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:

| Platform | Command | | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | Windows (WinGet) | winget install GitHub.Copilot | | macOS/Linux (Homebrew) | brew install copilot-cli | | All (npm, Node.js 22+) | npm install -g @github/copilot | | macOS/Linux (Script) | curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install \| bash |

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

| Command | Purpose | | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | /help | Show all commands and shortcuts | | /model | Select AI model (Claude Sonnet 4.5, GPT-5, etc.) | | /agent | Browse and select available agents | | /skills | Manage skills | | /mcp | Manage MCP server configuration | | /delegate [prompt] | Hand off to Copilot coding agent (creates PR) | | /compact | Reduce context window usage | | /context | Show token usage visualization |

Keyboard Shortcuts

| Shortcut | Action | | -------- | ----------------------------------- | | @ | Mention files to include in context | | ! | Execute shell command directly | | Esc | Cancel current operation | | Ctrl+C | Cancel / clear / exit | | Ctrl+L | Clear screen | | Ctrl+O | Expand/collapse timeline |

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

| Issue | Solution | | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | Not installed | brew install copilot-cli or npm i -g @github/copilot | | Not authenticated | Run /login in Copilot CLI | | Policy disabled | Check org/enterprise Copilot settings | | MCP server not loading | Verify ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json syntax | | Skill not activating | Restart Copilot CLI, check SKILL.md YAML |

---

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