March 20, 2026 9 min to read

Copilot CLI Tutorial: Your First Session & Commit Summaries in 2026

Image credit: GitHub Blog

TL;DR: This tutorial walks you through your first Copilot CLI session, explains interactive vs. programmatic modes, and shows how to safely summarize recent commits in any repo. You’ll learn about trust, permissions, and security—plus get step-by-step commands and screenshots. No prior Copilot CLI experience required; just basic Git and terminal skills. Estimated time: 15 minutes.

Prerequisites

You’ll need:

• GitHub Copilot CLI (latest) (install guide)
• GitHub CLI (gh) v2.50+ (install link)
• A GitHub account with Copilot subscription
• Basic Git and terminal knowledge
• ~15 minutes

Tested on: Windows 11, macOS 14, Ubuntu 22.04

[STAT: As of 2026, Copilot CLI adoption has grown 300% YoY among developers (GitHub, 2026).]

What We’re Building

Here’s what you’ll achieve:

What it does:

• Launches Copilot CLI in interactive and programmatic modes
• Explains trust, permissions, and security prompts
• Summarizes the last 5 commits in your repository

Architecture overview:

• User terminal → Copilot CLI → Git (via trusted permissions) → Output summary

[INTERNAL-LINK: Copilot CLI installation guide → detailed setup instructions]

Setting Up Your Environment

The setup takes about 5 minutes and ensures Copilot CLI is ready for your first session.

Step 1: Install GitHub CLI and Copilot CLI

# Install GitHub CLI (macOS)
brew install gh
# Or Windows:
winget install GitHub.cli
# Or Linux:
sudo apt-get install gh

# Enable Copilot CLI
gh extension install github/gh-copilot

Step 2: Authenticate with GitHub

gh auth login

Step 3: Verify Copilot CLI

gh copilot -h

Expected output:

Interact with GitHub Copilot from the command line
...

Common setup errors:

Step 1: Interactive vs. Programmatic Modes

In this step, you’ll learn the two main ways to use Copilot CLI: interactive (chat-like) and programmatic (single-shot). This is crucial for choosing the right workflow.

Interactive Mode:

• Start a persistent session:

  gh copilot
  

• You can ask follow-up questions, use slash commands, and preview every action before execution.
• Example:

  Summarize the last 5 commits.
  

• Copilot suggests a command (e.g., git log -n 5 --pretty=format:"%h %s"), shows a preview, and waits for your approval.

Programmatic Mode:

• Run a single prompt as a one-off command:

  gh copilot -p "Summarize the last 5 commits in this repository." --allow-tool 'shell(git)'
  

• Ideal for scripts, CI/CD, or batch tasks. Less interactive, but faster for automation.

[IMAGE: Screenshot of both modes in terminal]

What just happened: You now know when to use each mode for safety and efficiency.

[INFO-GAIN: Interactive mode is safer for beginners, while programmatic mode is powerful for automation—just be careful with permissions.]

Step 2: Trust, Permissions, and Security

In this step, you’ll see how Copilot CLI manages trust and permissions to keep your system safe.

• Trusted Directories:
  • Copilot CLI requires you to “trust” a directory before it can read/write/execute files there.
  • Trust is managed in your config file (e.g., ~/.copilot/config.json).
• Tool Permissions:
  • The first time Copilot needs to use a tool (like git), you’ll get a prompt:
    • Allow once
    • Allow for this session
    • Deny
  • You can set allow/deny lists with flags like --allow-tool or --deny-tool.
• Security Best Practices:
  • Avoid --allow-all-tools unless absolutely necessary.
  • Always review suggested commands before confirming.
  • For CI/CD, restrict permissions to only what’s needed.

[IMAGE: Screenshot of trust and permission prompt]

Expected output:

Copilot CLI needs permission to run: git
Allow? (y/n)

Watch out: Never blindly allow all tools or run Copilot CLI in untrusted directories.

[INTERNAL-LINK: Copilot CLI security best practices → in-depth security guide]

Step 3: Summarize Recent Commits (Practical Example)

In this step, you’ll use Copilot CLI to summarize the last 5 commits in your repository.

Interactive Mode

gh copilot
# In the Copilot prompt:
Summarize the last 5 commits.
# Copilot previews:
git log -n 5 --pretty=format:"%h %s"
# Approve to run and see the summary.

Programmatic Mode

gh copilot -p "Summarize the last 5 commits in this repository." --allow-tool 'shell(git)'
# Output:
# <summary of last 5 commits>

[IMAGE: Screenshot of commit summary output]

What just happened: Copilot CLI generated and ran a safe Git command to summarize your repo’s history.

[INFO-GAIN: This workflow is ideal for daily standups, code reviews, or onboarding new team members.]

Testing Your Setup

Run this quick test to verify everything works:

gh copilot -p "Summarize the last 3 commits."

Expected result:

<summary of last 3 commits>

• Copilot CLI responds with a summary
• No permission errors
• Output matches your recent commit history

[VISUAL: Flowchart of Copilot CLI workflow]

Troubleshooting

Here are the 5 most common issues and how to fix them.

[INFO-GAIN: If using CI/CD, always restrict permissions and review logs for unexpected actions.]

Still stuck? GitHub Copilot CLI Docs

[STAT: 92% of Copilot CLI issues are resolved by reinstalling or re-authenticating (GitHub Community, 2026).]

Next Steps

Now that you have a working Copilot CLI setup, here’s how to take it further.

Extend this project:

• Automate code review summaries — [INTERNAL-LINK: Copilot CLI for PR reviews → advanced tutorial]
• Integrate with CI/CD pipelines — [INTERNAL-LINK: Copilot CLI in GitHub Actions → workflow guide]
• Explore custom agents and skills

Related tutorials:

• [INTERNAL-LINK: Copilot CLI installation guide]
• [INTERNAL-LINK: Copilot CLI vs Copilot Chat → part 1 of this series]
• [INTERNAL-LINK: Everyday Copilot CLI workflows → next in series]

Official resources:

• GitHub Copilot CLI Docs
• Copilot CLI Security Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I switch between interactive and programmatic modes?

Start interactive mode with gh copilot. For single-shot prompts, use gh copilot -p "your prompt".

Is it safe to allow Copilot CLI to run system tools?

Yes, if you review each permission prompt and avoid --allow-all-tools. Only approve tools you trust and need.

Can I use Copilot CLI in CI/CD pipelines?

Yes! Use programmatic mode with explicit --allow-tool flags for safe automation. Always restrict permissions in CI.

What if Copilot CLI suggests a risky command?

Always review the preview. If unsure, deny or edit the command before running. Never run destructive commands without understanding them.

Does Copilot CLI work on Windows, macOS, and Linux?

Yes, Copilot CLI is cross-platform and works on all major operating systems.

[INTERNAL-LINK: Copilot CLI troubleshooting guide → detailed FAQ]

FAQ

What’s the difference between interactive and programmatic modes?

Interactive mode (gh copilot) is conversational - you chat with the AI and refine results. Programmatic mode (gh copilot -p) is for automation - you provide a complete prompt and get immediate output. Use interactive for exploration, programmatic for scripts and CI/CD.

Do I need to trust every repository?

No! Only trust repositories you control or from verified sources. Trust settings persist per repository, so Copilot CLI remembers your preferences. You can revoke trust anytime with gh copilot trust revoke.

Can Copilot CLI access my sensitive files?

Only if you explicitly grant file access via --allow-tool flags. By default, Copilot CLI sees only the prompt you provide and basic shell context (working directory, git branch). Never grant access to files containing secrets.

How do I summarize commits from a specific author?

Use: gh copilot -p "Summarize commits by [author-name] in the last month" --allow-tool 'shell(git log)'. You can filter by date, author, or file path using standard git log syntax.

Is my code sent to GitHub when using Copilot CLI?

Copilot CLI sends only the specific context you authorize (via --allow-tool flags) plus your prompt. File contents, environment variables, and credentials are never automatically sent. Always review what tools you’re allowing before confirming.

Can I use Copilot CLI in CI/CD pipelines?

Yes, but with caution. Use programmatic mode (-p) with explicit --allow-tool permissions. Never store GitHub tokens in plaintext - use secure secret management. Example: gh copilot -p "Run tests" --allow-tool 'shell(npm test)' in GitHub Actions with $.

Complete Source Code

GitHub repository: Copilot CLI Official

Continue to Part 3: Copilot CLI vs VS Code Copilot Chat to understand when to use each tool.