Github Copilot Cli

GitHub Copilot CLI Expert

Comprehensive knowledge of GitHub Copilot CLI installation, configuration, usage, and extensibility.

Purpose

This skill provides expert guidance on:

1. Installing and updating GitHub Copilot CLI 2. Authentication and configuration 3. Core usage patterns and slash commands 4. Extensibility (MCP servers, skills, custom agents) 5. Troubleshooting common issues

When I Activate

Automatically when you mention:

• "copilot cli", "github copilot cli", "gh copilot"
• "install copilot", "update copilot"
• "copilot commands", "copilot slash commands"
• "copilot mcp", "add mcp server"
• "copilot skills", "create copilot skill"
• "copilot custom agent"

Quick Reference

Installation (All Platforms)

Always fetch latest version - use these commands:

Prerelease versions: Add @prerelease or use GitHub.Copilot.Prerelease

Authentication

copilot                    # Launch and follow /login prompt
# OR use PAT with "Copilot Requests" permission:
export GH_TOKEN=your_token

Essential Slash Commands

Keyboard Shortcuts

Extensibility Overview

1. MCP Servers - Extend Copilot with external tools 2. Skills - Task-specific instructions and scripts 3. Custom Agents - Specialized agent profiles 4. Custom Instructions - Repository-wide guidance

Navigation Guide

When to Read Supporting Files

reference.md - Read when you need:

• Complete slash command reference with all options
• Detailed MCP server configuration and JSON schema
• Full permissions system documentation
• Advanced configuration options
• Environment variables reference

examples.md - Read when you need:

• Step-by-step installation walkthroughs
• Working MCP server configurations
• Skill creation examples
• Custom agent examples
• Real-world usage scenarios

Core Concepts

MCP Servers (Model Context Protocol)

Copilot CLI includes GitHub MCP server by default. Add custom MCP servers:

/mcp add             # Interactive configuration
/mcp show            # List configured servers
/mcp edit <name>     # Modify existing server

Config stored in: ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json

Skills

Skills enhance Copilot's task performance with instructions and scripts.

Locations:

• Project: .github/skills/ or .claude/skills/
• Personal: ~/.copilot/skills/ or ~/.claude/skills/

Structure:

.github/skills/my-skill/
└── SKILL.md    # Instructions with YAML frontmatter

Custom Agents

Specialized agent profiles stored as Markdown files.

Locations:

• User: ~/.copilot/agents/
• Repository: .github/agents/
• Organization: .github-private/agents/

Custom Instructions

Repository-specific guidance for Copilot:

• .github/copilot-instructions.md - Repository-wide
• .github/instructions/**/*.instructions.md - Path-specific
• AGENTS.md - Agent behavior instructions

Troubleshooting Quick Tips

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Version: 1.0.0 | Status: Public Preview Note: GitHub Copilot CLI is in public preview and subject to change.

GitHub Copilot CLI Examples

Practical examples for GitHub Copilot CLI usage.

Last Updated: 2026-01-25

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Installation Examples

Fresh Install on macOS

# Install with Homebrew
brew install copilot-cli

# Verify installation
copilot --version

# Launch and authenticate
copilot
# Follow /login prompt when prompted

Fresh Install on Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Option 1: Using npm (requires Node.js 22+)
npm install -g @github/copilot

# Option 2: Using install script
curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install | bash

# Add to PATH if using script (add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc)
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

# Launch
copilot

Fresh Install on Windows

# Using WinGet
winget install GitHub.Copilot

# Launch in PowerShell
copilot

Update to Latest Version

# Homebrew
brew upgrade copilot-cli

# npm
npm update -g @github/copilot

# WinGet
winget upgrade GitHub.Copilot

# Verify version
copilot --version

Install Specific Version

# npm
npm install -g @github/copilot@0.0.394

# Install script
curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install | VERSION="v0.0.394" bash

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Authentication Examples

Browser Authentication (Recommended)

copilot
# When prompted:
> /login
# Browser opens, complete GitHub OAuth flow
# Return to terminal - authenticated!

PAT Authentication

# 1. Create PAT at: https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new
# 2. Add "Copilot Requests" permission
# 3. Set environment variable

# Linux/macOS (add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc)
export GH_TOKEN=ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxx

# Windows PowerShell
$env:GH_TOKEN = "ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxx"

# Launch - automatically authenticated
copilot

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Basic Usage Examples

Ask Questions

> What does this codebase do?

> Explain the authentication flow in this project

> How do I run the tests?

Include Files in Context

> @src/auth/login.ts Explain this authentication logic

> @package.json What dependencies are outdated?

> @config/database.yml and @src/db/connection.py - are these consistent?

Execute Shell Commands

> !git status

> !npm test

> !ls -la src/

Create and Modify Code

> Create a new React component for user profile

> Fix the bug in @src/utils/parser.js where empty arrays cause errors

> Add input validation to the signup form

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Slash Command Examples

Context Management

# View current token usage
/context

# Compress conversation to save tokens
/compact

# Clear and start fresh
/clear

Working Directory

# Show current directory
/cwd

# Change directory
/cd ~/projects/my-app

# Add trusted directory
/add-dir /path/to/external/lib

# List all trusted directories
/list-dirs

Model Selection

# See available models
/model

# Select specific model
/model claude-sonnet-4.5
/model gpt-5

Session Management

# View session info
/session

# View checkpoints
/session checkpoints

# View modified files
/session files

# Rename session
/rename "feature-authentication"

# Resume previous session
/resume

# Share session to file
/share file session-log.md

# Share to GitHub Gist
/share gist

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MCP Server Examples

View Configured Servers

/mcp show

Add Filesystem Server

/mcp add
# Interactive prompts:
# Name: filesystem-server
# Command: npx
# Args: -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/project
# (Tab between fields, Ctrl+S to save)

Add Custom API Server

/mcp add
# Name: custom-api
# Command: node
# Args: /path/to/my-mcp-server.js
# Environment variables as needed

Manual Configuration

Edit ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@github/mcp-server"]
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/home/user/projects"]
    },
    "database": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/db-mcp-server.js"],
      "env": {
        "DATABASE_URL": "postgres://localhost:5432/mydb"
      }
    }
  }
}

Manage Servers

# Disable without removing
/mcp disable database

# Re-enable
/mcp enable database

# Edit configuration
/mcp edit filesystem

# Delete permanently
/mcp delete old-server

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Skills Examples

View Available Skills

/skills list

Create a Simple Skill

Create .github/skills/my-debugging-skill/SKILL.md:

````markdown --- name: my-debugging-skill description: Debug failing tests with systematic approach. Use when tests fail or debugging is needed. ---

Test Debugging Skill

When to Use

Activate when:

• Tests are failing
• Need systematic debugging approach
• Investigating test flakiness

Debugging Process

1. Run the failing test in isolation 2. Add verbose logging to identify failure point 3. Check test data and fixtures 4. Verify mocking is correct 5. Run with debugger if needed

Commands

# Run single test
pytest tests/test_file.py::test_function -v

# With debugger
pytest tests/test_file.py::test_function --pdb

````

### Create Skill with Scripts

Directory structure:

.github/skills/api-testing/ ├── SKILL.md └── scripts/ └── test_api.sh

````

SKILL.md:

---
name: api-testing
description: Test REST APIs with curl commands. Use for API testing and validation.
---

# API Testing Skill

## Quick Test

Run `scripts/test_api.sh <endpoint>` for standard API validation.

## Manual Testing

GET request

curl -X GET https://api.example.com/resource

POST with JSON

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"key": "value"}' https://api.example.com/resource ````

````

Personal vs Project Skills

# Project skill (current repo only)
mkdir -p .github/skills/my-skill
# OR
mkdir -p .claude/skills/my-skill

# Personal skill (all projects)
mkdir -p ~/.copilot/skills/my-skill
# OR
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/my-skill

---

Custom Agent Examples

Create a Refactoring Agent

Create ~/.copilot/agents/refactor-agent.md:

# Refactoring Agent

You are a code refactoring specialist. When asked to refactor code:

1. **Analyze First**: Understand current structure before changing
2. **Small Steps**: Make incremental changes, test after each
3. **Preserve Behavior**: Never change functionality during refactoring
4. **Document**: Explain each refactoring decision

## Refactoring Patterns to Apply

- Extract Method: Break up large functions
- Rename: Use intention-revealing names
- Remove Duplication: DRY principle
- Simplify Conditionals: Guard clauses, early returns

## Anti-Patterns to Avoid

- Over-abstraction
- Premature optimization
- Breaking existing tests

Use Custom Agent

# Interactive selection
/agent
# Select "refactor-agent" from list

# In prompt
Use the refactoring agent to improve the code in @src/utils.js

# Command line
copilot --agent=refactor-agent --prompt "Refactor the authentication module"

Repository-Level Agent

Create .github/agents/code-reviewer.md:

# Project Code Reviewer

You review code for this specific project. Apply these rules:

1. Check for project coding standards (see CONTRIBUTING.md)
2. Verify test coverage for new code
3. Ensure documentation is updated
4. Check for security vulnerabilities
5. Validate performance considerations

---

Delegation Examples

Delegate to Copilot Coding Agent

# Hand off current work to remote agent
/delegate complete the API integration and add tests

# Copilot will:
# 1. Commit unstaged changes
# 2. Create new branch
# 3. Open draft PR
# 4. Copilot coding agent continues work remotely
# 5. Returns link to PR

Resume Delegated Session

# Launch with resume
copilot --resume

# Select the delegated session
# Continue work locally with full context

---

Workflow Examples

Feature Development Workflow

# 1. Start in project directory
cd ~/projects/my-app
copilot

# 2. Understand current state
> What's the structure of this codebase?

# 3. Plan implementation
/plan implement user authentication with JWT

# 4. Begin implementation
> Create the authentication module

# 5. Test
> Run the authentication tests

# 6. Review changes
/diff

# 7. Delegate for PR creation
/delegate create PR with proper description and tests

Debugging Workflow

# 1. Start in project with failing tests
copilot

# 2. Run tests to see failures
> !npm test

# 3. Investigate
> @tests/auth.test.js Why is this test failing?

# 4. Fix
> Fix the issue in the authentication test

# 5. Verify
> Run the tests again to confirm the fix

Code Review Workflow

# 1. Use review agent
/review Check the changes in this branch for issues

# 2. Or manually
> Review @src/new-feature.js for bugs, security issues, and best practices

# 3. Apply suggestions
> Apply the suggested improvements

---

Troubleshooting Examples

Copilot Not Found

# Check if installed
which copilot

# If not found, check PATH
echo $PATH

# Add to PATH (bash/zsh)
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
source ~/.bashrc

Authentication Issues

# Clear and re-authenticate
/logout
/login

# Check token (if using PAT)
echo $GH_TOKEN | head -c 10

MCP Server Not Working

# Check configuration
cat ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json | jq

# Test server manually
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem $(pwd)

# Check for errors in server logs
/mcp show

Skill Not Activating

# Verify skill location
ls -la .github/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md
ls -la ~/.copilot/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md

# Reload skills
/skills reload

# Check skill is listed
/skills list

# Verify YAML frontmatter is valid
head -20 .github/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md

---

Integration with amplihack

Reference amplihack Agents

> Use the architect agent to design this system

> Apply the reviewer agent's checklist to this code

> Reference the builder agent's patterns for implementation

Use amplihack Skills

/skills list
# Shows all amplihack skills available

> Use the code-smell-detector skill on @src/

Follow amplihack Workflows

> Follow the DEFAULT_WORKFLOW for implementing this feature

> Use the investigation workflow to understand this codebase

---

Maintainer: amplihack framework Last Review: 2026-01-25

GitHub Copilot CLI Reference

Complete technical reference for GitHub Copilot CLI.

Last Updated: 2026-01-25

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Table of Contents

1. Installation Reference 2. Authentication 3. Slash Commands Reference 4. Keyboard Shortcuts 5. MCP Server Configuration 6. Skills System 7. Custom Agents 8. Custom Instructions 9. Permissions System 10. Environment Variables 11. Configuration Files

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Installation Reference

Prerequisites

• Active Copilot subscription: Pro, Pro+, Business, or Enterprise
• Windows: PowerShell v6 or higher
• npm install: Node.js 22+
• Organization/Enterprise: Copilot CLI policy must be enabled

Installation Methods

WinGet (Windows)

# Stable
winget install GitHub.Copilot

# Prerelease
winget install GitHub.Copilot.Prerelease

# Update
winget upgrade GitHub.Copilot

Homebrew (macOS/Linux)

# Stable
brew install copilot-cli

# Prerelease
brew install copilot-cli@prerelease

# Update
brew upgrade copilot-cli

npm (All Platforms, Node.js 22+)

# Stable
npm install -g @github/copilot

# Prerelease
npm install -g @github/copilot@prerelease

# Update
npm update -g @github/copilot

# Check version
copilot --version

Install Script (macOS/Linux)

# Default (installs to ~/.local/bin)
curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install | bash

# With sudo (installs to /usr/local/bin)
curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install | sudo bash

# Specific version to custom directory
curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install | VERSION="v0.0.369" PREFIX="$HOME/custom" bash

# Using wget
wget -qO- https://gh.io/copilot-install | bash

Environment Variables for Install Script:

• VERSION: Specific version to install (default: latest)
• PREFIX: Installation directory (default: ~/.local or /usr/local for root)

Direct Download

Download from GitHub Releases and extract.

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Authentication

Browser-based Login

copilot          # Launch CLI
/login           # Follow browser authentication flow

Personal Access Token (PAT)

1. Create fine-grained PAT at https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new 2. Add Copilot Requests permission 3. Set environment variable:

export GH_TOKEN=ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxx
# OR
export GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxx

Precedence: GH_TOKEN > GITHUB_TOKEN

Logout

/logout

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Slash Commands Reference

Session Management

Navigation

Model & Agents

Available Models (use /model to see current list):

• Claude Sonnet 4.5 (default)
• Claude Sonnet 4
• GPT-5

Tools & Extensions

Utility

---

Keyboard Shortcuts

Global Shortcuts

Timeline Shortcuts

Motion Shortcuts

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MCP Server Configuration

Managing MCP Servers

/mcp show              # List configured servers
/mcp add               # Interactive add (Tab to navigate, Ctrl+S to save)
/mcp edit <name>       # Modify existing server
/mcp delete <name>     # Remove server
/mcp disable <name>    # Disable without deleting
/mcp enable <name>     # Re-enable disabled server

Configuration File

Location: ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json Override with: XDG_CONFIG_HOME environment variable

JSON Schema

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "server-name": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@package/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "MY_ENV_VAR": "my-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Built-in MCP Server

GitHub MCP server is pre-configured, providing:

• Repository access
• Issue and PR management
• Workflow run information
• GitHub API interactions

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Skills System

Skill Locations

SKILL.md Structure

---
name: my-skill-name
description: What this skill does and when to use it
license: MIT (optional)
---

# Skill Title

## Purpose

What this skill accomplishes.

## Instructions

Step-by-step guidance for Copilot.

Required Frontmatter

• name: Lowercase, hyphens allowed, unique identifier
• description: What skill does and when Copilot should use it

Managing Skills

/skills list           # Show available skills
/skills info <name>    # Details about skill
/skills add <path>     # Add skill from path
/skills remove <name>  # Remove skill
/skills reload         # Refresh skill cache

---

Custom Agents

Agent Locations

Priority: System > Repository > Organization > Enterprise

Built-in Agents

Using Agents

# Interactive selection
/agent

# In prompt
Use the refactoring agent to clean up this code

# Command line
copilot --agent=plan --prompt "Design authentication system"

---

Custom Instructions

Supported Files

Environment Variable

COPILOT_CUSTOM_INSTRUCTIONS_DIRS: Additional directories for instructions

---

Permissions System

Path Permissions

Default Access:

• Current working directory
• Subdirectories
• System temp directory

Adding Directories:

/add-dir /path/to/directory

Bypass Path Verification:

copilot --allow-all-paths

Limitations:

• Complex shell constructs may not detect paths
• Only HOME, TMPDIR, PWD and similar variables expanded
• Custom variables like $MY_PROJECT_DIR not validated
• Symlinks resolved for existing files only

URL Permissions

Default: All URLs require approval

Pre-approve Domains:

copilot --allow-url github.com

Bypass URL Verification:

copilot --allow-all-urls

Tool Approval

When Copilot requests tool use:

1. Yes: Approve once 2. Yes, and approve for session: Approve for remaining session 3. No (Esc): Deny and redirect

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Environment Variables

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Configuration Files

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Command Line Options

copilot [options]

Options:
  --banner              Show animated banner on launch
  --resume              Cycle through and resume sessions
  --continue            Resume most recent session
  --agent=<name>        Use specific agent
  --prompt "<text>"     Start with specific prompt
  --allow-all-paths     Disable path verification
  --allow-all-urls      Disable URL verification
  --allow-url <domain>  Pre-approve specific domain
  --version             Show version
  --help                Show help

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Version Information

Current Status: Public Preview (with data protection) Repository: https://github.com/github/copilot-cli Documentation: https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/about-copilot-cli

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Maintainer: amplihack framework Last Review: 2026-01-25