GitHub Copilot CLI for Beginners: Interactive v. non-interactive mode (opens in new tab)

GitHub Copilot CLI offers two ways to work from the terminal: interactive mode for ongoing, collaborative sessions and non-interactive mode for quick, one-off prompts. The article recommends choosing between them based on whether you need iterative exploration or a fast answer within an existing shell workflow. Previous sessions can also be resumed in either mode.

Interactive Mode for Collaborative Work

• Start it by running copilot.
• It is the default mode and provides a chat-like, back-and-forth experience.
• Users can:
  • Ask questions about a project.
  • Review Copilot’s responses.
  • Ask follow-up questions.
  • Request actions, such as running a local server.
• Copilot may request permission to trust the current folder because it needs to read or modify project files.
• This mode is best for exploratory coding, troubleshooting, and tasks that require multiple steps.

Non-Interactive Mode for Quick Prompts

• Start it with copilot -p "your prompt".
• It produces a single response without opening a full conversational session.
• Typical uses include:
  • Summarizing a repository.
  • Generating code snippets.
  • Running Copilot inside automated workflows.
• It is designed to keep users in their normal terminal flow and is most useful when the required task is clear and narrowly defined.

Resuming Previous Sessions

• In interactive mode, enter /resume to select a previous session.
• From the regular shell, use copilot --resume to open the session picker directly.
• Resuming preserves the context of earlier conversations, making it easier to continue unfinished work.

The practical choice is simple: use interactive mode for deeper, iterative collaboration and non-interactive mode for focused, one-shot requests.