How to Add Pinned Repository Cards to Your GitHub Profile README

Pinned repository cards are SVG images generated by github-readme-stats that display a single repository's metadata: the repo name, description (first 100 characters), star count, fork count, open issues count, and primary coding language with its color dot. They look like polished project tiles and give your README a portfolio-style layout without requiring custom HTML or external hosting.

The cards pull live data from the GitHub API, so star and fork counts update automatically as your projects gain traction. They work for any public repository — including repositories you have contributed to that are owned by other users or organizations.

Add this to your README for each repository you want to feature:

[![Repo Card](https://github-readme-stats.vercel.app/api/pin/?username=YOUR_USERNAME&repo=REPO_NAME&theme=tokyonight)](https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/REPO_NAME)

For a two-column project showcase:

<div align="center">
  <a href="https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/REPO_ONE">
    <img src="https://github-readme-stats.vercel.app/api/pin/?username=YOUR_USERNAME&repo=REPO_ONE&theme=tokyonight" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/REPO_TWO">
    <img src="https://github-readme-stats.vercel.app/api/pin/?username=YOUR_USERNAME&repo=REPO_TWO&theme=tokyonight" />
  </a>
</div>

Replace YOUR_USERNAME and REPO_NAME with actual values. The card links to the repository page, making it clickable without additional configuration.

The pin cards support the same theming system as the stats card:

• theme: tokyonight, radical, dark, transparent, github_dark, etc.
• show_owner=true: Show the repository owner's username above the repo name (useful for repos you contribute to but don't own)
• description_lines_count: Control the number of description lines shown (1-3)
• hide_border=true: Remove the card border for a cleaner embedded look

For a curated project section, write a brief context sentence before each card:

**My most-starred project — a CLI tool for managing dotfiles across machines:**

[![Dotfiles Manager](https://github-readme-stats.vercel.app/api/pin/?username=yourname&repo=dotfiles-manager&theme=tokyonight)](https://github.com/yourname/dotfiles-manager)

This context transforms the card from a raw stat into a project story — which is more memorable and useful than the card alone.

If the card shows 'Repo not found', verify the repository name is spelled exactly correctly (case-insensitive for most repos but exact spelling is required). Also confirm the repository is public — pinned cards cannot display private repositories without a personal access token set up in a self-hosted instance.

If the description is cut off, the card limits descriptions to approximately 100 characters. Edit your repository's description on GitHub to ensure the most important information appears in the first 100 characters.

If stars and forks show as 0 for a repo that has activity, check that the repo name in the URL is the current name — renamed repositories redirect on GitHub.com but the stats API needs the exact current name.