docs/content/copilot/how-tos/provide-context/use-copilot-spaces/use-copilot-spaces.md

title, shortTitle, intro, permissions, versions, topics, contentType

title	shortTitle	intro	permissions	versions	topics	contentType
Using GitHub Copilot Spaces	Use Copilot Spaces	Use spaces to ground {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}’s responses in the right context for a specific task.	Anyone with a {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} license can use {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces_short %}.	feature copilot	Copilot	how-tos

For information on creating {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces %}, see AUTOTITLE.

Using {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces %} in {% data variables.product.github %}

Once you've added context to your space, you can ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} questions in the chat interface in {% data variables.product.github %}. Your chat will be grounded in the context you've added.

You can also change the large language model (LLM) used for your space by selecting the CURRENT-MODEL {% octicon "chevron-down" aria-hidden="true" aria-label="chevron-down" %} dropdown menu, then clicking the AI model of your choice. For more information, see AUTOTITLE.

Using {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces %} in your IDE

You can also access the information and context from {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces_short %} directly in your IDE using the {% data variables.product.github %} MCP server. This allows you to leverage your curated context while coding without switching between your IDE and the web interface.

This functionality is available in any IDE that supports the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} extension and the {% data variables.product.github %} MCP server.

[!NOTE] When using {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces_short %} in your IDE, repository context is not supported. You will have access to all other sources and instructions from the space.

Once you've accessed space context from your IDE:

• The space's context will inform {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}'s responses
• You can reference the space's content when generating code, getting explanations, or working on development tasks
• Your spaces stay in sync as your project evolves. {% data variables.product.github %} files and other {% data variables.product.github %}-based sources added to a space are automatically updated as they change, making {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} an evergreen expert in your project

Prerequisites

To use {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces_short %} in your IDE, you need to install the {% data variables.product.github %} MCP server. For setup instructions, see AUTOTITLE.

Accessing space context from your IDE

For more detailed information on using the {% data variables.product.github %} MCP server in a specific IDE, see AUTOTITLE.

Note that {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces_short %} can only be used in agent mode in your IDE, since spaces are accessed via the {% data variables.product.github %} MCP server.

1. In your IDE, open {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} and select Agent from the mode dropdown or select the Agent tab.

   • To confirm that the {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces_short %} tools are enabled, in the {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} box, click the tools icon. In the dropdown, expand the list of available tools for MCP Server: github, and confirm that the get_copilot_space and list_copilot_spaces tools are enabled.

2. In the {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} box, enter a prompt that references the space that you want to use as context. If you know the exact name of the space and the name of the user or organization that owns the space, you can provide that. Otherwise, {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} will automatically use the list_copilot_spaces tool to find spaces that match the name or text you provide and access the context from those spaces.

   For example, you could use either of these two prompts:

   • Using the Copilot space 'Checkout Flow Redesign' owned by myorganization, summarize the implementation plan.
   • Summarize the implementation plan from the Copilot space for the checkout flow redesign.

   Follow-up prompts in the same chat conversation will have access to the same spaces, without you having to reference it explicitly.

Next steps

• To learn more about how to use {% data variables.copilot.copilot_spaces_short %} to help you with development work, see AUTOTITLE.
• To learn how to share your space with your team, see AUTOTITLE.