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.