Intermediate
How to install GitHub Copilot CLI on GitHub Copilot
Quick Answer
Install GitHub Copilot CLI by running npm install -g @githubnext/github-copilot-cli, then authenticate with gh auth login and configure with copilot auth. The CLI provides AI-powered command suggestions directly in your terminal.
Prerequisites
- Active GitHub Copilot subscription
- Node.js 16 or higher installed
- Git installed on your system
- Command line/terminal access
1
Verify Prerequisites
Open your terminal and check that Node.js is installed by running
node --version. Ensure you have version 16 or higher. Also verify Git is installed with git --version. If either is missing, install them before proceeding.Tip
Use nvm (Node Version Manager) to easily manage Node.js versions if you need to upgrade.
2
Install GitHub CLI
First install the GitHub CLI if you haven't already. On macOS, run
brew install gh. On Windows, use winget install --id GitHub.cli. On Linux, follow the installation instructions at cli.github.com. Verify installation with gh --version.Tip
The GitHub CLI is required for authentication and integration with Copilot services.
3
Install GitHub Copilot CLI Extension
Install the Copilot CLI extension by running
gh extension install github/gh-copilot. This will download and install the latest version of the Copilot CLI extension directly through the GitHub CLI.4
Authenticate with GitHub
Authenticate your GitHub CLI with your account by running
gh auth login. Select GitHub.com, choose HTTPS as your preferred protocol, and select Login with a web browser. Follow the browser prompts to complete authentication.Tip
Make sure you're logged into the GitHub account that has Copilot access.
5
Verify Copilot Access
Check that your account has Copilot access by running
gh copilot --help. You should see the help menu with available commands like explain and suggest. If you get an error, verify your Copilot subscription is active.Tip
Contact your organization admin if you're on a business plan and don't have access.
6
Test Basic Functionality
Test the installation by running
gh copilot suggest "list files in current directory". Copilot should provide command suggestions like ls or dir. Try gh copilot explain "git status" to test the explain feature.Tip
Use quotes around your prompts to ensure they're processed correctly.
7
Set Up Shell Aliases (Optional)
Create convenient aliases by adding these lines to your shell profile (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.):
Reload your shell with
alias ghcs="gh copilot suggest"alias ghce="gh copilot explain"Reload your shell with
source ~/.bashrc or restart your terminal.Tip
These aliases make it faster to access Copilot CLI features during daily use.
Troubleshooting
Command not found error when running gh copilot
Ensure the extension is properly installed with
gh extension list. If missing, reinstall with gh extension install github/gh-copilot. Make sure your GitHub CLI is updated with gh extension upgrade --all.Authentication failed or access denied errors
Re-authenticate with
gh auth logout followed by gh auth login. Verify your GitHub account has an active Copilot subscription by checking your GitHub billing settings.Copilot suggestions are not relevant or poor quality
Be more specific in your prompts and include context about your operating system or environment. Use natural language and describe what you want to accomplish rather than technical jargon.
Extension installation fails with permission errors
On macOS/Linux, you may need to use
sudo for the GitHub CLI installation. On Windows, run your terminal as Administrator. Alternatively, install GitHub CLI through official installers rather than package managers.Ready to get started with GitHub Copilot?
Put this tutorial into practice. Visit GitHub Copilot and follow the steps above.
Visit GitHub Copilot →