Skip to content

desktophero/github-copilot-cli

BranchesTags

Repository files navigation

GitHub Copilot CLI Tips

⚠️ DEPRECATION NOTICE: The gh copilot CLI extension has been deprecated. This repository now covers the new standalone GitHub Copilot CLI.

Migration Info: The new CLI is installed via npm install -g @github/copilot and invoked with copilot (not gh copilot).

A comprehensive guide to using GitHub Copilot CLI effectively.

Table of Contents

Installation

System Requirements

Important: The new standalone GitHub Copilot CLI requires specific minimum versions:

Component Minimum Version Recommended
Node.js 22.x 22.x (Required)
npm 10.x Latest
PowerShell (Windows) 6+ Latest

Breaking Changes:

  • GitHub CLI is no longer required - the new CLI is standalone
  • Node.js 22 is now required (not just recommended)
  • Windows users need PowerShell 6+ (not Windows PowerShell)

Common Issue: If you encounter installation errors, you likely need to update Node.js to version 22.

Prerequisites Setup

1. Install/Update Node.js to Version 22

Using NVM (Recommended):

# Install NVM if not already installed
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc

# Install and use Node.js 22
nvm install 22
nvm use 22
nvm alias default 22

# Verify
node --version  # Should show v22.x.x

Alternative methods:

# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install node@22

# Ubuntu/Debian
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

2. Install the New Standalone CLI

New Installation Method:

# Install the standalone GitHub Copilot CLI
npm install -g @github/copilot

# Verify installation
copilot --version

Migration from old extension:

# Remove the old extension (if installed)
gh extension remove github/gh-copilot

# Install the new standalone CLI
npm install -g @github/copilot

3. Verify Prerequisites

# Download and run our verification script
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/your-username/gh-copilot-cli/main/docs/prerequisites-check.sh | bash

For detailed prerequisites information, see System Requirements Guide.

Automated Setup (Updated for New CLI)

⚠️ Note: The automated setup script is being updated to support the new standalone CLI. Manual installation is recommended for now.

Manual Installation Steps:

# 1. Install the new standalone CLI
npm install -g @github/copilot

# 2. Launch and authenticate
copilot
# (Follow the /login command prompts)

Manual Installation

New Standalone Installation:

# Install the standalone GitHub Copilot CLI
npm install -g @github/copilot

# Launch for first time setup
copilot

Authentication Options:

  1. OAuth Flow (Recommended):

    copilot
# Enter /login and follow the prompts

  2. Personal Access Token:

    # Create a PAT with "Copilot Requests" permission at:
# https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens/new

# Set environment variable
export GH_TOKEN="your-pat-here"
# or
export GITHUB_TOKEN="your-pat-here"

# Launch copilot
copilot

Basic Configuration

Authentication

The new standalone CLI handles authentication internally:

# Launch copilot and use /login command
copilot
# In the copilot shell, run:
# /login

Initial Setup

The new CLI uses an interactive approach:

# Launch copilot - configuration is done through the interactive interface
copilot

Global Configuration

⚠️ Note: The new standalone CLI uses a different configuration system. Global configuration is managed through environment variables and the interactive interface.

Setting Model Preferences

# Use environment variable to set model
export COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5  # or claude-sonnet-4 (default)

# Launch with specific model
COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5 copilot

Authentication Configuration

# Set up authentication token
export GH_TOKEN="your-personal-access-token"
# or
export GITHUB_TOKEN="your-personal-access-token"

Example Configuration

# Environment variables for the new CLI
export COPILOT_MODEL=claude-sonnet-4  # Default model
export GH_TOKEN="ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"  # Your PAT

# Launch options
copilot --banner  # Show the animated banner
COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5 copilot  # Launch with GPT-5

Troubleshooting

Common Setup Errors

Installation Issues

Error: "Cannot find module '@github/copilot'"

# Solution: Install using npm
npm install -g @github/copilot

# Verify installation
copilot --version

Error: Node.js version issues

# The new CLI requires Node.js 22+
nvm install 22
nvm use 22
npm install -g @github/copilot

Authentication Problems

Error: "Authentication failed"

Solution:

  1. Create a fine-grained PAT with "Copilot Requests" permission
  2. Set environment variable: 
    export GH_TOKEN="your-pat-here"
copilot
  3. Or use the /login command in copilot for OAuth flow

Why this happens: The new standalone CLI requires direct authentication, not through GitHub CLI.

For more troubleshooting information, see System Requirements Guide.

For detailed configuration instructions, see:

Model Management

Available Models

The new CLI supports these models:

  • Claude Sonnet 4 (default)
  • GPT-5 (via environment variable)

Set Default Model

# Use environment variable
export COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5

# Launch with specific model
COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5 copilot

# Or on Windows
set COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5
copilot

View Current Model

The current model is displayed in the copilot interface or set by environment variable.

Tools and Extensions

Built-in Capabilities

The new CLI has built-in tools and GitHub integration:

  • Terminal-native development
  • GitHub integration (repos, issues, PRs)
  • Code execution and file operations
  • MCP-powered extensibility

GitHub Integration

# Launch in your project directory
cd /path/to/your/project
copilot

# The CLI automatically detects your GitHub context

Usage Information

Understanding Premium Requests

Each prompt to GitHub Copilot CLI consumes one premium request from your monthly quota.

Usage Commands

# Check basic information - run within copilot
/help          # Show available commands
/feedback      # Submit feedback survey

# Environment check
node --version  # Should be 22+
copilot --version

Common Commands

Starting the CLI

# Basic launch
copilot

# With animated banner
copilot --banner

# With specific model
COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5 copilot

Within the Copilot Interface

/login         # Authenticate with GitHub
/help          # Show available commands
/feedback      # Submit feedback survey

Working with Code

The new CLI uses natural language within the interactive session:

  • "Help me debug this error"
  • "Review my staged changes"
  • "Create a Python REST API"
  • "Explain this codebase"

Tips and Tricks

1. Use Context Effectively

  • Launch copilot from your project directory for automatic context
  • The CLI can access your GitHub repositories, issues, and pull requests
  • Use clear, specific natural language prompts

2. Model Selection Tips

  • Claude Sonnet 4 (default): Excellent for most development tasks
  • GPT-5: Available via COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5 environment variable
  • Models are set at launch time

3. GitHub Integration Best Practices

  • Launch from your project root directory
  • The CLI automatically detects your GitHub context
  • Ask about issues, PRs, and repository information naturally

4. Managing Conversations

  • Each session is independent - no persistent conversation history
  • Use descriptive prompts to provide context in each request
  • Be mindful of premium request quota

5. Productivity Shortcuts

# Create aliases for common usage
alias cop="copilot"
alias copr="COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5 copilot"

# Environment setup in your shell profile
export COPILOT_MODEL=claude-sonnet-4  # Set default model
export GH_TOKEN="your-pat-here"        # Set authentication

6. Integration with Development Workflow

The new CLI integrates directly with your development environment:

  • Automatic detection of project context
  • Access to GitHub repositories and metadata
  • Direct terminal integration without context switching

Configuration Reference

Environment Variables

The new CLI uses environment variables for configuration:

  • COPILOT_MODEL: Set the model (claude-sonnet-4 or gpt-5)
  • GH_TOKEN or GITHUB_TOKEN: Personal access token for authentication

Example Configuration

# In your shell profile (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.)
export COPILOT_MODEL=claude-sonnet-4
export GH_TOKEN="ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

# Create aliases
alias cop="copilot"
alias cop5="COPILOT_MODEL=gpt-5 copilot"

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Installation Problems

# Update Node.js to version 22
nvm install 22 && nvm use 22

# Reinstall the CLI
npm install -g @github/copilot

# Verify installation
copilot --version

Authentication Issues

# Check your PAT has "Copilot Requests" permission
# Set environment variable
export GH_TOKEN="your-pat-here"

# Or use OAuth flow
copilot
# Then use /login command

Model Access Issues

# Verify model setting
echo $COPILOT_MODEL

# Try different model
COPILOT_MODEL=claude-sonnet-4 copilot

Advanced Usage

⚠️ Note: Advanced features like templates and batch operations are not yet available in the new standalone CLI. These were features of the old gh copilot extension.

Current Advanced Features

The new CLI focuses on interactive, conversational development:

# Work with your entire project context
cd /path/to/your/project
copilot
# Ask: "Help me understand this codebase structure"
# Ask: "Review my recent changes"
# Ask: "Create tests for the authentication module"

Future Features

The new CLI is rapidly evolving. Check the official repository for updates on:

  • Batch operations
  • Custom prompt templates
  • Advanced configuration options

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

More Information

For more information, visit:

About

Some learnings and details about using GH Copilot CLI

Resources

Readme

License

MIT license

Contributing

Contributing

Security policy

Security policy
Activity

Stars

1 star

Watchers

0 watching

Forks

0 forks
Report repository

Releases

No releases published

Packages

 
 
 

Contributors

Languages