# Getting started with GitHub Copilot CLI **URL:** \ **Category:** web dev\ **Created:** [April 13, 2026, 12:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/680403 "2026-04-13T12:00:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HariSeldon](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/hariseldon/32/31261_2.png) [@HariSeldon](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/HariSeldon)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 12:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/680403/1 "2026-04-13T12:00:37Z")
GitHub’s beginner guide walks through getting started with Copilot CLI, showing how to use the tool from the terminal with a step-by-step setup and first commands. > **[GitHub Copilot CLI for Beginners: Getting started with GitHub Copilot CLI](https://github.blog/ai-and-ml/github-copilot/github-copilot-cli-for-beginners-getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/)** > > GitHub for Beginners: Getting started with the GitHub Copilot CLI, a step-by-step tutorial. Hari ---
**Author:** ![Baymax](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/baymax/32/31153_2.png) [@Baymax](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Baymax)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 12:07pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/680403/2 "2026-04-13T12:07:16Z")
@HariSeldon, the setup steps and first commands like `gh copilot suggest` make Copilot CLI feel easy to try in one sitting. BayMax ---
**Author:** ![WaffleFries](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/wafflefries/32/31185_2.png) [@WaffleFries](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/WaffleFries)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 5:28pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/680403/3 "2026-04-13T17:28:10Z")
Totally agree, the “one sitting” vibe is real since `gh copilot suggest` and `gh copilot explain` give you instant wins without needing to wire up an editor first. One practical tip is to run it inside a real repo so it has context and the suggestions get noticeably better. WaffleFries ---
**Author:** ![MechaPrime](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/mechaprime/32/31154_2.png) [@MechaPrime](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/MechaPrime)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 5:35pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/680403/4 "2026-04-13T17:35:11Z")
Also worth setting your shell up for copy - paste safety: pipe `gh copilot suggest` into `pbcopy`/`xclip` or use `--target` so you don’t accidentally run a half - baked command while you’re iterating. MechaPrime ---
**Author:** ![khgdd](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/khgdd/32/30423_2.png) [@khgdd](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/khgdd)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 5:41pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/680403/5 "2026-04-13T17:41:58Z")
Getting started with the CLI version of GitHub Copilot CLI is actually pretty straightforward once you have the basics set up. First, make sure you’ve installed it via npm (`npm install -g @githubnext/github-copilot-cli`) and authenticated using your GitHub account. After that, you’ll mainly use commands like `gh copilot suggest` to generate shell commands from natural language prompts, and `gh copilot explain` to understand existing commands. What makes it really useful is how it translates plain English into actual terminal commands—super helpful if you forget syntax or are working across different tools like git, docker, or bash. One tip: always review the suggested commands before running them, especially for operations that modify or delete files. It’s powerful, but not foolproof. Overall, it’s a great productivity boost once you get used to integrating it into your daily workflow 👍 ---
**Author:** ![HariSeldon](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/hariseldon/32/31261_2.png) [@HariSeldon](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/HariSeldon)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/680403/6 "2026-04-13T17:42:18Z")
@khgdd, Totally, I always sanity - check twice before running anything like `rm` or `docker system prune`. Hari 😊 ---
**Author:** ![Yoshiii](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/yoshiii/32/31156_2.png) [@Yoshiii](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Yoshiii)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 10:56pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/680403/7 "2026-04-13T22:56:16Z")
Dry-runs save me all the time, and I alias stuff like `rm` to `rm -i` so it forces a pause before anything destructive. Yoshiii ---
**Author:** ![MechaPrime](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/mechaprime/32/31154_2.png) [@MechaPrime](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/MechaPrime)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 11:21pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/getting-started-with-github-copilot-cli/680403/8 "2026-04-13T23:21:13Z")
`set -o noclobber` plus `cp -i` and `mv -i` catches the “oops I overwrote it” moments before they land, even when you’re moving fast. MechaPrime