copilot-sdk README

The project's README from github.com/github/copilot-sdk. As one markdown file: README.md.

GitHub Copilot CLI SDKs

GitHub Copilot SDK

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Agents for every app.

Embed Copilot's agentic workflows in your application with the GitHub Copilot SDK for Python, TypeScript, Go, .NET, Java, and Rust.

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.

Available SDKs

SDK Location Cookbook Installation API docs
Node.js / TypeScript nodejs/ Cookbook npm install @github/copilot-sdk
Python python/ Cookbook pip install github-copilot-sdk
Go go/ Cookbook go get github.com/github/copilot-sdk/go API docs
.NET dotnet/ Cookbook dotnet add package GitHub.Copilot.SDK
Rust rust/ — cargo add github-copilot-sdk API docs
Java java/ Cookbook Maven coordinates
com.github:copilot-sdk-java
See instructions for Maven and Gradle		 API docs

See the individual SDK READMEs for installation, usage examples, and API reference.

Getting Started

For a complete walkthrough, see the Getting Started Guide.

Quick steps:

  1. (Optional) Install the Copilot CLI

For Node.js, Python, and .NET SDKs, the Copilot CLI is bundled automatically and no separate installation is required. For Go, Java, and Rust, install the CLI manually or ensure copilot is available in your PATH. Go and Rust also expose application-level CLI bundling features.

  1. Install your preferred SDK using the commands above.

  2. See the SDK README for usage examples and API documentation.

Architecture

All SDKs communicate with the Copilot CLI server via JSON-RPC:

Your Application
       ↓
  SDK Client
       ↓ JSON-RPC
  Copilot CLI (server mode)

The SDK manages the CLI process lifecycle automatically. You can also connect to an external CLI server—see the Getting Started Guide for details on running the CLI in server mode.

FAQ

Do I need a GitHub Copilot subscription to use the SDK?

Yes, a GitHub Copilot subscription is required to use the GitHub Copilot SDK, unless you are using BYOK (Bring Your Own Key). With BYOK, you can use the SDK without GitHub authentication by configuring your own API keys from supported LLM providers. For standard usage (non-BYOK), refer to the GitHub Copilot pricing page, which includes a free tier with limited usage.

How does billing work for SDK usage?

Billing for the GitHub Copilot SDK is based on the same model as the Copilot CLI, with each prompt being counted towards your usage allowance. For more information on Copilot usage billing, see Usage in GitHub Copilot.

Does it support BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)?

Yes, the GitHub Copilot SDK supports BYOK (Bring Your Own Key). You can configure the SDK to use your own API keys from supported LLM providers (e.g. OpenAI, Microsoft Foundry, Anthropic) to access models through those providers. See the BYOK documentation for setup instructions and examples.

Note: BYOK uses key-based authentication only. Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), managed identities, and third-party identity providers are not supported.

What authentication methods are supported?

The SDK supports multiple authentication methods:

See the Authentication documentation for details on each method.

Do I need to install the Copilot CLI separately?

No — for Node.js, Python, and .NET SDKs, the Copilot CLI is bundled automatically as a dependency. You do not need to install it separately.

For Go, Java, and Rust SDKs, the CLI is not bundled by default. Install the CLI manually or ensure copilot is available in your PATH. Go and Rust also expose application-level CLI bundling features.

Advanced: You can override the CLI binary or connect to an external server. See the individual SDK README for language-specific options.

What tools are enabled by default?

By default, the SDK exposes the Copilot CLI's first-party tools, similar to running the CLI with --allow-all. Tool execution is still governed by each SDK's permission handler, so applications can approve, deny, or customize tool calls. You can customize tool availability by configuring the SDK client options to enable and disable specific tools. Refer to the individual SDK documentation for details on tool configuration and to the Copilot CLI documentation for the list of available tools.

Can I use custom agents, skills or tools?

Yes, the GitHub Copilot SDK allows you to define custom agents, skills, and tools. You can extend the functionality of the agents by implementing your own logic and integrating additional tools as needed. Refer to the SDK documentation of your preferred language for more details.

Are there instructions or SDK guidance for Copilot to speed up development?

Yes, check out the custom instructions and SDK-specific guidance:

What models are supported?

All models available via Copilot CLI are supported in the SDK. The SDK also exposes a method which will return the models available so they can be accessed at runtime.

Is the SDK production-ready?

The GitHub Copilot SDK is generally available and follows semantic versioning. See CHANGELOG.md for release notes.

How do I report issues or request features?

Please use the GitHub Issues page to report bugs or request new features. We welcome your feedback to help improve the SDK.

Unofficial, Community-maintained SDKs

⚠️ Disclaimer: These are unofficial, community-driven SDKs and they are not supported by GitHub. Use at your own risk.

SDK Location
Clojure copilot-community-sdk/copilot-sdk-clojure
C++ 0xeb/copilot-sdk-cpp

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for contribution guidelines.

License

MIT

copilot-sdk (github/copilot-sdk)

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10.6K ·GitHub
Copilot-sdk
What is this?This is GitHub's official Copilot SDK, letting developers embed GitHub Copilot's agentic workflows (planning, tool invocation, file edits) directly into their own apps and services, with implementations for Python, TypeScript, Go, .NET, Java, and Rust.
Is this a library I import, or a standalone app?It's a library/SDK you add to your own codebase in your language of choice; under the hood it talks to the same engine as the Copilot CLI over JSON-RPC, so you don't have to build your own agent orchestration.
How do I add it to my project?Install the SDK for your language — npm install @github/copilot-sdk, pip install github-copilot-sdk, go get github.com/github/copilot-sdk/go, dotnet add package GitHub.Copilot.SDK, cargo add github-copilot-sdk, or Maven/Gradle for Java — then follow the Getting Started Guide and your SDK's README for usage examples.
Do I need to install the Copilot CLI separately first?Not for Node.js, Python, or .NET — the Copilot CLI is bundled automatically as a dependency. For Go, Java, and Rust you must install the CLI yourself and have it on your PATH; you'll also need a GitHub Copilot subscription, unless you use BYOK with your own LLM provider key.
Does BYOK let me skip GitHub auth entirely?Yes, BYOK lets you use your own API keys from providers like OpenAI, Microsoft Foundry, or Anthropic without GitHub authentication, but it only supports key-based auth — Entra ID, managed identities, and other identity providers aren't supported.
Which authentication methods does the SDK support?It supports GitHub signed-in user (stored OAuth credentials from Copilot CLI login), an OAuth GitHub App flow with user tokens, environment variables like GITHUBTOKEN, or BYOK for provider API keys with no GitHub auth needed.
Can I control which tools the agent is allowed to use?Yes, the SDK exposes Copilot CLI's first-party tools by default (like running with --allow-all), but a permission handler lets your app approve, deny, or customize each tool call, and client options let you enable or disable specific tools.
Is this production-ready?Yes, the SDK is generally available and follows semantic versioning, with a CHANGELOG.md tracking release notes.
Are there SDKs for other languages beyond the official six?Yes, there are unofficial, community-maintained SDKs for Clojure and C++, but GitHub explicitly does not support or vouch for them.
What are similar projects?github-mcp-server, headroom, open-swe, trueforge, TetreesAgent_EX, kimi-code, claude-code-action, composio
Which topics is it in?byok, github-copilot, dotnet, oauth, github, sdk, java, coding-agent, go, rust, agent, mcp
Creator
github
Size
58.7 MB
Stars
10.6K
Updated
CommitOct 16Releasev1.0.22Oct 14
Age
9mo
Commits · 90 Days