Members-only GitHub organization overviews
GitHub is extending the organization profile features it introduced last year for public audiences. Organizations can now add a private README and private pinned repositories that appear only to members on the organization's Overview page. The move addresses a common request from teams that needed a way to surface internal resources without cluttering the public-facing profile.
Public profile READMEs, stored in the .github repository, launched in September 2021 and were quickly adopted by thousands of organizations. Now, teams can create an equivalent member-only README by placing it in the .github-private repository. The /profile/README.md content from that repository displays on the Overview page exclusively for organization members.
Members can switch between the public and private views using a toggle in the sidebar, so both sets of information remain easily accessible without mixing audiences.
Pinning repositories for internal use
Public organization profiles have long supported pinned repositories that showcase an organization's most representative work. But GitHub recognized that the repositories most valuable to outside visitors often differ from what internal members need quick access to — such as internal tooling, onboarding guides, or private projects.
With the new member view, organization owners can pin separate sets of repositories for public and member audiences. Pinning is available for both public and private repositories. Organizations on GitHub Enterprise plans can additionally pin internal repositories in the member view. Owners can manage these pins either from the Overview page itself or from any repository owned by the organization.
Availability
The members-only README and pinned repository features are available to all organizations on GitHub starting today. GitHub is welcoming feedback and has published documentation on setting up both the public and member-specific READMEs and repository pins.
