Your AI pair programmer
npm install @github/copilot-language-serverThe Copilot Language Server enables any editor or IDE to integrate with GitHub
Copilot via the language server protocol.
GitHub Copilot is an AI pair programmer tool that helps you write code faster and smarter.
Sign up for GitHub Copilot Free!
Please see terms of use for GitHub Copilot
To integrate with the Copilot Language Server, download the latest release from npm:
``sh`
npm install @github/copilot-language-server
To run the language server, platform-specific binaries are available as separate
packages included as optional dependencies. For example, @github/copilot-language-server-darwin-arm64, for macOS on arm64:
example, for macOS on arm64:
`sh`
./node_modules/@github/copilot-language-server-darwin-arm64/copilot-language-server --version
If repackaging the language server, all platform-specific binaries are available
in the releases: https://github.com/github/copilot-language-server-release/releases
For example, to download a zip of all of the binaries together:
`
gh release download -R github/copilot-language-server-release -p 'copilot-language-server-native-*'
Or you can use Node.js version 20.8 or later:
`sh`
npx @github/copilot-language-server --version
`sh`
node ./node_modules/@github/copilot-language-server/dist/language-server.js --version
If using the language-server.js distribution, it is necessary to retain the entire dist directory contents.
Communication with the language server typically happens over stdio with --stdio. The language-server.js
distribution additionally supports Node IPC with .
The Copilot Language Server also supports the Agent Client Protocol (ACP),
enabling integration with ACP-compatible editors like JetBrains AI Assistant, Zed, and more.
To start the language server in ACP mode:
`sh`
npx -y @github/copilot-language-server --acp
Or if installed locally:
`sh`
node ./node_modules/@github/copilot-language-server/dist/language-server.js --acp
Communication happens over stdin/stdout.
To use Copilot as an ACP agent in JetBrains AI Assistant, add the following to your ~/.jetbrains/acp.json:
`json`
{
"agent_servers": {
"GitHub Copilot": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"@github/copilot-language-server@latest",
"--acp"
]
}
}
}
See the ACP specification for full protocol details.
The Language Server Protocol (LSP) is used to communicate with
the client. The base protocol is JSON-RPC 2.0 with additional
headers.
The Copilot Language Server attempts to follow the LSP spec as closely as possible, but many custom messages are
employed to support the unique features of Copilot.
Per the LSP spec, the client is expected to send a
initialize
request to the language server as a first message. Example parameters:
`json`
{
"processId": 1234,
"workspaceFolders": [
{
"uri": "file:///home/user/project"
}
],
"capabilities": {
"workspace": {"workspaceFolders": true}
},
"initializationOptions": {
"editorInfo": {
"name": "GNU ed",
"version": "1.19"
},
"editorPluginInfo": {
"name": "GitHub Copilot for ed",
"version": "1.0.0"
}
}
}
After receiving the response to initialize, the second message the client must send is aninitialized
notification.
After initialization, clients should send a
workspace/didChangeConfiguration
notification to inform the language server about the initial configuration, and again each time the configuration
changes. Example parameters:
`json`
{
"settings": {
"http": {
"proxy": "http://localhost:8888",
"proxyStrictSSL": true,
"proxyKerberosServicePrincipal": "spn"
},
"telemetry": {
"telemetryLevel": "all"
},
"github-enterprise": {
"uri": "https://example.ghe.com"
}
}
}
Pull based configuration on
workspace/configuration
is also supported.
Workspace folders are optional but highly recommended as they greatly improve the quality of suggestions. See the LSP spec for
workspace/didChangeWorkspaceFolders.
Per the LSP spec for
text document synchronization,
support for textDocument/didOpen, textDocument/didChange, and textDocument/didClose is required, using incremental
sync.
Additionally a custom textDocument/didFocus notification should be sent when the client focuses another document
(e.g., changing tabs). Example parameters:
`json`
{
"textDocument": {
"uri": "file:///path/to/file"
}
}
If no document is focused, a request with no parameters ({}) may be sent.
The status is sent to the client as a didChangeStatus notification. Typically this would be conveyed to the user in a
status bar icon or other UI affordance.
Notification includes the following fields:
- message - a string describing the status (can be empty)kind
- - status of the language server:'Normal'
- - When everything is working normally.'Error'
- - When not authorized and authenticated.'Warning'
- - When there is a temporary issue, such as a failed HTTP request.'Inactive'
- - When the current file is ignored due to file size or content exclusions.
To sign in, call signIn. This will return a response like the following:
`json`
{
"userCode": "ABCD-EFGH",
"command": {
"command": "github.copilot.finishDeviceFlow",
"arguments": [],
"title": "Sign in"
}
}
Instruct the user to copy the userCode to their clipboard (and/or copy it programmatically). When the user is ready, invokeworkspace/executeCommand
to execute the . This will open a browser window that walks the user through the authentication process.
Shortly (up to 10 seconds) after the user finishes signing in, you should see a status notification reflecting the new
state.
If available, the language server will use
window/showDocument
to open the URL. Otherwise, it will attempt to open the URL natively (e.g., with /usr/bin/open on macOS).
To sign out, call signOut.
The textDocument/inlineCompletion
request from the draft version of the next LSP spec is used to retrieve inline ("ghost text") completions, with some
non-standard additions (textDocument.version and formattingOptions) to the parameters:
`json`
{
"textDocument": {
"uri": "file:///path/to/file",
"version": 0
},
"position": {"line": 1, "character": 2},
"context": {
"triggerKind": 2
},
"formattingOptions": {
"tabSize": 4,
"insertSpaces": true
}
}
The result is an object containing an items array.
`json`
{
"items": [
{
"insertText": "a helpful suggestion",
"range": {
"start": {"line": 1, "character": 0},
"end": {"line": 1, "character": 2}
},
"command": {
"command": "github.copilot.didAcceptCompletionItem",
"arguments": ["some id"]
}
}
]
}
Newlines in insertText should be normalized as is appropriate for the editor before inserting into the document.
The command field, per the LSP spec, is called viaworkspace/executeCommand
after the user accepts the completion. Copilot uses this for acceptance telemetry.
The LSP spec does not provide an event for showing the completion, so a custom textDocument/didShowCompletion is used.item
Call it with an parameter containing the full completion item:
`json`
{
"item": {
"insertText": "a helpful suggestion",
"range": {
"start": {"line": 1, "character": 0},
"end": {"line": 1, "character": 2}
},
"command": {
"command": "github.copilot.didAcceptCompletionItem",
"arguments": ["some id"]
}
}
}
Similarly, for partial acceptance, send a textDocument/didPartiallyAcceptCompletion notification with the full
item, plus the length (in UTF-16 codepoints) of the completion that was accepted:
`json`
{
"item": {
"insertText": "a helpful suggestion",
"range": {
"start": {"line": 1, "character": 0},
"end": {"line": 1, "character": 2}
},
"command": {
"command": "github.copilot.didAcceptCompletionItem",
"arguments": ["some id"]
}
},
"acceptedLength": 9
}
Note that the acceptedLength includes everything from the start of insertText to the end of the accepted text. It is
not the length of the accepted text itself.
textDocument/copilotInlineEdit is a custom method used to retrieve "next edit"
suggestions which are inline completions that may include deletions or
modifications to existing text and may not be positioned at the cursor. These
are similar to inline completions and the API shape is similar as well. But it
is a separate method to allow opting into the feature and distinguishing between
the two kinds of suggestions.
The request parameters are similar to
TextDocumentPositionParams
but with a textDocument.version field required as in asVersionedTextDocumentIdentifier:
`json`
{
"textDocument": {
"uri": "file:///path/to/file",
"version": 0
},
"position": {"line": 1, "character": 2}
}
The result is an object containing an edits array:
`json`
{
"edits": [
{
"text": "an edit suggestion",
"textDocument": {
"uri": "file:///path/to/file",
"version": 0
},
"range": {
"start": {"line": 1, "character": 0},
"end": {"line": 1, "character": 5}
},
"command": {
"title": "Accept inline edit",
"command": "github.copilot.didAcceptCompletionItem",
"arguments": ["some-id"]
}
}
]
}
The command field, per the LSP spec, is called viaworkspace/executeCommand
after the user accepts the edit. Copilot uses this for acceptance telemetry.
The LSP spec does not provide an event for showing the edit, so a custom
textDocument/didShowInlineEdit is used. Call it with an item parameteredits
containing the item shown from the array (note only the first argument is required):
`json`
{
"item": {
"command": {
"arguments": ["some-id"]
}
}
}
Panel completions are used for "Open Copilot" style completions. They are similar to inline completions, but are shown
in a separate panel. They are retrieved using the custom textDocument/copilotPanelCompletion request, which hastextDocument/inlineCompletion
parameters closely modeled after :
`json`
{
"textDocument": {
"uri": "file:///path/to/file",
"version": 0
},
"position": {"line": 1, "character": 2},
"partialResultToken": "some token"
}
If provided, the partialResultToken is used to streamitems
partial results
back to the client. Both the return type and the partial result type are the same as for inline completions: an object
containing an array. These items have the same command that must be invoked with workspace/executeCommand
after accepting to trigger acceptance telemetry. Partial acceptance and shown events are not supported here.
textDocument/inlineCompletion supports cancel-previous strategy for cancellation: If you send new completions
request, the previous request is cancelled.
Additionally the LSP $/cancelRequest method is supported to cancel any request. It is strongly encouraged to eagerly
cancel completion requests as soon as possible.
Logs are sent to the client as
window/logMessage
notifications.
The client may be sent
window/showMessageRequest`
requests. Support for these messages is essential as they are used for important notifications including account and
billing.
---
Distributed under the MIT license. See LICENSE for details.