/copilot-sdk

name: copilot-sdk
description: Build agentic applications with GitHub Copilot SDK. Use when embedding AI agents in apps, creating custom tools, implementing streaming responses, managing sessions, connecting to MCP servers, or creating custom agents. Triggers on Copilot SDK, GitHub SDK, agentic app, embed Copilot, programmable agent, MCP server, custom agent.

GitHub Copilot SDK

Embed Copilot's agentic workflows in any application using Python, TypeScript, Go, or .NET.

Overview

The GitHub Copilot SDK exposes the same engine behind Copilot CLI: a production-tested agent runtime you can invoke programmatically. No need to build your own orchestration - you define agent behavior, Copilot handles planning, tool invocation, file edits, and more.

Prerequisites

1. **GitHub Copilot CLI** installed and authenticated ([Installation guide](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/set-up/install-copilot-cli)) 2. **Language runtime**: Node.js 18+, Python 3.8+, Go 1.21+, or .NET 8.0+

Verify CLI: `copilot --version`

Installation

Node.js/TypeScript

mkdir copilot-demo && cd copilot-demo
npm init -y --init-type module
npm install @github/copilot-sdk tsx

Python

pip install github-copilot-sdk

Go

mkdir copilot-demo && cd copilot-demo
go mod init copilot-demo
go get github.com/github/copilot-sdk/go

.NET

dotnet new console -n CopilotDemo && cd CopilotDemo
dotnet add package GitHub.Copilot.SDK

Quick Start

TypeScript

import { CopilotClient } from "@github/copilot-sdk";

const client = new CopilotClient();
const session = await client.createSession({ model: "gpt-4.1" });

const response = await session.sendAndWait({ prompt: "What is 2 + 2?" });
console.log(response?.data.content);

await client.stop();
process.exit(0);

Run: `npx tsx index.ts`

Python

import asyncio
from copilot import CopilotClient

async def main():
    client = CopilotClient()
    await client.start()

    session = await client.create_session({"model": "gpt-4.1"})
    response = await session.send_and_wait({"prompt": "What is 2 + 2?"})

    print(response.data.content)
    await client.stop()

asyncio.run(main())

Go

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "log"
    "os"
    copilot "github.com/github/copilot-sdk/go"
)

func main() {
    client := copilot.NewClient(nil)
    if err := client.Start(); err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }
    defer client.Stop()

    session, err := client.CreateSession(&copilot.SessionConfig{Model: "gpt-4.1"})
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }

    response, err := session.SendAndWait(copilot.MessageOptions{Prompt: "What is 2 + 2?"}, 0)
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(*response.Data.Content)
    os.Exit(0)
}

.NET (C#)

using GitHub.Copilot.SDK;

await using var client = new CopilotClient();
await using var session = await client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig { Model = "gpt-4.1" });

var response = await session.SendAndWaitAsync(new MessageOptions { Prompt = "What is 2 + 2?" });
Console.WriteLine(response?.Data.Content);

Run: `dotnet run`

Streaming Responses

Enable real-time output for better UX:

TypeScript

import { CopilotClient, SessionEvent } from "@github/copilot-sdk";

const client = new CopilotClient();
const session = await client.createSession({
    model: "gpt-4.1",
    streaming: true,
});

session.on((event: SessionEvent) => {
    if (event.type === "assistant.message_delta") {
        process.stdout.write(event.data.deltaContent);
    }
    if (event.type === "session.idle") {
        console.log(); // New line when done
    }
});

await session.sendAndWait({ prompt: "Tell me a short joke" });

await client.stop();
process.exit(0);

Python

import asyncio
import sys
from copilot import CopilotClient
from copilot.generated.session_events import SessionEventType

async def main():
    client = CopilotClient()
    await client.start()

    session = await client.create_session({
        "model": "gpt-4.1",
        "streaming": True,
    })

    def handle_event(event):
        if event.type == SessionEventType.ASSISTANT_MESSAGE_DELTA:
            sys.stdout.write(event.data.delta_content)
            sys.stdout.flush()
        if event.type == SessionEventType.SESSION_IDLE:
            print()

    session.on(handle_event)
    await session.send_and_wait({"prompt": "Tell me a short joke"})
    await client.stop()

asyncio.run(main())

Go

session, err := client.CreateSession(&copilot.SessionConfig{
    Model:     "gpt-4.1",
    Streaming: true,
})

session.On(func(event copilot.SessionEvent) {
    if event.Type == "assistant.message_delta" {
        fmt.Print(*event.Data.DeltaContent)
    }
    if event.Type == "session.idle" {
        fmt.Println()
    }
})

_, err = session.SendAndWait(copilot.MessageOptions{Prompt: "Tell me a short joke"}, 0)

.NET

await using var session = await client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig
{
    Model = "gpt-4.1",
    Streaming = true,
});

session.On(ev =>
{
    if (ev is AssistantMessageDeltaEvent deltaEvent)
        Console.Write(deltaEvent.Data.DeltaContent);
    if (ev is SessionIdleEvent)
        Console.WriteLine();
});

await session.SendAndWaitAsync(new MessageOptions { Prompt = "Tell me a short joke" });

Custom Tools

Define tools that Copilot can invoke during reasoning. When you define a tool, you tell Copilot: 1. **What the tool does** (description) 2. **What parameters it needs** (schema) 3. **What code to run** (handler)

TypeScript (JSON Schema)

import { CopilotClient, defineTool, SessionEvent } from "@github/copilot-sdk";

const getWeather = defineTool("get_weather", {
    description: "Get the current weather for a city",
    parameters: {
        type: "object",
        properties: {
            city: { type: "string", descr