Connect self-hosted GitHub Enterprise Server instances to Projects for repository access, pull requests, and collaboration within existing GitHub Enterprise infrastructure.
GitHub Enterprise Server support helps organizations run on-premises GitHub instances to integrate with Projects.
Before beginning, make sure to have:
- An Enterprise Builder.io account
- A GitHub Enterprise Server instance
- Admin access to GitHub Enterprise Server for initial setup
- Repository access permissions for connecting users
Connect the GitHub Enterprise Server instance for the first time:
- Go to Projects and click the Connect Repo dropdown.
- Select GitHub from the Git providers list.
- Click Connect to Enterprise Server for GitHub Enterprise Server instances.
The video below shows the connection steps and opening Connect GitHub Enterprise Server Repository window:
Enter the GitHub Enterprise Server details and register the GitHub App:
- In the Enter your GitHub Enterprise Server host field, enter the server hostname.
- Click Register GitHub App to create a GitHub App that allows Builder to access repositories securely.
On the Create GitHub App dialogue that opens, verify the details and click Create GitHub App to create an app with Builder integration. Builder stores all credentials and configuration details in the organization root settings. This setup only needs to be completed once for each organization.
The video below shows entering server details and registering the GitHub app:
After registering the GitHub App, the Builder Space connects to the Enterprise Server instance. Complete the installation for each user:
- On the Connect GitHub Enterprise Server Repository page, click Install GitHub Enterprise Server App.
- On the Install Builder.io Integration dialogue, select the account where you want to install the app.
- Choose repository access by selecting All repositories or Only select repositories.
- Review and click Install & Authorize.
Connect to Enterprise Server repositories:
- Go to Projects, click the Connect Repo dropdown, and select GitHub.
- Choose from available Enterprise Server repositories.
- Builder clones the repository using Enterprise Server credentials.
To work with the connected repository:
- Create a new branch and make changes to the repository with Projects.
- Click Send PR to push changes to the Enterprise Server instance and create a pull request.
- Review and merge the pull request in your GitHub Enterprise Server.
For more information on the workflow, see Projects Overview and Create a pull request.
This section explains how the GitHub Enterprise Server integration works behind the scenes, including token management, API connections, and credential storage.
Access tokens are stored as GithubAppAccessToken in organization settings, where all credentials are securely managed per organization. Future versions may support multiple token types for different GitHub instances.
All API calls are directed to the specified GHES hostname, and git operations use the configured Enterprise Server. This provides full feature parity with GitHub.com integration while maintaining security within enterprise infrastructure.
The integration uses GitHub App authentication with secure token storage and management. The automatically registered app ensures the GitHub App has the minimal permissions required for Builder functionality, matching the permissions of Builder's github.com app.
Review these solutions for common connection issues:
Cannot connect to GitHub Enterprise Server:
- Verify the Enterprise Server host URL is correct and running.
- Confirm the GitHub App registration is successful.
- Check that the server allows GitHub App creation.
App installation fails:
- Verify admin access to install GitHub Apps on the Enterprise Server instance.
- Confirm the Builder app appears in Developer settings.
- Check that the organization allows GitHub App installations.
If automatic installation fails:
- Navigate to Settings > Developer settings > GitHub Apps in GitHub Enterprise Server.
- Find the Builder.io app that was created during registration.
- Click Install and select the organization or specific repositories.
- Grant the necessary permissions for repository access.
Repository access issues:
- Ensure the GitHub App has access to the desired repositories.
- Verify users have appropriate permissions in GHES.
- Check that the feature flag is enabled for the organization.
Pull request description issues:
- Some PR descriptions may not populate correctly, which is a known limitation being addressed.
- Core PR functionality remains intact for creating and managing pull requests.
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