For many developers, GitHub is part of the daily workflow. It is where we look for open-source projects, clone repositories, download releases, and submit our own contributions. When access is unstable or slow, even basic tasks can become frustrating.
In practice, downloading assets from GitHub Releases can sometimes be worked around through relay servers. The bigger problem is direct access to the website itself and the use of git commands, which may fail or perform poorly under network restrictions. A tool that improves stability without adding unnecessary complexity can make a noticeable difference.
FastGithub
FastGithub is an open-source, cross-platform GitHub acceleration tool. Its approach is straightforward: it queries secure DNS services for GitHub IP addresses, selects the best available IP, and then uses reverse proxying to improve access. This helps address failed connections and slow speeds caused by network limitations.
Download and platform support
FastGithub works on major operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Available download sources mentioned for the project include:
- GitHub
- Lanzou Cloud (unofficial): https://777nx.lanzoue.com/if0Vz0msm2ni
How to use it
Windows
On Windows, the tool comes with a graphical interface, so setup is simple.
Download fastgithub_win-x64.zip, extract it, and double-click FastGithub.UI.exe to launch it. No extra configuration is required.
Linux (terminal)
Run:
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sudo ./fastgithub
Then enable the system auto proxy, or manually set the HTTP/HTTPS proxy to http://127.0.0.1:38457.
Linux (service)
If you want to install and run it as a systemd service, use:
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# 以 systemd 服务安装并启动
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sudo ./fastgithub start
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# 卸载并删除 systemd 服务
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sudo ./fastgithub stop
The proxy settings are the same as above.
macOS
- Double-click
fastgithubto run it. - Install the certificate at
cacert/fastgithub.cerand mark it as trusted. - Enable the system auto proxy, or manually set the HTTP/HTTPS proxy to
http://127.0.0.1:38457.
Docker Compose
For temporary acceleration when pulling source code from github.com inside a project:
- Make sure
docker 18.09+anddocker-composeare installed. - The source code includes a
docker-compose.yamlfile for this purpose. - Modify the
sampleandbuildimages indocker-compose.yamlas needed to complete the setup.
Notes on how the proxy works
According to the project description, the local proxy used by FastGithub relies on the international gateway channels provided by the public telecommunications network. Traffic from GitHub servers overseas to the FastGithub program on a domestic user’s computer travels through normal network channels, without any additional encryption applied during that segment. After FastGithub retrieves the webpage data, the rest of the proxying process takes place entirely within the domestic network.