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GitHub setup issues

GitHub organization not listed on Greptile

Symptoms

  • Your GitHub organization does not appear in Greptile’s web app

Common causes & solutions

1. Greptile Apps is not installed on the GitHub organization Install Greptile Apps on the GitHub organization first. In GitHub, grant access to all repositories or to the specific repositories you want Greptile to review. After installing the app, return to Greptile and link the GitHub organization. 2. GitHub and Greptile are linked to the wrong session or SSO identity If Greptile Apps is already installed on the GitHub organization, reconnect the GitHub provider:
1

Disconnect GitHub in Greptile

In Greptile, go to Code Providers and disconnect the GitHub connection for the affected organization.
2

Uninstall Greptile Apps in GitHub

In GitHub, open the organization’s installed GitHub Apps and uninstall Greptile Apps.
3

Sign in with company SSO

Log out, then log back in using your company’s SSO account.
4

Reinstall Greptile Apps

Install Greptile Apps on the GitHub organization again. Grant access to the repositories Greptile should review.
5

Link the organization in Greptile

Return to Greptile. The GitHub organization should appear in Add GitHub organizations. Select it and click Link.
Disconnecting and uninstalling the GitHub App temporarily stops Greptile from receiving events for that organization. Reinstall the app before opening new PRs you expect Greptile to review.

Configuration Issues

greptile.json Not Taking Effect

Symptoms

  • Changes to greptile.json don’t appear in reviews
  • Dashboard settings still being used despite repository configuration
  • Rules and instructions seem to be ignored

Common Causes & Solutions

1. File Location Issues
# ✅ Correct - greptile.json in repository root
your-repo/
├── greptile.json
├── src/
└── package.json

# ❌ Wrong - greptile.json in subdirectory
your-repo/
├── src/
   └── greptile.json  # This won't be found
└── package.json
2. JSON Syntax Errors
// ❌ Invalid JSON - trailing comma
{
  "strictness": 2,
  "commentTypes": ["logic", "syntax"],  // Remove this comma
}

// ✅ Valid JSON
{
  "strictness": 2,
  "commentTypes": ["logic", "syntax"]
}
3. Branch Configuration
  • Greptile reads greptile.json from the source branch of the PR
  • If you add greptile.json in a PR, it only takes effect for that PR
  • Merge the greptile.json to your main branch for it to apply to future PRs
4. Configuration Validation Use the dashboard to validate your configuration:
  1. Go to app.greptile.com/review
  2. Select your repository
  3. Check if your greptile.json is detected and parsed correctly

Debugging Steps

  1. Verify file location - Ensure greptile.json is in repository root
  2. Validate JSON syntax - Use a JSON validator to check for errors
  3. Check branch - Confirm the file exists in the branch being reviewed
  4. Test on new PR - Create a test PR to verify configuration works

Custom Context “Never Used”

Symptoms

  • External context sources (Jira, Notion) not being referenced in reviews
  • Pattern repositories not providing relevant context
  • Custom instructions being ignored

Common Causes & Solutions

1. Integration Not Connected
  • Check connections - Verify Jira/Notion/Google Drive connections in dashboard
  • Permissions - Ensure Greptile has access to the specific documents/projects
  • Authentication - Refresh expired tokens or credentials
2. Content Not Indexed
  • Wait for indexing - New integrations need time to index content
  • Check status - Look for indexing status in the dashboard
  • Trigger re-index - Contact support if indexing seems stuck
3. Pattern Repository Issues
// ❌ Repository doesn't exist or isn't accessible
{
  "patternRepositories": ["nonexistent/repo"]
}

// ✅ Verify repository exists and is accessible
{
  "patternRepositories": ["your-org/shared-utils"]
}
4. Content Relevance
  • External content must be relevant to the code changes
  • Greptile filters out unrelated context automatically
  • Try more specific references in PR descriptions

Debugging Steps

  1. Test integrations - Verify connections work in dashboard
  2. Check content - Ensure linked documents exist and are accessible
  3. Review relevance - Make sure external content relates to code changes
  4. Monitor indexing - Allow time for new content to be indexed

Review Issues

Greptile Not Running for New PRs

Symptoms

  • New PRs don’t get automatic reviews
  • No comments or summaries appear
  • Webhook deliveries failing

Common Causes & Solutions

1. Repository Not Enabled
  • Check dashboard - Ensure repository is enabled for reviews
  • Verify permissions - Confirm GitHub/GitLab access hasn’t been revoked
  • Re-enable if needed - Toggle repository off and on in dashboard
2. Filter Configuration Issues
// ❌ Too restrictive filters
{
  "includeAuthors": ["specific-user"],  // Only reviews from this user
  "labels": ["review-needed"]           // Only PRs with this label
}

// ✅ More inclusive configuration
{
  "excludeAuthors": ["dependabot[bot]"],
  "disabledLabels": ["skip-review"]
}
3. Draft PR Settings
  • Draft PRs are not reviewed automatically by default
  • Mark PR as “Ready for review” or comment @greptileai to trigger
4. Webhook Issues
# Check webhook deliveries in GitHub/GitLab settings
Repository Settings Webhooks Recent Deliveries

Debugging Steps

  1. Verify repository status - Check if enabled in dashboard
  2. Test manual trigger - Comment @greptileai on a PR
  3. Check webhook logs - Look for failed webhook deliveries
  4. Review filters - Ensure PR matches your trigger conditions

Reviews Taking Too Long

Symptoms

  • Reviews never complete or take hours
  • “Pending” status that doesn’t update
  • Timeouts or partial reviews

Common Causes & Solutions

1. Large PR Size
  • Break down PRs - Split large changes into smaller, focused PRs
  • Ignore unnecessary files - Use ignorePatterns to exclude generated files
{
  "ignorePatterns": "dist/**\nnode_modules/**\n*.generated.*\nbuild/**"
}
2. Repository Size
  • First-time indexing - New repositories take longer to initially process
  • Wait for completion - Allow extra time for large codebases
  • Contact support - For repositories over 100k files
3. External Context Delays
  • Disable temporarily - Remove external integrations to test speed
  • Check integration status - Ensure Jira/Notion connections are responsive

Debugging Steps

  1. Check PR size - Consider breaking down large PRs
  2. Monitor progress - Use statusEndpoint to track review progress
  3. Test smaller PRs - Verify speed with minimal changes
  4. Review configuration - Simplify rules and integrations if needed

Integration Problems

Jira/Notion Connection Issues

Symptoms

  • Authentication failures
  • “Connection expired” messages
  • External context not loading

Common Solutions

  1. Refresh tokens - Re-authenticate integrations in dashboard
  2. Check permissions - Ensure access to specific projects/workspaces
  3. Network connectivity - Verify Greptile can reach your instances
  4. Instance configuration - For self-hosted instances, check firewall rules

Pattern Repository Access

Symptoms

  • Pattern repositories not found
  • Access denied errors
  • Context from related repos not appearing

Common Solutions

// ✅ Correct repository references
{
  "patternRepositories": [
    "your-github-org/shared-library",
    "your-gitlab-group/common-utils"
  ]
}

// ❌ Common mistakes
{
  "patternRepositories": [
    "shared-library",                    // Missing org/group
    "your-org/repo-that-doesnt-exist",   // Repository doesn't exist
    "private-org/private-repo"           // No access permissions
  ]
}
Debugging Steps:
  1. Verify repository exists - Check that referenced repos are accessible
  2. Test permissions - Ensure your GitHub/GitLab token can access the repo
  3. Check naming - Use full org/repo format
  4. Monitor indexing - Allow time for pattern repos to be indexed

Performance Optimization

Reducing Review Time

Configuration Optimizations

{
  "strictness": 3, // Focus on critical issues only
  "commentTypes": ["logic"], // Reduce comment types for speed
  "ignorePatterns": "tests/**\ndocs/**\nvendor/**\ngenerated/**" // Skip less critical directories
}

Process Improvements

  1. Smaller PRs - Break large changes into focused PRs
  2. Clear descriptions - Help Greptile understand context quickly
  3. Consistent patterns - Established patterns are analyzed faster
  4. Regular maintenance - Keep configuration up to date

Managing Review Volume

Noise Reduction

{
  "strictness": 2, // Balance thoroughness and noise
  "excludeAuthors": ["bot", "automation"], // Skip automated PRs
  "disabledLabels": ["trivial", "docs-only"], // Skip low-risk PRs
  "ignoreKeywords": "typo\nformatting\nspacing" // Skip minor fixes
}

Getting Help

When to Contact Support

  • Persistent authentication issues
  • Repositories that won’t index
  • Consistent performance problems
  • Enterprise integration needs

Information to Provide

  1. Repository details - Organization and repository name
  2. Configuration - Your greptile.json and dashboard settings
  3. Error messages - Exact error text and screenshots
  4. Timeline - When the issue started occurring
  5. Examples - Specific PRs or reviews that demonstrate the problem

Contact Information

  • Support email: hello@greptile.com
  • Include: Account details, repository information, and specific examples
  • Response time: Typically within 24 hours for standard issues
For urgent issues affecting production workflows, mark your email as “URGENT” in the subject line.