GitHub Launches Copilot CLI in Public Preview for Terminal-Based Coding

GitHub has announced the public preview of GitHub Copilot CLI, a new command-line interface that brings its AI-powered coding agent directly into developers’ terminals. The release is aimed at making Copilot’s assistance more seamless by removing the need for constant context switching between tools.

With the CLI, developers can now interact with GitHub Copilot synchronously and locally within their command line. The system integrates directly with GitHub, enabling access to repositories, issues and pull requests using natural language commands authenticated through a GitHub account.

The new tool extends beyond simple suggestions, offering agentic capabilities to plan, edit, debug and refactor code. Every action is previewed before execution, giving developers complete control. GitHub also highlighted the CLI’s MCP-powered extensibility, which allows users to run GitHub’s default MCP server and connect custom MCP servers for extended functionality.

Installation is straightforward, requiring only running an npm install command, authenticating with a GitHub account and using an existing Copilot Pro, Pro+, Business or Enterprise plan. 

According to the company, the CLI is particularly useful when exploring new codebases, implementing features directly from tracked issues or debugging projects locally. It positions Copilot not only as a coding assistant inside IDEs, but also as a terminal-native collaborator.

The feature is available across GitHub Copilot Pro, Pro+, Business and Enterprise plans. For organisation-managed accounts, administrators must enable the Copilot CLI policy for users to access it.By embedding Copilot deeper into the developer workflow, GitHub continues to advance its AI strategy. This can serve as an alternative to Gemini CLI or Claude Code for developers looking for a solution from Microsoft.