What’s New with GitHub Copilot Cloud Agent: Planning, Research, and Flexible Code Changes

GitHub has just announced major updates to the Copilot Cloud Agent, making it more powerful and flexible for developers—especially those using GitHub Copilot and copilot-cli. Here’s what you need to know:

More Control Over Pull Requests

Previously, Copilot Cloud Agent required you to open a pull request for every session. Now, you can have Copilot generate code on a branch without immediately creating a pull request. This means:

• You can review the full diff before deciding to open a PR.
• Iterate with Copilot until you’re ready for review.
• If you want a PR from the start, just ask—Copilot will handle it.

Generate Implementation Plans

Copilot can now create an implementation plan before writing any code. Just ask for a plan in your prompt:

• Review Copilot’s proposed approach and give feedback before code is written.
• Once approved, Copilot follows the plan for implementation.

Deep Research in Your Codebase

Need to answer broad or complex questions about your codebase? Start a research session with Copilot:

• Get comprehensive, context-aware answers grounded in your repository.
• Launch research sessions from Copilot Chat or the Agents tab.

Getting Started

These features are available via all agent entry points, including the Agents tab in your repository and Copilot Chat. Copilot Cloud Agent is available with all paid Copilot plans. For Business or Enterprise users, an admin must enable it first.

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What Works with Copilot and copilot-cli?

• Copilot Cloud Agent: Works seamlessly with Copilot Chat and the Agents tab. You can plan, research, and implement code changes across your repo.
• copilot-cli: While the changelog doesn’t mention direct CLI integration, the new features are accessible via the web UI and chat. CLI users benefit from improved planning and research when using Copilot in supported environments.

For more details, check the official changelog.

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Stay tuned for more updates as GitHub continues to expand Copilot’s capabilities!