LSP Configuration for GitHub Copilot CLI

This repository is configured with Language Server Protocol (LSP) servers for TypeScript, Python, Go, and C#. These servers provide GitHub Copilot CLI with precise code intelligence, enabling accurate code navigation and refactoring across your projects.

---

What are LSP Servers?

LSP servers provide language-specific features such as:

• Go to Definition: Jump to where a symbol is defined
• Find References: Locate all uses of a symbol
• Rename: Safely rename symbols across your entire project
• Hover Information: See type information and documentation
• Document Symbols: List all symbols in a file
• Workspace Search: Search for symbols by name

These capabilities allow Copilot skills to work with code more accurately and safely.

---

Configuration

The repository includes a project-level LSP configuration file: .github/lsp.json

This configuration defines LSP servers for the following languages:

TypeScript / JavaScript

{
  "name": "typescript",
  "languages": ["typescript", "javascript", "typescriptreact", "javascriptreact"],
  "command": "node",
  "args": ["--require", "typescript-language-server/lib/cli", "--stdio"]
}

Python

{
  "name": "python",
  "languages": ["python"],
  "command": "pylsp"
}

Go

{
  "name": "go",
  "languages": ["go"],
  "command": "gopls"
}

C#

{
  "name": "csharp",
  "languages": ["csharp"],
  "command": "omnisharp",
  "args": ["-lsp"]
}

---

How Copilot CLI Loads LSP Servers

When you start a Copilot CLI session, servers are loaded with this priority:

1. Project Config (.github/lsp.json) — highest priority
2. Plugin Configs — from installed Copilot plugins
3. User Config (~/.copilot/lsp-config.json) — lowest priority

This repository's .github/lsp.json takes precedence, ensuring all contributors use the same configuration.

---

Installation

To enable LSP features, install the language servers for the languages you use:

TypeScript / JavaScript

npm install -g typescript-language-server typescript

Python

pip install python-lsp-server
# or for Pyright:
pip install pyright

Go

go install github.com/golang/tools/gopls@latest

C#

Download from OmniSharp releases

---

Automatic Startup

Once installed, LSP servers are automatically started by Copilot CLI when you:

1. Use a skill in a project with the relevant language
2. Trust the project directory

No additional configuration or commands are needed.

---

Benefits for Skills

LSP servers enhance Copilot skills by:

• Accuracy: Operations use the language's compiler/analyzer, not text matching
• Token Efficiency: Structured results are compact instead of requiring full file reads
• Safe Refactoring: Reliable renaming and code modifications across the entire project
• Speed: Background indexing provides near-instant responses

Example Use Cases

When you run an Angular skill in a TypeScript project:

• Copilot can accurately find component definitions
• Type information helps with precise code generation
• Refactoring suggestions are based on actual type analysis

When you run a Python skill:

• Go-to-definition works accurately even with complex imports
• Copilot understands the actual type information
• Renaming operations update all references reliably

---

Verification

To verify LSP servers are installed:

# TypeScript
typescript-language-server --version

# Python
pylsp --version

# Go
gopls version

# C#
omnisharp --help

To check if Copilot CLI recognizes them, run inside the repository:

# List loaded LSP servers
copilot /context

---

Troubleshooting

LSP Server Not Starting

1. Verify installation: Run the verification commands above
2. Check PATH: Ensure the server is in your PATH
3. Check logs: Look in ~/.copilot/logs/ for error messages
4. Restart CLI: Sometimes restarting Copilot CLI helps

Server Command Not Found

If Copilot CLI says a server command is not found:

1. Install the server (see Installation section above)
2. Restart your terminal
3. Restart Copilot CLI

Configuration Issues

To reload LSP configuration:

# Clear LSP cache and reindex
copilot /chronicle reindex

---

See Also

• Prerequisites — System requirements and setup
• GitHub Copilot CLI LSP Documentation
• Language Server Protocol