GitHub Copilot

Ecosystem

How GitHub Copilot evolved

Key moments in chronological order.

1. 2026Product

   Copilot local sandboxing (GA)

   Local sandboxing is generally available in Copilot CLI, the Copilot app, and VS Code Agent Host sessions. Powered by Microsoft eXecution Container (MXC) on Windows, macOS, and Linux, it restricts filesystem, network, and credential access for agent sessions. Enterprises can enforce it through managed policies, and it costs nothing extra.

2. 2026Deprecation

   Selected Copilot models deprecated

   GitHub deprecated Gemini 3.5 Flash, Gemini 3.6 Flash, Kimi K2.7 Code, and Claude Opus 4.7 across Copilot Chat, inline edits, ask and agent modes, and code completions. Suggested alternatives: Gemini 3.8 Flash, Kimi K3, and Claude Opus 5.5. Enterprise admins may need to enable the alternatives. No action is required to remove the deprecated models.

3. 2026API

   Copilot code review API

   Copilot code review can be requested through the REST and GraphQL APIs with an optional per-request effort level. Generally available on Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise. Balanced has been the default review effort level since 2026-09-28; an explicit Lite setting is kept.

4. 2026Product

   Copilot computer use (public preview)

   Computer use enters public preview in Copilot CLI and the Copilot app on macOS and Windows. Copilot can read app content, click, type, scroll, and drag across desktop apps, including GUI-only software without an API, CLI, or MCP integration. Copilot asks for approval before controlling an app, and organization-managed settings can disable the feature.

5. 2026Product

   Copilot dynamic workflows (public preview)

   Dynamic workflows let users define multi-agent orchestration in code in Copilot CLI (experimental features), the Copilot app, and the Copilot SDK. Available on all Copilot plans.

6. 2026Product

   Claude Sonnet 5.5 in GitHub Copilot

   Claude Sonnet 5.5 is generally available, rolling out gradually to Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise across VS Code, Visual Studio, CLI, coding agent, Copilot app, github.com, GitHub Mobile, JetBrains, Xcode, and Eclipse. Billed at provider list pricing. Business/Enterprise admins manage access via model policy.

7. 2026Product

   Claude Opus 5.5 in GitHub Copilot

   Claude Opus 5.5 rolls out gradually to Copilot Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise across VS Code, Visual Studio, CLI, coding agent, Copilot app, github.com, GitHub Mobile, JetBrains, Xcode, and Eclipse. Billed at provider list pricing. Text outputs are watermarked. Business/Enterprise admins manage access via model policy.

8. 2026Product

   Grok 4.7 in GitHub Copilot

   Grok 4.7 rolls out gradually to Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise across VS Code, Visual Studio, CLI, cloud agent, Copilot app, JetBrains, Xcode, and Eclipse. Billed at provider list pricing. Business/Enterprise admins manage access via model policy (new models auto-enabled unless default enablement is off).

9. 2026Product

   Copilot code review overview and smarter auto-resolve GA

   Code review overview groups findings as open, resolved since last review, or previously missed, and adds comment titles. Auto-resolve honors replies that leave an issue open and can mark Won't Fix or Incorrect. Batch-applying eligible suggestions generates a commit title and optional description. Generally available.

10. 2026Deprecation

    Copilot model deprecations set for 2026-10-19

    GitHub will retire Gemini 3.7 Flash, GPT-5.5, GPT-5.4, GPT-5.4 mini, GPT-5 mini, and Grok 4.5 across Copilot experiences on 2026-10-19. Suggested replacements: Gemini 3.8 Flash, GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-5.6 Luna, and Grok 4.6. Distinct from the 2026-10-02 wave. Admins who disabled default model enablement must turn on replacement policies.

11. 2026Platform

    Copilot impact dashboard feature engagement

    Enterprise impact dashboard and 28-day aggregate report APIs add feature-engagement counts (code completion, agent edit, passive/active code review, cloud agent, CLI, Copilot app). users_in_phase_28d reports each AI-adoption phase’s full rolling 28-day population. Requires the Copilot usage metrics policy.

12. 2026Platform

    Agentic CLI customizations in the usage metrics API

    Copilot usage reports add skills, custom agents, MCP servers, slash commands, and plugins (top-five totals plus distinct-item counts). Customer-defined names are grouped; MCP interaction_count is connect/reconnect attempts, not per-tool calls.

13. 2026Platform

    Copilot budget increase requests generally available

    Copilot Business and Enterprise members on usage-based billing can request more AI-credit budget when they hit a limit. Org/enterprise owners and billing managers approve, adjust, or deny in settings; approval restores access immediately.

14. 2026Product

    Auto model selection Efficiency / Balance / Intelligence

    Copilot auto model selection adds three tiers that weigh cost, quality, and latency per prompt. Rolling out in VS Code, Copilot CLI, and the Copilot app. Usage billed at the selected model; paid subscribers keep a 10% auto discount.

15. 2026Product

    Copilot code review auto-resolution and Lite ensemble

    Copilot code review resolves its own comments when a later commit addresses them, writes smart commit messages for applied suggestions, uses Copilot SDK shell tools behind the agent firewall to validate code, and runs an ensemble of agents for Lite-effort reviews.

16. 2026Platform

    Enterprise-managed permissions for Copilot agent operations

    Copilot Business and Enterprise admins can centrally block, require approval for, or allow agent operations (shell, file reads/edits, network domains). Restrictions cannot be weakened by user or workspace settings. GA in the Copilot app, Copilot CLI, and VS Code Agent Host sessions.

17. 2026Platform

    Enterprise-managed sandbox in Copilot for JetBrains

    JetBrains Copilot gains enterprise-managed sandbox policies, plus /ide to connect Copilot CLI sessions to the IDE (public preview). MCP and agent-session reliability fixes ship in the same update.

18. 2026Product

    GPT-6 Astra generally available in GitHub Copilot

    GPT-6 Astra is available to Copilot Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise across VS Code, Visual Studio, CLI, coding agent, Copilot app, github.com, GitHub Mobile, JetBrains, Xcode, and Eclipse. Billed at provider list pricing under usage-based billing. Gradual rollout. Business/Enterprise admins manage access via model policy.

19. 2026Product

    Gemini 3.8 Flash in GitHub Copilot

    Gemini 3.8 Flash is available to Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise across VS Code, Visual Studio, CLI, cloud agent, Copilot app, JetBrains, Xcode, and Eclipse. Introductory provider pricing under usage-based billing through 2026-12-31. Gradual rollout.

20. 2026Deprecation

    Copilot model deprecations set for 2026-10-02

    GitHub will retire Gemini 3.5 Flash, Gemini 3.6 Flash, Kimi K2.7 Code, and Claude Opus 4.7 across Copilot experiences on 2026-10-02. Suggested replacements: Gemini 3.8 Flash, Kimi K3, and Claude Opus 5. Business/Enterprise admins may need to enable replacement model policies.

21. 2026Platform

    Content exclusions GA in Copilot app and CLI

    Copilot app and Copilot CLI honor enterprise/org/repo content exclusion policies so excluded files are not used as agent context. Business and Enterprise.

22. 2026Product

    Claude Fable 5.1 in GitHub Copilot

    Fable 5.1 is GA for Copilot Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise. Business/Enterprise admins must enable the policy (off by default). Anthropic retains prompts/outputs for safety classifiers; eligible enterprises can request ZDR through end of 2026 while EFS rolls out.

23. 2026Product

    Copilot code review can approve pull requests

    Copilot code review can include an approval assessment and, when admins enable it, submit an approval that counts toward required reviews. Off by default; public preview for Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise.

24. 2026Product

    Grok 4.6 in GitHub Copilot

    Grok 4.6 rolls out across VS Code, Visual Studio, CLI, cloud agent, Copilot app, JetBrains, Xcode, and Eclipse. Business/Enterprise admins must enable the policy (off by default).

25. 2026Product

    Gemini 3.7 Flash in GitHub Copilot

    Google’s Gemini 3.7 Flash workhorse becomes a Copilot model option the same day as the model’s GA.

26. 2026Platform

    Agent Plugins 1.0 generally available

    Portable plugins (skills + MCP servers) are GA in VS Code, Copilot CLI, the GitHub Copilot SDK, and the Copilot app on all Copilot plans.

27. 2026Product

    Kimi K3 in GitHub Copilot

    Moonshot’s Kimi K3 rolls out to Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise plans.

28. 2026Product

    Grok 4.5 in GitHub Copilot

    xAI’s Grok 4.5 becomes available as a Copilot model option across VS Code, CLI, and cloud agents.

29. 2024Product

    Agent mode expansion

    Multi-step agent workflows push Copilot closer to AI-native IDE competitors.

30. 2024Platform

    Copilot Enterprise era

    Org knowledge, admin controls, and enterprise packaging deepen GitHub-native AI.

31. 2023Product

    Copilot Chat

    Chat moves Copilot beyond autocomplete into conversational coding help.

32. 2022Product

    GitHub Copilot GA

    Generally available as a paid coding assistant for individuals and teams.

33. 2021Product

    GitHub Copilot technical preview

    Inline AI completions bring LLM coding assistants into mainstream IDEs.