OSS maintainers on launch day
Ship a real card before the Hacker News + X + LinkedIn triple-post. The unfurl becomes the difference between a scroll and a star.
Turn Any GitHub Repo Into a Real Social Preview
Paste a github.com/<owner>/<repo> URL and Oginify paints a 1200 × 630 card from the repo name, description, and primary language — ready for Settings → Social preview and every timeline unfurl.
GitHub@github · posted a link
Just pushed a new social preview for the repo. Way better than the default avatar card.
github.com
vercel/next.js — The React Framework
TypeScript★ 128k
GitHub social previewgithub.com card · 1200 × 630
GitHub repo → 1280 × 640 · 3 archetypes auto-pickedPowered by Oginify AI
Your 1280 × 640 preview appears here.
Upload the file at Settings → General → Social preview on your repository. Files render as 1280 × 640 across GitHub, X, Slack, and Discord.
Why a Custom Repo Preview Beats the Default
GitHub's default social card is a beige rectangle with an avatar. Every unfurl looks identical to every fork. A one-time upload fixes it forever — GitHub caches the preview and reuses it across every share surface.
Every unfurl becomes a click target
X, LinkedIn, Slack, Discord, and Notion all read the same og:image GitHub serves. Upload once, get a real card everywhere.
Painted for a dark timeline
AI reads the primary language and picks a devtool-tuned palette — code-editor contrast, terminal cursor, no white-glare hero photo.
Ships the exact ratio GitHub caches
1200 × 630 PNG (≥ 640 × 320 minimum). Uploads cleanly at Settings → General → Social preview, no re-crop dance.
Ready for release-driven marketing
Regenerate for each major version or announcement — the release tweet and the changelog LinkedIn post now share a real thumbnail.
For repo launches, release notes, and README-driven marketing
Every GitHub repo without a custom social preview unfurls as a beige rectangle with the owner avatar and the repo path — the same card as ten million forks. Ship a real card and the release tweet, the changelog LinkedIn post, and the Slack link-share suddenly earn a click. GitHub caches the image aggressively, so a good preview keeps working for months.
Use it when you cut a release and want the version tag to lead, when a maintainer picks up an issue thread and drops the repo link, when a founder posts the OSS launch on X, or when the docs site links back to the source. Oginify reads the repo, paints a devtool-tuned 1200 × 630 card, and hands you a PNG ready for Settings → General → Social preview.
Oginify vs. GitHub defaultsand generic card tools
| Oginify Repo-aware SaaS | GitHub default Owner avatar + repo name | Generic card tools Manual editors | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output size | 1280 × 640 (GitHub spec) | Auto-composed by GitHub | Often 1200 × 630 only |
| Repo context | Name, description, stars, language pulled from GitHub API | Just owner and repo name | You retype everything |
| Terminal aesthetic | Monospaced, code-first layout | Plain avatar tile | Generic marketing look |
| Setup | Paste repo URL | Nothing to do | Sign up + design in an editor |
| Cost | Free · $0.99 optional tip | Free | Freemium or paid |
| Best for | Shipping a real social preview per repo | Personal side projects | One-off marketing images |
Who Uploads a Real Social Preview
Not everyone needs one — but if the repo is a marketing surface, the default card is quietly costing you clicks.
Devtool startups
Every changelog release earns a fresh preview. See the pattern for developers — a real card doubles social CTR on release announcements.
Docs sites linking to source
When a tutorial pastes ``https://github.com/you/repo``, the reader sees a branded card, not a stranger's repo.
Agencies handing off a client repo
Includes a polished preview in the handoff — client posts the link and the card carries their brand, not the developer's.
How to Generate a GitHub Social Preview with AI
Three steps between an empty repo card and a preview that unfurls everywhere.
- Step 1
Paste the repo URL
- Step 2
Let AI paint the card
- Step 3
Upload to GitHub Settings
GitHub Social Preview FAQ
Everything about repo unfurls, image sizes, and the Settings → Social preview upload.
What size should a GitHub social preview image be?
GitHub recommends at least 640 × 320px and displays a maximum of 1280 × 640px. Oginify outputs 1200 × 630 PNGs — inside the recommended band and identical to the Open Graph standard used by X, LinkedIn, and Slack, so one file covers every unfurl surface.
Where do I upload a custom social preview on GitHub?
Open your repository, click Settings, then General. Scroll to the Social preview section and click Edit → Upload an image. GitHub caches the preview immediately and reuses it whenever anyone shares the repo URL.
How is a social preview different from a README banner?
A README banner shows on the repo page itself. A social preview is the og:image GitHub serves to X, LinkedIn, Slack, Discord, and every other link-unfurl. They are two separate uploads — most repos benefit from both, but only the social preview affects social CTR.
Can I generate a preview for a private repo?
The GitHub REST API only returns metadata for public repositories. If your repo is private, either flip it to public temporarily, or use [Text to OG Image](/text-to-og-image) and describe the repo manually — the same pipeline paints the card from a prompt.
How long does GitHub cache the social preview?
Indefinitely for that upload — GitHub replaces the cache only when you upload a new file. Some social platforms (X, LinkedIn) also cache the unfurl on their side; use their card debuggers to force a re-fetch if the old default keeps showing after upload.
Does this work for GitHub organizations and profile READMEs?
Repository social previews only cover individual repositories. Organizations and user profiles use their avatar for unfurls. For a repo inside an org, the flow is identical — paste any public github.com/<org>/<repo> URL and upload the result to that repo's Settings.
Ship a Preview Before the Next Release
GitHub caches the upload forever — a five-minute generate saves every launch tweet, every release post, and every Slack share from the default beige card.