Creating a GitHub Personal Access Token

Step-by-step visual guide to create a fine-grained personal access token for PathCurator

Why Fine-grained Tokens?

Fine-grained personal access tokens are more secure than classic tokens because you can:

  • Limit access to specific repositories
  • Set expiration dates
  • Grant only the permissions your app needs

Quick Start

Already logged into GitHub? Use this direct link:

Create Token on GitHub

Or follow the detailed steps below if you need help

Step-by-Step Instructions

1 Click Your Profile Picture

Look in the top-right corner of any GitHub page for your profile picture or avatar.

← Click here!

A dropdown menu will appear with various options.

2 Select "Settings"

From the dropdown menu, click on "Settings".

The Settings option is typically near the bottom of the dropdown menu.

3 Find "Developer Settings"

Scroll down to the very bottom of the left sidebar to find "Developer settings".

Public profile
Account
Appearance
Accessibility
Scroll down
Billing and plans
Emails
Developer settings ←

Main settings content area

Don't give up! "Developer settings" is at the very bottom of a long list. Keep scrolling!

4 Navigate to Personal Access Tokens

  1. Click on "Personal access tokens" in the left sidebar
  2. Select "Fine-grained tokens" (not "Tokens (classic)")
Fine-grained tokens offer better security through more precise permission control.

5 Generate New Token

Click the green Generate new token button.

6 Configure Token Details

Basic Information
Give it a descriptive name so you remember what it's for
Shorter expiration times are more secure

7 Select Repository Access

Choose which repositories this token can access:

Best Practice: Select only the repository where you'll store your PathCurator data.

8 Set Permissions

For PathCurator, you'll need these Repository permissions:

Permission Level Why It's Needed
Contents Read & Write To read and save your pathway data
Metadata Read To access repository information
Security Tip: Only grant the minimum permissions required. PathCurator only needs Contents and Metadata access.

9 Generate the Token

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the green Generate token button.

10 Copy Your Token!

Critical Step!

Copy your token immediately! You won't be able to see it again after leaving this page.

Your token will look similar to this:

github_pat_11EXAMPLE1234567890abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz_EXAMPLE
What to do with your token:
  1. Copy it to your clipboard
  2. Go back to PathCurator's GitHub Settings page
  3. Paste it in the "Personal Access Token" field
  4. Save it in a password manager for future reference
Security: Treat this token like a password. Never share it publicly or commit it to code.

You're Done!

You've successfully created a GitHub Personal Access Token. Now you can:

Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my tokens later?

Navigate to: Settings → Developer settings → Personal access tokens → Fine-grained tokens

What if my token expires?

You'll need to generate a new token and update it in PathCurator's settings.

Is it safe to use tokens?

Yes! Tokens are safer than passwords because:

  • They have limited permissions
  • They can be revoked without changing your password
  • They can have expiration dates
What if I think my token was compromised?

Immediately revoke it in your GitHub settings and generate a new one.

Back to Documentation Continue to GitHub Settings