GitHub Open-Sources Copilot Chat for VS Code, Invites Developer Contributions

GitHub has open-sourced its Copilot Chat client for Visual Studio Code, making the codebase freely available under the MIT license.

The move opens the door for developers to explore, modify, and contribute to the Copilot Chat experience—marking a significant step toward greater transparency and community collaboration in AI-assisted coding.

Developers can now browse the full code on GitHub, file issues, open pull requests, and better understand how GitHub Copilot communicates with large language models (LLMs), including the specific prompts and context passed during interactions.

Users can also take advantage of Copilot's agent mode, enabling custom feature development and targeted bug fixes directly within the chat interface.

“This is just the beginning,” said GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke. “Next, we’ll refactor components of Copilot into the heart of VS Code,” hinting at deeper integration between GitHub’s AI tools and Microsoft’s flagship code editor.

By open-sourcing the chat client, GitHub not only strengthens its relationship with the open-source community but also sets the stage for more flexible, transparent, and customisable AI developer tools.

Last month, Microsoft announced that GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code is now open source, allowing developers to freely access, modify, and build on its code.

The AI-powered Copilot extensions will now be part of the official Visual Studio Code open-source repository, a move Microsoft says reinforces its commitment to transparency and community-driven innovation.