](https://ezefranca.com/github-citation/).
1. Enter the URL of a public GitHub repository.
2. Click the "Generate citation" button.
3. Choose a citation style tab and copy the formatted citation.
For local preview, serve the repository directory so browser ES modules load correctly:
```bash
python3 -m http.server 4173
```
Then open `http://127.0.0.1:4173/`.
The static browser build is self-contained: the YAML parser used for `CITATION.cff` is served from `scripts/vendor`, so no runtime JavaScript CDN is required.
## CLI
```bash
npm install
npm run citation -- owner/repo
npm run citation -- https://github.com/owner/repo --style apa
npm run citation -- owner/repo --all --format json
```
After linking or installing the package globally:
```bash
github-citation owner/repo --style bibtex --provenance
```
Set `GITHUB_TOKEN` or `GH_TOKEN` for private repositories or higher API rate limits.
## MCP
Run the MCP server locally:
```bash
npm run mcp
```
Example MCP client config from this checkout:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"github-citation": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/github-citation/bin/github-citation-mcp.js"]
}
}
}
```
When installed as a package, the command can be:
```json
{
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "--package", "github-citation", "github-citation-mcp"]
}
```
Without a global install and before npm publication, use the GitHub source:
```json
{
"command": "npm",
"args": [
"exec",
"--yes",
"--package=github:ezefranca/github-citation",
"--",
"github-citation-mcp"
]
}
```
The MCP tool is `generate_github_citation`.
## Agent Skill
This repository follows the cross-agent skill layout used by Agent Skills repositories:
```text
skills/
└── github-citation/
├── SKILL.md
└── agents/
└── openai.yaml
```
The bundled skill teaches agents how to install and use the CLI/MCP server, call the citation generator, and preserve citation provenance.
### Install In Codex
Install with the `skills` CLI:
```bash
npx skills add https://github.com/ezefranca/github-citation --skill github-citation
```
Install globally for Codex:
```bash
npx skills add https://github.com/ezefranca/github-citation \
--skill github-citation \
-a codex \
-g \
-y
```
From Codex, you can also install the skill from this repository with `$skill-installer`:
```text
$skill-installer install https://github.com/ezefranca/github-citation/tree/main/skills/github-citation
```
Then restart Codex so the new skill is discovered.
Manual install from a local checkout:
```bash
mkdir -p "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/skills"
cp -R skills/github-citation "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/skills/"
```
### Install In Claude Code
Personal install, available across projects:
```bash
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
cp -R skills/github-citation ~/.claude/skills/
```
Project-local install, available only in the current repo:
```bash
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -R skills/github-citation .claude/skills/
```
Claude Code can invoke the skill as `/github-citation` and can also load it automatically when the request matches the skill description. Restart Claude Code if the top-level skills directory did not exist when the session started.
### Verify The Skill
Ask your agent:
```text
Use $github-citation to generate a BibTeX citation for ezefranca/github-citation.
```
For Claude Code direct invocation:
```text
/github-citation generate an APA citation for ezefranca/github-citation
```