npm package: @github/copilot-language-server
Description: Your AI pair programmer
Latest version: 1.467.0

# @github/copilot-language-server

The Copilot Language Server enables any editor or IDE to integrate with GitHub
Copilot via [the language server protocol](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/).

**[GitHub Copilot](https://github.com/features/copilot)** is an AI pair programmer tool that helps you write code faster and smarter.

**Sign up for [GitHub Copilot Free](https://github.com/settings/copilot)!**

Please see [terms of use for GitHub Copilot](https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/github-terms/github-terms-for-additional-products-and-features#github-copilot)

## Getting Started

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`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@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](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) 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 `--node-ipc`.

## Agent Client Protocol (ACP) (Preview)

The Copilot Language Server also supports the [Agent Client Protocol (ACP)](https://agentclientprotocol.com/),
enabling integration with ACP-compatible editors like [JetBrains AI Assistant](https://www.jetbrains.com/help/ai-assistant/acp.html), [Zed](https://zed.dev/), and more.

### Running in ACP Mode

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.

### JetBrains AI Assistant

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](https://agentclientprotocol.com/) for full protocol details.

## Communication Protocol

The [Language Server Protocol](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/) (LSP) is used to communicate with
the client. The base protocol is [JSON-RPC 2.0 with additional
headers](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/specification-current/#baseProtocol).

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.

## Initialization

Per the LSP spec, the client is expected to send a
[`initialize`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#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 an
[`initialized`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#initialized)
notification.

## Configuration Management

After initialization, clients should send a
[`workspace/didChangeConfiguration`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#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`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#workspace_configuration)
is also supported.

## Workspace Folders Synchronization

Workspace folders are optional but highly recommended as they greatly improve the quality of suggestions. See the LSP spec for
[`workspace/didChangeWorkspaceFolders`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#workspace_didChangeWorkspaceFolders).

## Text Document Synchronization

Per the LSP spec for
[text document synchronization](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#textDocument_synchronization),
support for `textDocument/didOpen`, `textDocument/didChange`, and `textDocument/didClose` is required, using incremental
sync.

## Text Document Focusing

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.

## Status Notification

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:

- `busy` - boolean indicating whether a task is in progress
- `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.
- `command` - an optional LSP `Command` object providing an actionable command for the client to offer the user (e.g., sign in, learn more about quota limits)

## Authentication

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, invoke
[`workspace/executeCommand`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#workspace_executeCommand)
to execute the `command`. 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`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#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`.

## Inline Completions

The [`textDocument/inlineCompletion`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.18/specification/#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 via
[`workspace/executeCommand`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#workspace_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.
Call it with an `item` 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.

## Next Edit Suggestions

`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`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.18/specification/#textDocumentPositionParams)
but with a `textDocument.version` field required as in as
[`VersionedTextDocumentIdentifier`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.18/specification/#versionedTextDocumentIdentifier):

```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 via
[`workspace/executeCommand`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#workspace_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` parameter
containing the item shown from the `edits` array (note only the first argument is required):

```json
{
    "item": {
        "command": {
            "arguments": ["some-id"]
        }
    }
}
```

## Panel Completions

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 has
parameters closely modeled after `textDocument/inlineCompletion`:

```json
{
    "textDocument": {
        "uri": "file:///path/to/file",
        "version": 0
    },
    "position": {"line": 1, "character": 2},
    "partialResultToken": "some token"
}
```

If provided, the `partialResultToken` is used to stream
[partial results](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#partialResults)
back to the client. Both the return type and the partial result type are the same as for inline completions: an object
containing an `items` 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.

## Cancellation

`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

Logs are sent to the client as
[`window/logMessage`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#window_logMessage)
notifications.

## Messages

The client may be sent
[`window/showMessageRequest`](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#window_showMessage)
requests. Support for these messages is essential as they are used for important notifications including account and
billing.


---

## License

Distributed under the MIT license. See LICENSE for details.