A guide to slash commands in the GitHub Copilot app (opens in new tab)
Slash commands in the GitHub Copilot app provide quick, context-aware shortcuts for planning work, challenging decisions, automating implementation, and reviewing ideas. Unlike CLI commands, which manage terminal-oriented concerns such as directories and working paths, app commands focus on multi-session workflows and agent behavior. The post presents slash commands as a way to work faster while staying focused in the Copilot app. ## What Slash Commands Are - Type `/` in the chat composer to open an autocomplete menu of commands available in the current context. - The app manages project context visually, so commands such as `/add-dir` and `/cwd`—common in the CLI—are unnecessary. - Some commands, including `/clear` and `/model`, work in both the CLI and the app. - App-specific commands emphasize session navigation, project management, and controlling Copilot’s working mode. ## Planning Work with `/plan` `/plan` helps users think through a task before implementation and switches the session into Plan mode. - Break down new features by identifying files, components, dependencies, and implementation steps. - Prepare large refactors with an incremental migration strategy and risk assessment. - Investigate bugs by exploring possible causes and creating a diagnostic and repair plan. - Example: `/plan I need to add two-factor authentication to our application. Help me break down the work involved, identify what files need to change, and outline an implementation approach.` ## Challenging Ideas with `/spar` `/spar` acts as a critical reviewer, questioning assumptions and highlighting risks, tradeoffs, and edge cases. - Pressure-test architecture decisions such as using Redis for caching. - Compare alternatives like REST versus GraphQL or synchronous versus asynchronous processing. - Review database and infrastructure migration plans for rollout risks. - Evaluate proposed performance optimizations for hidden costs or unintended effects. ## Implementing with `/autopilot` `/autopilot` turns a high-level goal into an implementation workflow and switches the session into Autopilot mode. - Ask Copilot to implement features, update files, and modify tests. - Use it for multi-step maintenance work, including dependency upgrades, refactoring, and documentation updates. - Example tasks include adding CSV report exports or upgrading a React project while addressing breaking changes and running the test suite. ## Reviewing Ideas with `/rubber-duck` `/rubber-duck` provides an independent perspective for thinking through problems and debugging. The article introduces it as a more useful alternative to explaining an issue to a pet, but the supplied text ends before describing its full capabilities or examples. Use `/plan` to clarify the work, `/spar` to test the approach, and `/autopilot` to carry out the implementation. These commands complement the app’s visual workflow by making common Copilot interactions immediately accessible from the chat composer.