What is GitHub Copilot CLI?
GitHub Copilot CLI is GitHub's AI coding agent for the terminal, started with the copilot command. It works on the code in your current folder — reading files, making edits and running commands — and uses your GitHub account's Copilot access.
Tallos is a desktop agent development environment that launches Copilot CLI inside isolated workspaces, so you can run several Copilot sessions — or Copilot next to other agent CLIs — on the same repository.
How do I use GitHub Copilot CLI in Tallos?
Install and sign in to Copilot CLI first, following GitHub's guide; Tallos then picks it up on its own. Copilot is not one of the agents on the Connections page, so Tallos does not run its install or sign-in for you.
- 1
Install and sign in with GitHub's guide
In Settings → Agents, the GitHub Copilot row links to GitHub's official install page. Install Copilot CLI and sign in with your GitHub account as described there.
- 2
Let Tallos detect it
Tallos finds
copiloton your PATH and marks it Detected. If you just installed it, click Refresh in Settings → Agents to re-read your shell PATH. - 3
Make it the default
Click Set as default on the GitHub Copilot row. It becomes the pre-selected agent every time you open a new workspace.
- 4
Start a task
Add a repository, click + for a workspace and describe the task. Tallos creates a git worktree on its own branch and starts Copilot CLI there in interactive mode, with your prompt.
How do I run multiple Copilot CLI sessions in parallel?
Open one workspace per task. Each workspace is a separate git worktree with its own branch, files and terminals, so several Copilot sessions can work on the same repository without writing over each other.
- No trust prompt blocking the task. Tallos pre-trusts the new workspace folder for Copilot, so its first-run trust menu does not swallow your prompt.
- Status for every session. Tallos adds Copilot hooks that report working, waiting and done, shown in the sidebar across all workspaces.
- Review each branch. Open a workspace's diff, comment on lines and send the notes back to that Copilot session. See diff review.
- Resume later. Copilot sessions appear in Agent Session History; Resume runs
copilot --resume=<id>in the right folder.
More on the isolation model in parallel workspaces.
Run Copilot CLI in parallel workspaces.
How do I use Copilot CLI alongside Claude Code, Codex and other agents?
Run them side by side, or combine them in a squad: a leader agent plus members, each working in its own worktree. Any detected agent can take a slot, including GitHub Copilot.
- Copilot as a member. Give it a job in plain words — “writes the tests”, “reviews the fix” — and the leader assigns work to match.
- Copilot as one of three attempts. In *3 attempts, pick the best*, Copilot, Claude Code and Codex try the same objective and the leader recommends one result.
- Model from Copilot's own config. Tallos does not pass a model flag to Copilot, so it runs whatever model your Copilot CLI is set to use.
Squads run inside the limits you set — 5 rounds and 4 members at once by default, up to 20 rounds and 12 members — and nothing merges without your approval. For the bigger picture, read run AI agents in parallel.
Does Copilot CLI open in a chat view?
No. Copilot CLI opens in the terminal view, with its own interface. The chat view is available for agents whose transcripts Tallos can read, such as Claude Code, Codex and Grok CLI.
What does Tallos add to GitHub Copilot CLI?
| Capability | Copilot CLI on its own | Copilot CLI in Tallos |
|---|---|---|
| Parallel sessions | Open more terminals and set up git worktrees yourself | One workspace per task, each with its own worktree and branch |
| Install and sign-in | GitHub's install and sign-in flow | The same flow; Tallos detects copilot afterwards |
| First-run folder trust | Asked in each new folder | Pre-trusted for the workspace, so the prompt goes through |
| Session status | Visible in its own terminal | Working / waiting / done across all sessions in the sidebar |
| Past sessions | copilot --resume from the right folder | Searchable history across agents, one-click Resume |
| Other agents | Separate tools | Same app; squads with a leader, members and best-of-N |
Frequently asked questions
Does Tallos include GitHub Copilot?
No. Tallos runs the Copilot CLI you install from GitHub with your own GitHub account; Tallos does not resell model access or bundle Copilot.
Why isn't GitHub Copilot on the Connections page?
The Connections page covers agents whose install and sign-in commands Tallos has verified with each vendor. For Copilot, follow GitHub's install guide; Tallos detects the copilot command once it is on your PATH.
Tallos doesn't see Copilot CLI after I installed it. What do I do?
Open Settings → Agents and click Refresh to re-read your shell PATH. If copilot works in a terminal, Tallos should then mark it Detected.
Can I run Copilot CLI and Claude Code on the same repository at once?
Yes. Each runs in its own worktree on its own branch, so their changes never collide. Compare the diffs and merge the one you want.
Can I choose Copilot's model inside a Tallos squad?
Not from Tallos. Copilot runs the model set in its own configuration; other members can use different agents and models.
Does Copilot CLI work in Tallos on Windows?
Yes. Tallos runs on Windows 10+ and macOS 13+ and detects copilot on either one.
