What you need
- Multimeter for macOS 13 or later, $19.99 once.
- The repository’s owner and name, as in
github.com/OWNER/REPO.
Set it up
- Check the number in Terminal. Swap in your repository:Terminal
curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/oven-sh/bun | grep stargazers_count - In Multimeter, choose Add Meter… from any meter’s menu and pick Web Address.
- Paste the address and set the key path to
stargazers_count.Web addresshttps://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO - Set Refresh every to 5 minutes, and set the range so the bar means something: 0 to your next milestone.
Multimeter settings
In Customize This Meter… (from the meter’s menu):
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Source | Web Address |
| Web address | https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO |
| Key path | stargazers_count |
| Refresh every | 5 minutes |
| Range | 0 to your next milestone, like 2,000 |
| Label | STARS |
| Face | LCD Readout, XP Bar or Tally Marks |
| Alerts | Off |
Tested: Run on October 29, 2026 for oven-sh/bun: 96,459.
More on this source, including every format it reads, in the Web Address guide.
Limits
- GitHub allows 60 requests an hour from one internet address without a token, shared by every meter and script on your network. One meter every 5 minutes uses 12.
- The count GitHub reports can lag the repository page by a minute or two.
Variations
Forks, watchers and open issues
Same address, different key path: forks_count, subscribers_count (watchers) or open_issues_count (issues and pull requests together).
Your followers
Use https://api.github.com/users/NAME with the key path followers.
Many meters, or a private repository
Past 60 requests an hour, or for a private repository, use a Script meter with the GitHub CLI, which sends your login (5,000 requests an hour):
gh api repos/OWNER/REPO -q .stargazers_countTroubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No number found in the response | The key path doesn’t match the reply. | Run curl -s with the address and read the JSON. Dots walk into objects, numbers pick array items (items.0.count). |
| Couldn’t reach the address | No network, a typo in the host, or the service is down. | Open the address in your browser. Multimeter tries again at the next refresh. |
| The server answered 403 | Your address used up its 60 requests this hour (often other tools on the same network). | Refresh every 15 minutes, or switch to the gh api command above. |
| The server answered 404 | A typo in the owner or name, or the repository is private. | Open github.com/OWNER/REPO to check. Private repositories need the gh api command. |
Questions
Do I need a GitHub token?
No, not for a public repository. GitHub answers 60 requests an hour per internet address without one, and a meter refreshing every 5 minutes uses 12.
Can it alert me at a milestone?
Yes. In Customize This Meter, set alerts to High values with a warning level at your milestone and turn on Notify me when it goes critical for the bigger one.