github/app

GitHub Copilot app – an agent‑native desktop UI for your GitHub work

What it is – A desktop application (Windows, macOS, Linux) that lets you run GitHub Copilot‑powered AI agents locally or in the cloud and manage the whole development lifecycle – from picking a task, steering the agent, reviewing its output, to merging a pull request – without hopping between terminals, editors and the GitHub website.

Why it matters – Copilot is usually accessed inside an editor or via the web. This app adds a dedicated control‑center where multiple agents can work in parallel, each in its own isolated Git worktree or cloud‑hosted environment. It turns the chat‑style interaction into a visual “canvas” that shows terminals, diffs, previews and workflow state side‑by‑side, making it easier to supervise and edit what the AI is doing.

Key capabilities

• Parallel agent sessions – Run several independent Copilot agents at once, each in its own Git worktree (local) or GitHub‑hosted environment (cloud).
• Canvases – Visual panels that combine chat, terminal output, file diffs, browser previews and other artefacts so you can see and edit the agent’s work in context.
• My Work view – Aggregates issues, pull requests and repository context so you can decide what to tackle next.
• Automations – Turn repeatable prompts and workflows into scheduled or background tasks.
• Agent Merge – Automates the review‑check‑merge pipeline, letting you focus on judgment and quality.
• BYOK (bring‑your‑own‑key) – If you don’t have a Copilot subscription you can still run the app with a model from another provider.

Getting started

1. Prerequisites – Git installed and a GitHub Copilot plan (or your own model key).
2. Install – Download the installer for your OS from the repository’s Releases page (Windows x64/ARM, macOS Intel/Apple Silicon, Linux AppImage).
3. First run – Follow the quick‑start guide linked in the README (https://gh.io/github-app-docs) to create a session, pick a task, and launch an agent.

Typical workflow

1. Open the app → My Work shows open issues/PRs.
2. Choose a task → a new canvas opens with an isolated worktree.
3. Start a Copilot agent → it writes code, runs tests, updates files.
4. Inspect the canvas, edit or redirect the agent as needed.
5. When satisfied, use Agent Merge to run checks and merge the PR.

Who should use it

• Developers who want a single UI to orchestrate AI‑assisted coding across many repositories.
• Teams looking to standardise AI‑driven workflows (bug‑fixes, feature implementation, review assistance).
• Users who prefer a visual overview of AI actions rather than a pure chat interface.

Support & contribution

• File bugs, feature requests, or ask questions in the repository’s Issues and Discussions tabs.
• Include app version, OS, steps to reproduce, and logs (/collect-debug-logs) when reporting problems.

License & data

• © GitHub, Inc. All rights reserved (proprietary).
• Usage data (code acceptance/rejection, conversation snippets, feedback) may be collected when the app is used with a GitHub Copilot account; see the GitHub Copilot Trust Center for details.

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All information above is taken directly from the repository’s README.