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chep/gh-copilot-chat.el

An Emacs Lisp plugin for chatting with GitHub Copilot, with code-aware prompts, buffer context, and an optional Claude CLI backend.

Open-source alternative to:GitHub Copilot Chat

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Last commit
24 hours ago

What is it?

gh-copilot-chat.el is an Emacs package that lets you chat with GitHub Copilot inside a buffer. You can send prompts, get answers streamed token by token with the default curl backend, and choose between org, markdown, and shell-maker frontends for the chat display.

The package is built around working with code in Emacs. You can add the current buffer, a workspace, or selected files as context that is sent with each prompt, and use commands to explain, review, document, fix, optimize, or write tests for a selected region or function. It also generates Git commit messages through Magit and can yank code blocks from answers into your buffers.

An alternative ~claude~ backend uses the Claude Code CLI instead of the Copilot API, so it does not need a GitHub account. It supports session resumption, MCP servers configured through the mcp package, and per-session tool permissions.

Key features

  • 01Chat with GitHub Copilot models from a buffer, with token-by-token output via curl
  • 02Add buffers, workspace files, or directories as context sent with each prompt
  • 03Commands to explain, review, document, fix, optimize, and test selected code
  • 04Generate Git commit messages in Magit, with a no-clobber variant
  • 05Optional Claude CLI backend with session resumption and MCP server support

Use cases

  • Asking Copilot to explain or review the function under point without leaving Emacs
  • Generating commit messages while writing commits in Magit
  • Adding a project's files as context for questions about a codebase
  • Using Claude Code through Emacs when you do not have a GitHub Copilot account

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install the package from MELPA with M-x package-install

    M-x package-install RET gh-copilot-chat RET
  2. 2

    Load the package in your Emacs config

    (use-package gh-copilot-chat)
  3. 3

    Open the chat buffer and start chatting; authenticate with GitHub when prompted

    (gh-copilot-chat-display)

Things to know

  • The default curl backend needs a GitHub account with Copilot API access.
  • The claude backend requires separately installing and logging in to the Claude CLI.

In collections

Claude Code tools, skills & plugins

Topics

#emacs#emacs-lisp#github-copilot#llm#code-assistant#claude-code#magit

FAQ

What is gh-copilot-chat.el?
An Emacs Lisp plugin for chatting with GitHub Copilot, with code-aware prompts, buffer context, and an optional Claude CLI backend. gh-copilot-chat.el is an Emacs package that lets you chat with GitHub Copilot inside a buffer. You can send prompts, get answers streamed token by token with the default curl backend, and choose between org, markdown, and shell-maker frontends for the chat display.
Is gh-copilot-chat.el free to use? What license does it have?
gh-copilot-chat.el is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is gh-copilot-chat.el still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to gh-copilot-chat.el was on Nov 5, 2026.
What can I use gh-copilot-chat.el for?
Asking Copilot to explain or review the function under point without leaving Emacs Generating commit messages while writing commits in Magit Adding a project's files as context for questions about a codebase Using Claude Code through Emacs when you do not have a GitHub Copilot account
How do I install gh-copilot-chat.el?
Install the package from MELPA with M-x package-install: M-x package-install RET gh-copilot-chat RET Load the package in your Emacs config: (use-package gh-copilot-chat) Open the chat buffer and start chatting; authenticate with GitHub when prompted: (gh-copilot-chat-display)
Where can I get gh-copilot-chat.el?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/chep/gh-copilot-chat.el

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