diff --git a/components/NavBar.vue b/components/NavBar.vue
index 1e557db35..f2762ef22 100644
--- a/components/NavBar.vue
+++ b/components/NavBar.vue
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
       v-if="showLogo"
       class="flex-1 flex flex-row items-center h-20 border-b mx-3 md:mx-6"
     >
-      <jabref-logo class="w-10 flex-none" />
+      <jabref-logo class="w-12 flex-none" />
       <span
         class="ml-3 flex-1 text-highlighted text-2xl font-semibold lg:inline-block hidden"
       >
@@ -137,11 +137,30 @@
       </div>
     </nav>
 
-    <!-- Empty stopper for proper alignment -->
+    <!-- Right spacer — also holds the GitHub link to keep menu centred -->
     <div
       v-show="!isSmallDisplay"
-      class="flex-1 mx-3 md:mx-6"
-    />
+      class="flex-1 flex items-center justify-end mx-3 md:mx-6"
+    >
+      <a
+        v-if="showGithubLink"
+        href="https://github.com/JabRef/jabref"
+        target="_blank"
+        rel="noopener noreferrer"
+        class="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-dimmed hover:text-primary-600 transition-colors"
+        aria-label="JabRef on GitHub"
+      >
+        <Icon
+          name="ri:github-fill"
+          class="text-2xl"
+        />
+        <span
+          v-if="stars"
+          class="text-sm font-medium"
+          >{{ stars }}</span
+        >
+      </a>
+    </div>
   </nav>
 </template>
 
@@ -156,7 +175,7 @@ const isHamburgerShown = ref(false)
 
 const isSmallDisplay = useBreakpoints(breakpointsTailwind).smallerOrEqual('md')
 
-defineProps({
+const props = defineProps({
   showLogo: {
     type: Boolean,
     default: false,
@@ -169,8 +188,16 @@ defineProps({
     type: Boolean,
     default: false,
   },
+  showGithubLink: {
+    type: Boolean,
+    default: false,
+  },
 })
 
+const { stars } = props.showGithubLink
+  ? useGitHubStars()
+  : { stars: ref<string | null>(null) }
+
 const { resolveClient } = useApolloClient()
 
 const { mutate: logout, onDone } = useMutation(
diff --git a/composables/useGitHubStars.ts b/composables/useGitHubStars.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..80089bade
--- /dev/null
+++ b/composables/useGitHubStars.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+export function useGitHubStars() {
+  const stars = ref<string | null>(null)
+
+  if (import.meta.client) {
+    fetch('/api/githubStars')
+      .then((res) => {
+        if (!res.ok) {
+          throw new Error(`Failed to fetch GitHub stars: ${res.statusText}`)
+        }
+        return res.json()
+      })
+      .then((data: { stars?: number }) => {
+        if (data.stars !== undefined) {
+          stars.value = formatStarCount(data.stars)
+        }
+      })
+      .catch((error) => {
+        console.debug('Failed to fetch GitHub stars:', error)
+      })
+  }
+
+  return { stars }
+}
+
+function formatStarCount(count: number): string {
+  if (count >= 1000) {
+    return `${(count / 1000).toFixed(1).replace(/\.0$/, '')}K`
+  }
+  return count.toString()
+}
diff --git a/pages/index.vue b/pages/index.vue
index 09515b4a2..b96a1f6c0 100644
--- a/pages/index.vue
+++ b/pages/index.vue
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
         <NavBar
           :show-search-bar="false"
           :show-logo="true"
+          :show-github-link="true"
         >
           <div class="space-x-14">
             <t-nuxtlink
@@ -29,6 +30,20 @@
                   >{{ link.title }}</t-nuxtlink
                 >
               </li>
+              <li>
+                <a
+                  href="https://github.com/JabRef/jabref"
+                  target="_blank"
+                  rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                  class="hover:text-primary-600 font-semibold inline-flex items-center gap-1.5"
+                >
+                  <Icon
+                    name="ri:github-fill"
+                    class="text-lg"
+                  />
+                  GitHub
+                </a>
+              </li>
             </ul>
           </template>
         </NavBar>
diff --git a/server/api/githubStars.ts b/server/api/githubStars.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fece7d443
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/api/githubStars.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/** JabRef desktop app repo — fixed to avoid open proxy / rate-limit abuse */
+const JABREF_REPO = 'JabRef/jabref'
+
+export default defineCachedEventHandler(
+  async (event) => {
+    event.node.res.setHeader(
+      'Cache-Control',
+      'public, s-maxage=300, stale-while-revalidate=600',
+    )
+
+    const config = useRuntimeConfig()
+    const githubToken = config.githubRepoToken as string | undefined
+
+    const headers: Record<string, string> = {
+      Accept: 'application/vnd.github.v3+json',
+      'User-Agent': 'jabref-online',
+    }
+    if (githubToken) {
+      headers.Authorization = `Bearer ${githubToken}`
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(
+        `https://api.github.com/repos/${JABREF_REPO}`,
+        { headers },
+      )
+
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        throw new Error(`GitHub API responded with ${response.status}`)
+      }
+
+      const data = (await response.json()) as { stargazers_count?: number }
+
+      return {
+        stars: data.stargazers_count ?? 0,
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.debug('Failed to fetch GitHub stars for repo', JABREF_REPO, error)
+      throw createError({
+        statusCode: 500,
+        message: 'Failed to fetch GitHub stars',
+      })
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    name: 'github-stars-jabref',
+    maxAge: 300,
+  },
+)