Copilot CLI Launcher
A VS Code extension that opens the standalone GitHub Copilot CLI coding agent in a new side terminal directly from the editor toolbar. One click, fresh terminal, ready to go.
Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Disclaimer
This extension is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by GitHub or Microsoft. "GitHub Copilot" is a trademark of GitHub, Inc.
Features
- Toolbar launcher — one-click button in the editor title area to start Copilot CLI
- Side-by-side terminal — opens beside the active editor, never reusing existing terminals
- Smart working directory — uses the active editor's workspace folder, with fallback to the first workspace
- Guided installation — offers a consent-based install flow when the default
copilot command is missing
- Configurable — customize the CLI command and terminal label via VS Code settings
- Marketplace-ready visuals — refreshed icon and toolbar mark are bundled with the extension package
- Windows-ready — supports quoted executable paths with spaces
- Privacy-first — no telemetry, analytics, or personal data collection
Requirements
- VS Code
^1.86.0
- GitHub Copilot CLI installed and available as
copilot (npm install -g @github/copilot)
Installation
Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace.
Install GitHub Copilot CLI:
npm install -g @github/copilot
GitHub also supports WinGet on Windows and Homebrew on macOS/Linux; keep copilotCliLauncher.cliCommand set to the command or executable path that launches the standalone copilot CLI.
Open any file in VS Code and click the launcher button in the editor title.
Guided Installation
If the default copilot command is missing, the extension shows a guided warning with options to install GitHub Copilot CLI, open the GitHub documentation, or open the extension settings.
Choosing Install opens a visible terminal and runs a generated prompt script. Installation only starts after explicit confirmation:
GitHub Copilot CLI was not found.
Install GitHub Copilot CLI now? (y/N):
Answer y or yes to run:
npm install -g @github/copilot
Any other answer cancels installation. GitHub also documents WinGet, Homebrew, and install-script alternatives if npm is not your preferred setup path.
How It Works
Each launch creates a new terminal beside the current editor and sends the configured command immediately. Existing terminals are never reused.
The launcher prefers the workspace folder of the active editor for the terminal's working directory. If the active editor is outside the workspace, it falls back to the first workspace folder.
If the default copilot command is not installed, the extension shows the guided installation flow. If a custom executable is configured and cannot be started, the extension opens its settings instead.
Configuration
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
copilotCliLauncher.cliCommand |
copilot |
Command executed when the launcher button is clicked. |
copilotCliLauncher.terminalName |
Copilot CLI |
Base label used for the created terminal. |
copilotCliLauncher.autoInstall |
true |
Offer guided installation when the default copilot command is missing. |
Open settings via the Command Palette: Copilot CLI Launcher: Open Settings
Examples:
Default command:
"copilotCliLauncher.cliCommand": "copilot"
Windows executable path with spaces:
"copilotCliLauncher.cliCommand": "\"C:\\Program Files\\GitHub Copilot\\copilot.exe\""
Troubleshooting
Copilot CLI is not found
Install Copilot CLI globally with npm:
npm install -g @github/copilot
If your setup relies on shell initialization, restart VS Code after installation so new terminals inherit the updated environment.
Check the value of copilotCliLauncher.cliCommand in settings and verify that the same command works in a regular terminal.
Custom executable path on Windows
Quote executable paths that contain spaces, for example: "C:\Program Files\GitHub Copilot\copilot.exe".
Multi-root workspaces
The launcher uses the workspace folder of the active editor. To control where Copilot CLI starts in a multi-root window, open a file from the target workspace before clicking the toolbar button.
Privacy
Copilot CLI Launcher does not collect telemetry, analytics, or personal data.
The extension ships its bundled visual assets inside the VSIX package and does not fetch remote images at runtime.
Development
npm install
npm run check
npm run test:integration
npm run package
npm run package creates the .vsix file in the workspace root.
The repository includes unit tests, metadata checks, VS Code integration smoke tests, and CI coverage for Windows and Linux.
Support
Open a GitHub issue for bugs and feature requests. For support details, see SUPPORT.md.
License
Released under the MIT License.
