GitHub REST API

Create a personal access token from your GitHub account settings as described in Managing your personal access tokens. Choose fine-grained permissions or classic scopes that match the API operations you need; GitHub notes that fine-grained PATs include read access to public repositories.

First register a GitHub App. Install it on the target account or organization, then generate an installation access token as described in Authenticating as a GitHub App installation. GitHub states this token works with both the REST API and the GraphQL API.

Register a GitHub App using Register a GitHub App, then generate a private key for the app and create a JWT as described under GitHub App authentication in About authentication with a GitHub App. Use this when an endpoint specifically requires authenticating as the app itself.

Create an OAuth app following Creating an OAuth app, configure its callback URL, then send users through the OAuth flow described in Authorizing OAuth apps to obtain access tokens for API calls.