GitHub Copilot CLI – Your AI-Powered Terminal Assistant

What is GitHub Copilot CLI?

GitHub Copilot CLI is an AI-powered tool that brings the power of GitHub Copilot’s intelligence right into your terminal.
It lets you generate, explain, and refine shell commands and scripts using plain English—so you can be faster, safer, and more productive at the command line.

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🚀 Key Features

• Natural Language to Shell:
  Type what you want to do in English and Copilot CLI suggests the best shell command.

• Command Explanations:
  Unsure about a complex command? Get a clear, human-readable explanation instantly.

• Script Generation:
  Need a Bash script? Just describe your goal, and Copilot CLI generates it for you.

• Context Awareness:
  The CLI understands what you’re asking and can improve or correct commands on the fly.

• Interactive and Flexible:
  Use for general shell, Git, or GitHub CLI questions.

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🛠️ Installation and Setup

1. Install Copilot CLI

Make sure you have Node.js and npm installed.

npm install -g @githubnext/github-copilot-cli


2. Authenticate
Authorize the CLI with your GitHub account:

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github-copilot-cli auth
Follow the prompts to complete authentication in your browser.


⚡ Using GitHub Copilot CLI
Once set up, use special prefixes to interact with the CLI:

?? – For general shell command help or natural language queries

?? explain <command> – For command explanations

git? – For Git-related questions

gh? – For GitHub CLI questions


Examples:

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?? list all files modified today
# Output: find . -type f -mtime 0

?? explain 'tar -czvf backup.tar.gz *'
# Output: Creates a gzipped tarball of all files in the directory.

🔑 Common Use Cases
Task  You Type  Copilot CLI Suggests
List hidden files  ?? list hidden files  ls -a
Remove all .log files recursively  ?? remove all .log files recursively  find . -name "*.log" -delete
Explain a command  ?? explain 'chmod -R 755 /var/www'  Plain English explanation
Generate a backup script  ?? write a bash script to back up /etc  Script output
Git commit tips  git? how to amend last commit  git commit --amend


📝 Sample Session
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?? create a directory called logs and move all .log files into it
# Output:
# mkdir -p logs
# mv *.log logs/

?? explain 'find . -name "*.js" -type f'
# Output: Finds all JavaScript files recursively in the current directory.

gh? how to create a new repo
# Output: gh repo create <name>


👍 Why Use Copilot CLI?
Productivity: Instantly get correct, context-aware commands—no more endless searching.

Learning: Perfect for beginners learning the shell or Git.

Safety: Understand what commands do before running them.

Speed: Focus on your work, not on memorizing complex syntax.


🔒 Security & Privacy
Copilot CLI does NOT execute commands automatically.
You review and run suggested commands yourself, so you’re always in control.


🌟 Final Thoughts
GitHub Copilot CLI is a powerful, AI-driven assistant that transforms your terminal into a smart, conversational shell.
Boost your productivity, confidence, and learning with every command.

Ready to take your terminal workflow to the next level?
Install GitHub Copilot CLI and start using AI in your shell today!

Want more advanced tips or troubleshooting help? Check the official Copilot CLI repo.



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Let me know if you want to add troubleshooting, advanced bash script recipes, or FAQ!