How to Cite Github

Quick summary

Adding a citation to a GitHub repository lets others properly credit your work by including a CITATION.cff file that platforms and tools can read automatically. This step-by-step process takes just minutes and makes your repository immediately citable in academic and professional contexts.

Steps

1. Navigate to the desired repository you want to cite.
2. Click the 'Add file' button in the repository toolbar.
3. Select '+Create new file' from the dropdown menu.
4. Add a title to your new file.
5. Add a CITATION.cff file in the file content area.
6. Click 'Commit changes' to proceed.
7. Provide a commit message and extended description for your changes.
8. Click 'Commit changes' again to confirm and save.
9. A citation widget will be added automatically to the repository sidebar.
10. Your repository is now citable — anyone can use GitHub's built-in citation tool to reference it.