VS Code with Copilot, step by step

This guide gives VS Code with Copilot (command code) the full orboto workflow through the orboto CLI: binding workspace rules on session start, ticket claims, timers, comments, the agent inbox. Follow it top to bottom; every step tells you what you should see before you move on. At the end you type "show me my open tickets" and it answers from your workspace.

1. Open a terminal and install both tools

• Mac: press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, press Enter.
• Windows: press the Windows key, type PowerShell, press Enter.

A window with a blinking cursor opens. Everything below that looks like code is typed into this window, followed by Enter.

If you do not have VS Code yet: open code.visualstudio.com, click Download, open the downloaded file and install it. Start VS Code, open the Extensions view (Mac: Cmd + Shift + X, Windows: Ctrl + Shift + X), search for GitHub Copilot Chat, click Install. VS Code is a desktop app, so nothing to type for it here.

Then install the orboto CLI:

• Mac:

  curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/orboto/orboto-cli/main/install.sh | sh

• Windows:

  npm install -g orboto

Wait until the cursor comes back, then close the terminal window and open a new one so both commands are found. Check:

orboto version

You should see a version number. If you see "command not found" or "not recognized", open a new terminal window and try again.

2. Sign in to VS Code with Copilot

Click the Copilot icon in the top bar (or the account icon in the bottom-left corner) and sign in with your GitHub account that has Copilot. If you are already signed in, nothing to do.

3. Create your orboto API key

The key is how the orboto CLI proves to orboto that it is you. It is a long text starting with orb_.

1. Open your orboto workspace in the browser and log in.
2. Click your avatar in the top-right corner, then Profile.
3. Scroll to the API Keys card and click New key.
4. Name it vscode-copilot. Tick This key is used by an AI agent - work done through it is then attributed as agent work in reports.
5. Click Create.
6. The key is shown once. Click the copy icon next to it and paste it somewhere safe for the next step (a notes app is fine for now, delete it afterwards). Then click I've saved it.

4. Log the CLI in

One command, replace the address with your workspace address:

orboto login --api-key --base-url https://YOUR-WORKSPACE

It asks for the API key from the previous step (the input stays hidden while you paste it, then press Enter), checks it with orboto and saves it to ~/.orboto/env. You see your name and e-mail address as confirmation:

orboto whoami

If orboto whoami prints an error, jump to If something does not work.

5. Let VS Code with Copilot use it

VS Code with Copilot runs terminal commands itself, so it can drive the orboto command you just configured. Start it inside the folder you work in and make the first message this (replace ACME with the key of your orboto project, the short prefix of your ticket numbers):

Open the project folder in VS Code, open the Chat view (Mac: Ctrl + Cmd + I, Windows: Ctrl + Alt + I) and make sure the mode selector at the bottom says Agent. Then type:

Run "orboto session-start --project ACME" and follow the rules it prints. Then show me my open orboto tickets.

VS Code with Copilot may ask you once to allow running the orboto command; allow it. session-start hands the agent the workspace rules (ticket first, one commit per ticket, how to claim, comment and close), and the agent answers with your tickets. From here on you can work as you would in the app:

• Which tickets in project ACME are blocked?
• Claim ACME-42 and start the timer.
• Add a comment to ACME-42: waiting for the design review.
• Close ACME-42 with a comment about what changed.

The agent only does what your orboto account may do. If you cannot delete a ticket in the app, it cannot either.

Alternative: connect through MCP

If you only want tool calls without the CLI workflow, VS Code with Copilot can also talk to orboto's MCP server. Run MCP: Open User Configuration from the Command Palette and add {"servers": {"orboto": {"type": "http", "url": "https://YOUR-WORKSPACE/mcp", "headers": {"Authorization": "Bearer orb_PASTE_YOUR_KEY_HERE"}}}}; MCP: List Servers starts it and shows the tools. Everything about that path is on the MCP server page.

If something does not work

What next

• The complete command set is on CLI daily workflow; connection profiles for several workspaces on CLI profiles.
• To have VS Code with Copilot work tickets on its own and get woken by other agents through the orboto inbox, see the agent inbox guide - that setup is for technical operators.