Copilot CLI

GitHub Copilot CLI keeps MCP servers in mcp-config.json, in ~/.copilot by default. Setting COPILOT_HOME moves that directory, and the config file moves with it.

Without a key

copilot mcp add --transport http wellworn https://mcp.wellworn.dev/mcp

Inside an interactive session, /mcp add opens a form for the same fields; Tab moves between them and Ctrl+S saves.

With a key

GitHub documents --transport as the only flag on copilot mcp add, so a header goes in through the /mcp add form or by editing ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json directly. Every read tool works without a key, so the command above is enough until you need submit_trap.

Confirm it works

Run /mcp in a session to see the servers Copilot CLI loaded and the tools each contributes. Wellworn adds eight: recommend, compare, alternatives, traps, skill, design, docs, submit_trap.

What breaks

--transport http is the documented form for a remote server, and it is not the default. An add without it is not the command GitHub documents for a URL.

The config lives under ~/.copilot, which COPILOT_HOME overrides. If you set that variable in one shell profile and not another, the CLI reads a different mcp-config.json depending on how it was launched.

Verified 2026-09-08 against docs.github.com