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title, intro, product, versions, topics, type, redirect_from
| title | intro | product | versions | topics | type | redirect_from | ||||||
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| About assigning tasks to Copilot | You can assign {% data variables.product.github %} issues to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}, or ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to create a pull request. | {% data reusables.gated-features.copilot-coding-agent %}<br><a href="https://github.com/features/copilot/plans?ref_cta=Copilot+plans+signup&ref_loc=about+assigning+issues+to+copilot&ref_page=docs" target="_blank" class="btn btn-primary mt-3 mr-3 no-underline"><span>Sign up for {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}</span> {% octicon "link-external" height:16 %}</a> |
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overview |
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{% data reusables.copilot.coding-agent.preview-note %}
Overview of {% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %}
With {% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %}, {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} can work independently in the background to complete tasks, just like a human developer.
{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can:
- Fix bugs
- Implement incremental new features
- Improve test coverage
- Update documentation
- Address technical debt
To delegate development tasks to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}, you can:
- Assign an issue to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}
- Use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat %} to ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to create a pull request
{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} will evaluate the task it has been assigned based on the prompt you give it—whether that's from the issue description or a chat message. Then {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} will make the required changes and open a pull request. When {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} finishes, it will request a review from you, and you can leave pull request comments to ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to iterate.
While working on a coding task, {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} has access to its own ephemeral development environment, powered by {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}, where it can explore your code, make changes, execute automated tests and linters and more.
Streamlining software development with {% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %}
Assigning tasks to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can enhance your software development workflow.
For example, you can assign {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to straightforward issues on your backlog. This allows you to spend less time on these and more time on more complex or interesting work, or work that requires a high degree of creative thinking. {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can work on "nice to have" issues that improve the quality of your codebase or product, but often remain on the backlog while you focus on more urgent work.
Having {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} as an additional coding resource also allows you to start tasks that you might not have otherwise due to lack of resources. For example, you might delegate {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} tasks to refactor code or add more logging, then immediately assign these to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}.
{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can start a task, which you then pick up and continue working on yourself. By assigning the initial work to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}, you free up time that you would otherwise have spent doing repetitive tasks, such as setting up the scaffolding for a new project.
Making {% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %} available
Before you can assign tasks to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}, it must be enabled. See AUTOTITLE.
{% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %} usage costs
{% data reusables.copilot.coding-agent.premium-requests-start-date %}
{% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %} uses {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} minutes and {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} premium requests.
Within your monthly usage allowance for {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} and premium requests, you can ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to work on coding tasks without incurring any additional costs.
For more information, see AUTOTITLE.
Risks and mitigations
{% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %} is an autonomous agent that has access to your code and can push changes to your repository. This entails certain risks. Where possible, {% data variables.product.github %} has applied appropriate mitigations.
Risk: {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can push code changes to your repository
To mitigate this risk, {% data variables.product.github %}:
- Limits who can assign tasks to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}. Only users with write access to the repository can trigger {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to work. Comments from users without write access are never presented to the agent.
- Limits the permissions in access tokens used by Copilot. Pushes are only allowed to branches beginning with
copilot/. {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} cannot push to themainormasterbranches. - Limits {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}'s credentials. {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can only perform simple push operations. It cannot directly run
git pushor other Git commands. - Restricts {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflow runs. Workflows are not triggered until {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}'s code is reviewed and a user with write access to the repo clicks the Approve and run workflows button. See AUTOTITLE.
- Prevents the user who asked {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to create a pull request from approving it. This maintains the expected controls in the "Required reviews" rule and branch protection. See AUTOTITLE.
Risk: {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} has access to sensitive information
{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} has access to code and other sensitive information, and could leak it, either accidentally or due to malicious user input. To mitigate this risk, {% data variables.product.github %}:
- Restricts {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}'s access to the internet. See AUTOTITLE.
Risk: Prompt injection vulnerabilities
Users can include hidden messages in issues assigned to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} or comments left for {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} as a form of prompt injection. To mitigate this risk, {% data variables.product.github %}:
- Filters hidden characters before passing user input to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}: For example, text entered as an HTML comment in an issue or pull request comment is not passed to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}.
Limitations of {% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %}
{% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %} has certain limitations in its software development workflow and compatibility with other features.
Limitations in {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}'s software development workflow
- {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can only make changes in the same repository where it is creating its pull request. When {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is assigned an issue, it can only make changes in the repository where that issue is located. In addition, {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} cannot make changes across multiple repositories in one run.
- {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can only access context in the same repository as the assigned issue. By default, an integration with the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} MCP server provides {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} access to one repository at a time. You can, however, configure broader access. See AUTOTITLE.
- {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can only open one pull request at a time. {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} will open exactly one pull request to address each task it is assigned.
- {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} cannot work on an existing pull request that it didn't create. If you would like {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to provide feedback on an existing pull request, you can add it as a reviewer. See AUTOTITLE.
- {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} will always start its changes from the repository's default branch. {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} cannot branch off from any other branch—for example, a feature branch or a release branch.
Limitations in Copilot's compatibility with other features
- {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} does not sign its commits. If you have the "Require signed commits" rule or branch protection enabled, you must rewrite the commit history in order to merge {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}'s pull requests. See AUTOTITLE.
- {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} does not work with self-hosted {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} runners. {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} has access to its own development environment, running in {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}, and must use {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}-hosted runners. See AUTOTITLE.
- {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} doesn't account for content exclusions. Content exclusions allow administrators to configure {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to ignore certain files. When using {% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %}, {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} will not ignore these files, and will be able to see and update them. See AUTOTITLE.