GitHub Copilot Code Review Now Available Directly in Terminal via GitHub CLI

Summary

GitHub has extended its Copilot code review capabilities to the command line, allowing developers to request AI-powered code reviews directly from their terminal using the GitHub CLI. Users can now add Copilot as a reviewer when creating or editing pull requests without leaving their development environment, using either non-interactive commands like gh pr edit --add-reviewer @copilot or interactive prompts that integrate Copilot alongside human teammates.

The update also introduces performance improvements for reviewer and assignee selection, particularly benefiting large organizations. Rather than loading all collaborators upfront, the CLI now uses a search-based experience that fetches results as users type, addressing both performance concerns and accessibility issues where screen readers previously read thousands of options aloud.

The feature is available to all users with Copilot code review access and requires GitHub CLI v2.88.0 or later. This enhancement streamlines the code review workflow by eliminating the need to switch between terminal and browser, keeping developers in their natural development environment.

Editorial Opinion

This integration represents a meaningful step toward embedding AI-assisted code review deeper into the developer workflow, reducing friction by eliminating context switches. However, the real value will depend on Copilot's actual code review quality and how well it integrates with diverse development practices across different organization sizes and team structures.