This version of GitHub Enterprise was discontinued on 2021-03-02. No patch releases will be made, even for critical security issues. For better performance, improved security, and new features, upgrade to the latest version of GitHub Enterprise. For help with the upgrade, contact GitHub Enterprise support.

Enabling unified search between GitHub Enterprise Server and GitHub.com

After enabling GitHub Connect, you can allow search of GitHub.com from your GitHub Enterprise Server instance.

Site administrators for GitHub Enterprise Server who are also owners of the connected GitHub Enterprise Cloud organization or enterprise account can enable unified search between GitHub Enterprise Server and GitHub.com.

When you enable unified search, users can view search results from public and private content on GitHub.com when searching from your GitHub Enterprise Server instance.

Users will not be able to search your GitHub Enterprise Server instance from GitHub.com, even if they have access to both environments. Users can only search private repositories you've enabled unified search for and that they have access to in the connected GitHub Enterprise Cloud organizations. For more information, see "About searching on GitHub" and "Enabling private GitHub.com repository search in your GitHub Enterprise Server account."

Searching via the REST and GraphQL APIs does not include GitHub.com search results. Advanced search and searching for wikis in GitHub.com are not supported.

  1. Sign in to your GitHub Enterprise Server instance and GitHub.com.
  2. From an administrative account on GitHub Enterprise Server, click in the upper-right corner of any page.
    Rocketship icon for accessing site admin settings
    1. In the left sidebar, click Enterprise.
    Enterprise tab in the Site admin settings
  3. In the enterprise account sidebar, click Settings.
    Settings tab in the enterprise account sidebar
  4. In the left sidebar, click GitHub Connect.
    GitHub Connect tab in the business account settings sidebar
  5. Under "Users can search GitHub.com", use the drop-down menu and click Enabled.
    Enable search option in the search GitHub.com drop-down menu
  6. Optionally, under "Users can search private repositories on GitHub.com", use the drop-down menu and click Enabled.
    Enable private repositories search option in the search GitHub.com drop-down menu

Further reading