Copilot coding agent functions as an asynchronous, autonomous background worker. When you assign it a task, the agent creates a draft pull request, performs modifications in the background, and subsequently asks for your review.

The newly announced public preview brings this capability to JetBrains IDE users, enabling them to delegate work and monitor its status without leaving their development environment. The agent operates independently within GitHub's cloud infrastructure to accomplish assigned tasks, freeing developers to concentrate on other priorities.

Getting Started

  1. Verify your subscription: Access requires Copilot Pro, Pro+, Business, or Enterprise. For Copilot Business and Enterprise users, administrators must activate the "Copilot coding agent" and "Editor preview features" policies.
  2. Launch Copilot Chat: Access Copilot Chat via the GitHub Copilot Chat option in the sidebar, confirming you're operating in ask or agent mode.
  3. Assign work to the agent: Enter your task description in the chat field, then select the new Delegate to Coding Agent button positioned near the Send button.
  4. Monitor task execution: A status card displays in Copilot Chat when the task begins. Access the GitHub Coding Agent Jobs button in the sidebar to view active and completed tasks. Progress updates arrive as notifications within your IDE.

GitHub welcomes user feedback on the Copilot coding agent experience. Share observations through the feedback tools available in your JetBrains IDE or within Copilot's pull requests, or contribute to the GitHub Copilot for JetBrains feedback repository.