/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 access** and an authenticated environment 2. **Language runtime**: Node.js ^20.19.0 or >=22.12.0, Python 3.11+, Go 1.24+, or a .NET Standard 2.0-compatible implementation 3. **Go**: GitHub Copilot CLI installed and authenticated ([Installation guide](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/set-up/install-copilot-cli))

The TypeScript, Python, and .NET packages use a bundled Copilot runtime by default, so they do not need a separate CLI installation.

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

# Optional: pre-download the bundled runtime instead of downloading it on first use
python -m copilot download-runtime

Published Python wheels include a pinned runtime version. The pre-download command caches that runtime locally; if skipped, the SDK attempts to download it automatically on first use.

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, approveAll } from "@github/copilot-sdk";

const client = new CopilotClient();
const session = await client.createSession({
    onPermissionRequest: approveAll,
    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, PermissionHandler

async def main():
    async with CopilotClient() as client:
        async with await client.create_session(
            on_permission_request=PermissionHandler.approve_all,
            model="gpt-4.1",
        ) as session:
            response = await session.send_and_wait("What is 2 + 2?")
            print(response.data.content)

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{
        OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
        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
{
    OnPermissionRequest = PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
    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, approveAll, SessionEvent } from "@github/copilot-sdk";

const client = new CopilotClient();
const session = await client.createSession({
    onPermissionRequest: approveAll,
    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, PermissionHandler
from copilot.generated.session_events import SessionEventType

async def main():
    async with CopilotClient() as client:
        async with await client.create_session(
            on_permission_request=PermissionHandler.approve_all,
            model="gpt-4.1",
            streaming=True,
        ) as session:
            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("Tell me a short joke")

asyncio.run(main())

Go

session, err := client.CreateSession(&copilot.SessionConfig{
	OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
    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(copi