# Submit to GitHub

> Launch Llama directory submission tracker review — last reviewed 2026-08-25

- **Canonical:** https://tools.launchllama.co/tools/launch-directories/github
- **Markdown twin:** https://tools.launchllama.co/directory-spokes/github.md
- **Directory:** GitHub (github.com)
- **Submit URL:** https://github.com
- **DR:** 96
- **Pricing:** Freemium
- **Category:** Developer Tools (#2 of 27 by DR in this category)
- **Referral traffic:** Very High
- **Backlink quality:** Very Strong
- **Link type:** Mixed — README, repo homepage, and profile links on github.com; rel attributes vary by page type

## Quick verdict

Core Developer Tools presence — DR 96, free tier with paid upgrade options. Worth it for open-source and dev tools; skip if you only want a passive directory form with no repo.

**Best for:** Open-source libraries, CLI tools, and dev products with a public repo · Teams building credibility via README, releases, and GitHub profile links

## Approval & timeline

- **Time-to-live:** Repos and profiles go live immediately after creation. No editorial queue — visibility depends on stars, activity, and discovery.
- **Review:** Automated policy enforcement for spam, malware, and ToS violations. No human “directory approval” step.
- **Common rejections:** Empty repos, misleading descriptions, trademark violations, or accounts flagged for spam or abuse.
- **Reputation:** GitHub is infrastructure, not a launch directory — traffic follows repo quality and promotion, not a one-time submit.

## Pros

- DR 96 domain with Very Strong backlink quality from indexed repo pages
- Very High referral traffic for dev tools linked from README and releases
- Freemium — public repos and profiles are free for most launch use cases
- Essential trust signal when buyers evaluate dev-tool vendors

## Cons

- No passive listing form — you must maintain a real repo or org profile
- Competitive discovery — new repos rarely get traffic without promotion
- Not a buyer-intent SaaS directory like G2 or Capterra
- Private repos and advanced features may require paid GitHub plans

## What you need before you submit

- Organization or user account with product name and verified email
- Public repository with README describing the product and linking to your site
- Logo or avatar, topics/tags, and a clear homepage URL in README
- At least one release or meaningful commit history — not an empty scaffold
- LICENSE file and basic docs if open source; install instructions for CLI/SDK tools

**Gotchas:**

- README is your listing — a bare repo with no docs sends almost no referral traffic
- Website URL in repo settings and README should match your canonical domain
- Do not confuse repo setup with GitHub Trending — trending requires sustained star velocity

## Submission mechanics

- **Account:** Free GitHub account required. Create an org or user repo; add homepage URL in repo About section and README.
- **Categories:** Use GitHub Topics (e.g. saas, devtools, ai) so repo discovery matches buyer searches — no formal category picker.
- **Anchor text:** Founder-controlled via README markdown links and repo About website field.
- **Link placement:** Primary outbound link on repo homepage and README — indexed, crawlable github.com/{org}/{repo} pages.

## FAQ

### Is GitHub a directory submission?

No — GitHub is a dev platform. You “submit” by publishing a repo with README, homepage link, and topics. Referral traffic follows repo quality and promotion, not a form.

### Does GitHub give dofollow backlinks?

Repo and README links are crawlable on DR 96 github.com. We rate backlink quality Very Strong — treat value as dev credibility plus referral clicks, not guaranteed SEO juice on every link.

### How is GitHub different from GitHub Trending?

GitHub is your repo/profile presence. GitHub Trending is an algorithmic daily feed — you earn it with star velocity, not a submission form.

### Is GitHub free for product launches?

Public repos and profiles are free. Freemium applies to private repos, advanced CI minutes, and org features — most early-stage dev launches stay on the free tier.

## Related

- [Directory Submission Tracker](https://tools.launchllama.co/tools/launch-directories)
- [Developer Tools directories](https://tools.launchllama.co/tools/launch-directories?category=developer-tools)
- [Directory backlink service](https://tools.launchllama.co/launch#directory-submissions)
- [llms.txt](https://tools.launchllama.co/llms.txt)