GitHub Copilot CLI Cheatsheet

Q: How do I install Copilot CLI?

Install it as a GitHub CLI (gh) extension: gh extension install github/gh-copilot. You need gh installed and logged in to a GitHub account first.

Q: What is the difference between gh copilot suggest and gh copilot explain?

suggest gives you terminal commands based on natural language descriptions, while explain reverses the process by explaining what an existing command does. suggest is 'I want to do X, give me the command', explain is 'what does this command do?'.

Q: How do I use the ghcs and ghce shortcuts?

ghcs is an alias for gh copilot suggest, ghce is an alias for gh copilot explain. After setting up aliases, ghcs 'find large files' works the same as gh copilot suggest 'find large files'.

Q: Does Copilot CLI support self-hosted GitHub Enterprise?

Yes, use the --hostname flag to specify a GitHub Enterprise Server instance, or set the GH_HOST environment variable to point to your custom hostname.

Q: Can I execute suggested commands in one step?

Yes. After suggesting a command, Copilot prompts you to execute it. Select Yes to run it automatically. Destructive operations get an additional confirmation prompt.

GitHub Copilot CLI is GitHub's AI terminal assistant, available as a gh extension that provides command suggestions (suggest) and command explanations (explain) to help you work more efficiently in the terminal.

Updated: 2026-07-17·27 commands

Overview

GitHub Copilot CLI brings AI assistance to your terminal, letting you describe tasks in natural language to get command suggestions or explanations. Available as a gh extension, it integrates deeply with the GitHub ecosystem.

Quick Start

``bash # Install GitHub CLI (if not installed) # macOS brew install gh # Ubuntu/Debian sudo apt install gh

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

# Login to GitHub gh auth login --web

# Use the Suggest feature gh copilot suggest "Find all large log files"``

Refer to the command table below for detailed usage.

Installation & Setup

Copilot CLI is distributed as a gh extension. Before installing, ensure you have GitHub CLI (>= 2.0.0) installed and are logged into a GitHub account. Supports macOS, Linux, and Windows.

Command Suggest

Describe what you want to accomplish in natural language, and Copilot CLI recommends terminal commands. Supports interactive selection and direct execution. The ghcs alias provides faster access.

Command Explain

Paste or type a terminal command, and Copilot CLI explains what it does, what each flag means, and the overall effect — helping you understand complex commands or learn new tools.

Configuration & Aliases

Manage settings with gh copilot config, and set up shell aliases for bash, zsh, or PowerShell with gh copilot alias. Supports GH_HOST env var and --hostname flag for GitHub Enterprise instances.

Install & Setup(6)

Command	Level	Example
`gh extension install` Install Copilot CLI gh extension	Basic	`gh extension install github/gh-copilot`
`gh auth login --web` Login to GitHub account via browser	Basic	`gh auth login --web`
`gh auth login` Login to GitHub account via token	Basic	`gh auth login --with-token < token.txt`
`gh copilot --help` View Copilot CLI help information	Basic	`gh copilot --help`
`gh extension upgrade` Upgrade Copilot CLI extension to latest	Basic	`gh extension upgrade gh-copilot`
`gh extension remove` Remove Copilot CLI extension	Basic	`gh extension remove gh-copilot`

Command Suggest(6)

Command	Level	Example
`gh copilot suggest` Suggest terminal commands based on natural language	Basic	`gh copilot suggest 'Find all files larger than 100MB'`
`gh copilot suggest -t` Specify command type (shell/gh/git)	Intermediate	`gh copilot suggest -t gh 'List all open issues'`
`gh copilot suggest -t shell` Get general shell command suggestions	Basic	`gh copilot suggest -t shell 'Monitor disk space'`
`gh copilot suggest -t git` Get git command suggestions	Basic	`gh copilot suggest -t git 'Undo last commit keeping changes'`
`gh copilot suggest -t gh` Get GitHub CLI command suggestions	Basic	`gh copilot suggest -t gh 'Create a new release'`
`Execute suggested command` Select to execute the suggested command	Intermediate	`gh copilot suggest 'Remove temp files' -> Select 'Execute'`

Command Explain(3)

Command	Level	Example
`gh copilot explain` Explain what a terminal command and its flags do	Basic	`gh copilot explain 'git rebase -i HEAD~3'`
`gh copilot explain complex` Explain each part of a complex piped command	Expert	`gh copilot explain 'ps aux \| grep python \| awk "{print \$2}" \| xargs kill -9'`
`gh copilot explain --full` Full explanation of every option and argument	Intermediate	`gh copilot explain --full 'docker run -d --name web -p 80:80 nginx'`

Configuration(6)

Command	Level	Example
`gh copilot config` View or modify Copilot CLI configuration	Intermediate	`gh copilot config`
`gh copilot config set` Set a configuration value	Intermediate	`gh copilot config set editor vim`
`gh copilot config get` Get a specific configuration value	Intermediate	`gh copilot config get editor`
`--hostname` Specify GitHub Enterprise Server hostname	Intermediate	`gh copilot suggest --hostname github.mycompany.com 'List repos'`
`GH_HOST` Environment variable for GitHub Enterprise hostname	Intermediate	`export GH_HOST=github.mycompany.com`
`gh copilot version` Check Copilot CLI version	Basic	`gh copilot version`

Aliases(6)

Command	Level	Example
`gh copilot alias` Set up shell aliases (interactive wizard)	Basic	`gh copilot alias`
`gh copilot alias bash` Set up aliases for Bash (ghcs/ghce)	Basic	`gh copilot alias bash >> ~/.bashrc`
`gh copilot alias zsh` Set up aliases for Zsh (ghcs/ghce)	Basic	`gh copilot alias zsh >> ~/.zshrc`
`gh copilot alias pwsh` Set up aliases for PowerShell (ghcs/ghce)	Basic	`gh copilot alias pwsh >> $PROFILE`
`ghcs` Shortcut alias for gh copilot suggest	Basic	`ghcs 'Kill process on port 3000'`
`ghce` Shortcut alias for gh copilot explain	Basic	`ghce 'lsof -i :3000'`

FAQ

How do I install Copilot CLI?

What is the difference between gh copilot suggest and gh copilot explain?

How do I use the ghcs and ghce shortcuts?

Does Copilot CLI support self-hosted GitHub Enterprise?

Can I execute suggested commands in one step?

This cheatsheet is compiled from official tool documentation. Last updated: 2026-07-17.