Automate Your GitHub Workflow in Just 5 Minutes

Previously, configuring the GitHub MCP server was a somewhat cumbersome process. It involved managing access tokens and dealing with Docker configurations, which could be confusing. This often led to security concerns, such as accidentally exposing access tokens during live demonstrations. Fortunately, there's now a much-improved and streamlined method available.

On the official GitHub MCP server page, the setup instructions have been simplified. You can now get started with just a few clicks. For this demonstration, we'll use the provided code snippet—a mere three lines of code. By pasting this into our configuration, we can replace a significant amount of previous boilerplate code.

{
  "type": "url",
  "url": "your-github-mcp-server-url"
}

With just two lines of code and a URL, the setup is practically complete.

Seamless Authentication in Just 7 Steps

After saving the new configuration, a restart of the server initiates the authentication process. The system will prompt for GitHub authentication. The process is secure, leveraging GitHub Mobile for two-factor authentication. After confirming the authorization request in Visual Studio Code and approving it on a mobile device, access to the MCP server is granted. This multi-step verification ensures that your connection is secure.

Fetching Your GitHub Issues

Once authenticated, you can start interacting with the server. For instance, you can request a list of all your GitHub issues. The system will ask for permission to connect to your GitHub account. After you allow access and select the correct user profile, the server fetches the data. The output will be a comprehensive list of your issues, demonstrating how easy and useful this integration is.

Note: The system uses input parameters like owner and state to filter the issues, providing a tailored result.

Automating Issue Creation

The agent can also create detailed GitHub issues automatically. After providing it with the necessary repository information, it will generate a new, comprehensive issue. The level of detail in the generated issue is impressive, providing a solid foundation for the work to be done.

Delegating Tasks to the AI Agent

One of the most powerful features is the ability to assign the newly created issue directly to the Copilot agent. This can be done from within the development environment, without ever needing to open the GitHub website. By running a simple command, you can delegate the task to the agent, allowing it to work autonomously. This opens up the possibility of having development tasks completed overnight.

After a short processing time, the assignment is successful. A quick check on the GitHub repository confirms that the issue has been assigned to the Copilot agent. The agent will now follow the instructions and code templates within the issue to implement the required enhancement. The efficiency of this process is truly remarkable.

Monitoring the AI's Progress

Inspecting the repository reveals a new enhancement issue, beautifully detailed and assigned to Copilot. A "work in progress" tag indicates the agent is actively working on it. You can even view the agent's session to see its plan of action. The agent will explore the repository, analyze relevant files like package.json, examine existing pages, review sample files, and check for tests or build scripts. This thorough investigation ensures it understands the context before making changes. Given the complexity of the task, it will take some time. This is a perfect opportunity to step away and let the automation run its course.

Reviewing the Completed Work

The next morning, a completed pull request from the Copilot agent is ready for review. The agent has successfully addressed the issue, which involved reorganizing a page with over 180+ items. It created new sections and implemented technical changes, including a "Recent Articles" section. The agent even provides a summary of its work, explaining how the new design improves user experience by transforming an overwhelming grid into a more manageable layout, while still providing access to all content via a "View All" button.

A Look Under the Hood: The Agent's Process

A review of the agent's session log reveals its meticulous process.

1. Exploration: It began by exploring the repository structure, types, page layouts, and sample files.
2. Build & Test: It ran the build and executed existing tests to establish a baseline.
3. Planning & Implementation: The agent formulated a plan and began implementing changes, such as modifying configuration files to add a featured property.
4. Visual Verification: Using its integrated browser powered by Playwright, the agent navigated to the local development server to visually confirm that the new sections (Recent Articles, Conference Talks, Live Streams, Browse by Topic) were displayed correctly.
5. Interaction Testing: It didn't stop at visual checks. The agent proactively tested functionality by clicking the "View All" button and verifying that tag navigation links were working as expected.
6. Final Checks: After confirming the new layout and functionality, it ensured that no existing features were broken and that the build was successful.

This comprehensive, automated process is incredibly impressive.

Code Review and Merging

The code review process is straightforward. The changes include:

• An optional featured property added to the content configuration.
• A new "featured" section on the main index page.
• Several new sections with specific queries:
  • Recent Articles: Limited to 8 items, ordered by date.
  • Conference Talks: Limited to over 5+ items.
  • Live Streams: Limited to over 5+ items.
• A new "conference" type added to the system.

The changes are well-implemented and logical. After approving the pull request and the associated workflows (which run the final tests), the changes can be merged into the main branch.

The Final Result: Before and After

A look at the deployment preview showcases the impressive results. The original page was a single, long list of content. The new, redesigned page is much more organized, featuring distinct sections for "Recent Articles," "Conference Talks," and "Live Streams," each with a "View All" link. It also includes a "Browse by Topic" section for easier navigation.

While the layout is a significant improvement, there's always room for refinement. For example, adjusting the number of items displayed in a section from six to eight might improve the look on certain screen sizes. These minor tweaks can be addressed in subsequent iterations. The ability to click "View All" and see the complete list of articles remains, ensuring no content is lost.

This powerful automation is made possible by the Copilot agent's integrated web browser, which utilizes Playwright. This allows the agent to not only write code but also to see and interact with the application it's building. Have fun exploring the capabilities of the GitHub Copilot coding agent—start assigning it issues and prepare to be amazed by what it can accomplish.