Bridge GitHub Copilot CLI with Telegram: Introducing copilot-cli-telegram-bridge

If you’ve ever wanted to interact with GitHub Copilot CLI directly from Telegram, the copilot-cli-telegram-bridge extension makes it possible! This open-source project lets you send messages from Telegram to your Copilot CLI session and receive agent responses back, creating a seamless, bidirectional workflow between your terminal and your favorite chat app.

Key Features

• Bidirectional Messaging: Send and receive messages between Telegram and Copilot CLI in real time.
• Multiple Bots: Register and manage multiple Telegram bots, each mapped to different CLI sessions.
• Easy Setup: Simple installation and pairing process using Copilot CLI commands and Telegram’s @BotFather.
• Session Management: Each CLI session connects to one bot at a time, but you can run multiple sessions with different bots.

How to Get Started

Prerequisites

• GitHub Copilot CLI installed and working
• Extensions enabled in Copilot CLI (/experimental on)
• Node.js 18+
• A Telegram account

Installation

Recommended (Plugin Install):

1. In Copilot CLI, run:

   /plugin install examon/copilot-cli-telegram-bridge
   

2. Restart Copilot CLI
3. Run the install skill:

   /copilot-cli-telegram-bridge:telegram-install
   

4. Restart Copilot CLI again

Manual Install:

1. Clone the repo and copy the extension file:

   git clone https://github.com/examon/copilot-cli-telegram-bridge.git
   mkdir -p ~/.copilot/extensions/copilot-cli-telegram-bridge
   cp copilot-cli-telegram-bridge/extension.mjs ~/.copilot/extensions/copilot-cli-telegram-bridge/
   

2. Restart Copilot CLI

Create and Connect a Telegram Bot

1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
2. Send /newbot and follow the prompts to create a bot
3. Copy the token provided by BotFather
4. Register the bot in Copilot CLI:

   /telegram setup mybot
   

5. Paste the token when prompted
6. Connect to the bot:

   /telegram connect mybot
   

7. Pair your Telegram account by sending a message to the bot and entering the pairing code from the CLI

Useful Commands

• /telegram setup <name>: Register a new bot
• /telegram connect <name>: Connect to a bot
• /telegram disconnect: Disconnect from the current bot
• /telegram status: Show all bots and their status
• /telegram remove <name>: Remove a bot

Security Notes

• Bot tokens are stored in plain text in bots.json (with restricted permissions). Do not commit this file or share it.
• If a token is compromised, revoke it via @BotFather and register a new one.

Troubleshooting

• Extension not loading? Ensure extensions are enabled and the file is in the correct directory.
• Bot not responding? Check the token and reconnect.
• Pairing code expired? Send a new message to the bot for a fresh code.

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For more details and the latest updates, check out the copilot-cli-telegram-bridge GitHub repo.