Integrate GitHub Copilot SDK into Your Apps – Quick Guide

Introduction

GitHub Copilot is more than just an IDE plugin; it’s an AI agent that can write, refactor, and even execute code. The official Copilot SDK exposes that agent behind a simple, language‑agnostic API so you can plug it into any application—web, desktop, CLI, or microservice.

Why use the Copilot SDK?

• Run Copilot inside your own product without the browser.
• Trigger code generation from your own UI.
• Build complex tool chains that combine Copilot with other services.
• Get a single point of billing and usage through the Copilot CLI.

Supported Languages & Installations

The SDK is available in Python, Node.js/TypeScript, Go, and .NET (C#). Installing is a one‑liner per language:

# Node.js / TypeScript
npm install @github/copilot-sdk

# Python
pip install github-copilot-sdk

# Go
go get github.com/github/copilot-sdk/go

# .NET
dotnet add package GitHub.Copilot.SDK

Tip: The SDK bundles the Copilot CLI as a background process. Make sure you have an active GitHub Copilot subscription—free tier CLI is available but limited.

Basic Example – “Hello World” Agent

from github.copilot import Copilot

copilot = Copilot()

# Create a simple agent that writes a greeting
agent = copilot.agent(
    name="greeting-agent",
    description="Generate a friendly greeting in the target language.",
)

response = agent.run("create a greeting function that outputs 'Hello, world!' in Python.")
print(response.content)

Running python hello_agent.py prints a fully‑formed def greet(): function.

Working with Infinite Sessions

Starting from v0.1.18, the SDK supports infinite sessions allowing you to keep the same context alive across multiple prompts. Enable it by passing infinite=True when creating the agent:

agent = copilot.agent(
    name="session-agent",
    infinite=True,
)

Custom Tools & Skills

You can augment Copilot with your own command line tools. Define a Skill:

import { Copilot, Skill } from "@github/copilot-sdk";

const skill = new Skill({
  name: "json‑pretty",
  command: "python -m json.tool",
  description: "Pretty‑prints JSON data.",
});

const copilot = new Copilot({
  tools: [skill],
});

Security & BYOK

The SDK supports Bring‑Your‑Own‑Key (BYOK) for encrypted data in transit. Configure your key via:

COPILOT_BK_SECRET=<your‑hex‑key>

FAQ

• Do I need a paid subscription? – Yes, for production usage. The free CLI tier is available but rate‑limited.
• Is it production‑ready? – The SDK is in Technical Preview. Expect minor changes before GA.
• Can I switch the underlying model? – The SDK exposes a method to list available models; you can pass the model name in agent.run.

Getting Started Resources

• Copilot SDK GitHub Page – Full documentation and samples.
• Copilot CLI Docs – Installation & configuration.
• SDK API Reference – Language‑specific docs.

Conclusion

The GitHub Copilot SDK opens a world where AI writing flows become first‑class citizens inside your own products. With a handful of lines you can launch an agent, tailor it with custom skills, and start generating, refactoring, and even executing code, all while leveraging GitHub’s secure billing model.

Happy coding!