GitHub Copilot CLI
Your terminal's new sidekick: GitHub Copilot CLI reads, writes, and runs code where you work. Code faster, smarter, together.
Overview
What is Copilot CLI?
Less Setup, More Shipping
Included with Copilot Pro, Plus Pro, Business, and Enterprise - keeping setup simple and cost predictable.
Agent Powered
Execute coding tasks with an agent that knows your repos, issues, and PRs - all natively in your terminal.
Full Control
Inherits your policies and enforces explicit approvals, so you stay in control with full transparency.
Getting Started
Installation & Setup
Installation Options
Choose your preferred installation method:
winget install GitHub.Copilot
brew install copilot-cli
npm install -g @github/copilot
curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install | bash
Starting a Session
Launching Copilot CLI
Start a Copilot session by opening your terminal and running:
copilot
Understanding the Interface
Understanding the Interface
The Copilot CLI interface provides clear indicators and interaction points to streamline your coding workflow.
Key Elements:
  1. Logged In User Context
  1. Current Folder
  1. Active AI Model
  1. Command Input
  1. Exit Command
  1. Recent Commands
Login
Authentication
Quick Login
Run the /login command to authenticate your GitHub account and start using Copilot CLI.
/login
Follow the prompts to complete authentication securely.
Model Selection
Choosing Your AI Model
/model

Each prompt reduces your monthly quota of premium requests by one.
Commands
/commands
To get the list of available commands
The Help Command
/help
Get a list of Interactive shortcuts
Command Auto-Complete
The CLI features intelligent auto-complete functionality. As soon as you type a forward slash, a helpful menu appears showing all available commands. This makes it easy to discover features and reduces the need to memorize command syntax.
Demo Time
DEMO TIME
creating a CSV parser application with GitHub Copilot CLI.
Parse
comma delimited column into a file for each value
Clear
remove all of the output files or just the backups files
Headers Only
display the column names in the file without
Diff
output records that differ between 2 files
Test Suite
A full set of automated tests
Menu Prompts
interactive prompts if parameters are not passed in
Demo Repository
Access the Demo Code
The complete demo repository for the CSV parser application is available on GitHub. You can clone it, explore the prompts, code, and spec file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let's address the most common questions about GitHub Copilot CLI to help you get started with confidence.
Editor Compatibility
Can I use this with any code editor?
Copilot CLI operates independently in your terminal and can modify files that any editor can then display, making it useful regardless of your editor choice, especially for editors that don't have official Copilot extensions.
Custom Tool Extensions
Can I extend Copilot CLI with custom tools?
Yes! Copilot CLI supports Model Context Protocol (MCP) server integrations, allowing you to add custom capabilities and contextual richness tailored to your unique development environment.
This extensibility means you can integrate your own tools, APIs, and workflows directly into the Copilot experience.
Build on previous conversations to maintain context and efficiency?
copilot --resume
Will Copilot CLI integrate directly into VSCode?
Direct integration into VSCode is not available in the current public preview release, but it is being actively considered in the roadmap for future releases.
Security
Security and Compliance
Policy Inheritance
Automatically adopts your organization's governance policies without additional configuration.
Trusted Infrastructure
Built on GitHub's proven platform with enterprise-grade security standards.
Compliance Ready
Meets the same compliance requirements that protect millions of developers.
File Modification and Command Execution
Every file change and command execution requires your explicit approval before being applied. You maintain complete visibility and control over all autonomous actions that Copilot CLI suggests.

This approval-based workflow ensures that you're always in the driver's seat, reviewing and confirming changes before they're applied to your codebase.
Thank You!
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