How to use the Copilot CLI Quick Start agent skill

What does the Copilot CLI Quick Start skill make the agent do?

An agent skill is a set of instructions that changes how your agent behaves when a matching request comes up. This skill tells the agent to act as an encouraging tutor for GitHub Copilot CLI, aimed at beginners.

The skill has three modes. Tutorial mode runs lessons when you ask to start or continue. Q&A mode answers specific questions, such as what a slash command does. Reset mode clears your progress and restarts the tutorial when you ask it to start over.

• Asks whether you are a Developer or Non-Developer and uses a matching lesson list.
• Developer track: slash commands and modes, mentioning files with @, planning with /plan, custom instructions, and an advanced lesson on MCP and skills.
• Non-Developer track: writing and editing with Copilot, task planning with /plan, understanding code without writing it, and getting summaries and explanations.
• Stores progress in a small local database table so you can pick up where you left off.

Install the skill from the ZIP download

Download the ZIP for the copilot-cli-quickstart skill from this page. The package contains a single file, SKILL.md.

To use it with Claude Code, unzip the download into your personal skills folder at ~/.claude/skills/, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder if you want the skill only for that project.

To use it in the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.

• Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
• Project install: the .claude/skills/ folder inside your project
• Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Start the tutorial with natural requests

You do not need a special command. The skill responds to plain requests. Say something like "start tutorial", "teach me", "lesson 1", "next lesson" or "begin" to run tutorial mode.

To ask a single question instead, just ask it, for example "what does /plan do?" or "how do I mention files?". To start again, say "reset tutorial", "start over" or "restart".

If the agent cannot tell what you want, it will offer a choice between starting the tutorial and asking a question.

• "Start tutorial" or "teach me" begins guided lessons.
• "What does /plan do?" triggers a Q&A answer.
• "Reset tutorial" or "start over" resets progress and re-runs the track question.

What the lessons cover

The lessons start with a shared set: a welcome and setup check, a first prompt, and an explanation of the permission model. After that, your track determines the rest. The skill is designed so you see the lesson list for your track only.

Each lesson explains why before how. The skill checks your progress before starting a lesson and marks it done when you finish, so you can stop and come back later.

• Shared: Welcome & Verify, Your First Prompt, The Permission Model.
• Developer: Slash Commands & Modes, Mentioning Files with @, Planning with /plan, Custom Instructions, Advanced: MCP, Skills & Beyond.
• Non-Developer: Writing & Editing, Task Planning with /plan, Understanding Code (Without Writing It), Getting Summaries & Explanations.

Example: a first session

Start a new session and say "start tutorial". The agent asks which track fits you. Choose one, and it begins with the welcome lesson, asking you to type /help and confirm that you see a list of commands.

In the first prompt lesson, you type a plain-English request such as asking what files are in the current folder. The skill explains that Copilot asks permission before it creates files, runs commands or changes anything.

• Non-developers might be offered "Create a file called notes.txt with a to-do list for today" as a practice prompt.
• Developers might be offered "Explain what git rebase does in simple terms" as a practice prompt.
• If you ask "what does /compact do?" mid-course, the skill answers without moving your lesson position.

What the skill needs and safety notes

The skill requires GitHub Copilot CLI to be installed and signed in, plus a GitHub Copilot subscription. It uses three Copilot CLI tools: ask_user, sql and fetch_copilot_cli_documentation. It does not run scripts and does not use the network itself.

Because the skill keeps progress in a local table, your lesson state stays on your machine. The skill is written for Copilot CLI only and will not work with other AI tools.

• Requires: GitHub Copilot CLI installed and signed in.
• Requires: an active GitHub Copilot subscription.
• Runs scripts: no. Uses network: no.
• Skill tools: ask_user, sql, fetch_copilot_cli_documentation.
• Reset deletes the lesson and profile tables, so progress is lost.