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:

winget install GitHub.Copilot

brew install copilot-cli

npm install -g @github/copilot

curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install | bash

Prerelease versions: Add

@prerelease

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

/help

/model

/agent

/skills

/mcp

/delegate [prompt]

/compact

/context

Keyboard Shortcuts

@

!

Esc

Ctrl+C

Ctrl+L

Ctrl+O

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

brew install copilot-cli

npm i -g @github/copilot

/login

~/.copilot/mcp-config.json

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