GitHub Copilot CLI plugin
copilot plugin install Anchras/terminalbox-tools:plugins/copilot-remote-control▍ Independent guide · official docs checked
Run Copilot CLI remotely. Turn the laptop off.
Start with GitHub’s own local remote control or usage-billed cloud sandbox. Choose a Terminalbox pane only when you need a continuously running full terminal, dev services, or predictable flat monthly hosting after your laptop disconnects.
- Copilot CLI preinstalled
- Persistent tmux session
- Bring your GitHub account
The host decides what survives
Official local path
Phone or web→Your computer
Your local terminal and Copilot process must remain online.
GitHub cloud sandbox
Any device→GitHub sandbox
Resume saved session state; stopped sandboxes do not keep processes running.
Persistent full-terminal path
Any device→Terminalbox pane
The pane remains the host after your laptop disconnects.
Free, source-visible setup skill · v0.6.0 release
Verify GitHub’s own paths before you pay for a host.
The plugin checks Copilot CLI, helps you choose the smallest remote-control scope and a bounded keep-alive policy, then compares local execution, GitHub’s metered cloud sandbox, an existing host, and a new persistent host—in that order.
GitHub CLI skill installer
gh skill install Anchras/terminalbox-tools configure-copilot-remote-control --agent github-copilot --scope userNo scripts, hooks, credential handling, telemetry, or network integration. The skill never starts checkout and never enables unrestricted approvals. Review it before installing.
Three honest operating models
Choose the cheapest host that satisfies the job.
GitHub now covers both local and cloud-hosted Copilot sessions. Terminalbox is the narrower option for work that needs a continuously running general-purpose terminal.
Use GitHub remote control locally.
Best when your computer can stay online and the task depends on its files, services, credentials, hardware, or network position.
Use GitHub’s cloud sandbox.
Best when an interactive Copilot-only session, GitHub policy, stopped-session snapshots, and usage-based billing fit. Read GitHub’s preview docs.
Use a persistent terminal.
Best when the whole shell, dev server, logs, tmux session, or programmatic CLI work must continue independently of your laptop.
Side by side
Compare the operating model, not the label.
GitHub’s local remote control requires its originating machine and CLI session to remain online. Its cloud sandbox instead snapshots stopped session state for later resume and bills infrastructure by usage. Check the official remote-control guide, cloud-sandbox guide, and billing guide before choosing.
| Question | Local remote control | GitHub cloud sandbox | Terminalbox Copilot pane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where does Copilot CLI run? | On the computer where you started the terminal session. | Inside an isolated, ephemeral Linux sandbox hosted by GitHub. | Inside a paid Terminalbox Linux pane. |
| What happens after disconnecting? | Your computer, network connection, terminal, and Copilot CLI session. | A stopped session is snapshotted and can be resumed, but it is not running while stopped. | The hosted pane. Your laptop or phone is only a client. |
| What can you open remotely? | The Copilot session on GitHub.com or GitHub Mobile. | The interactive Copilot CLI session across devices. | The full terminal in Terminalbox, plus optional GitHub remote control. |
| Can long-running services stay active? | Yes, while the local computer and terminal remain online. | Not while the sandbox is stopped; GitHub restores snapshot state on resume. | Yes. The pane, tmux session, dev server, and other processes remain on the host. |
| Can Copilot run programmatically? | Yes, subject to normal CLI capabilities and approval settings. | No. GitHub says --cloud cannot be combined with the -p or -i programmatic modes. | Yes. It is a general-purpose terminal; Copilot account and policy still apply. |
| What do you pay? | No extra sandbox charge; Copilot usage and plan terms still apply. | Metered compute, memory, and stopped-snapshot storage, plus Copilot usage. | From €6/month for the pane, plus your separate Copilot access. |
Terminalbox is independent from GitHub. “GitHub” and “Copilot” identify GitHub products; no endorsement or partnership is implied.
Hosted remote-control workflow
Make the pane the computer that stays on.
- 01
Create a GitHub Copilot CLI pane.
Choose the prepared template, enter
/login, and complete GitHub’s browser flow. - 02
Clone the repository into the persistent workspace.
Only move the code, credentials, and configuration the hosted task actually needs.
- 03
Optionally enter
/remote on.GitHub supplies a link and QR code when the account and live session meet its current remote-control requirements. A GitHub-hosted repository is optional.
- 04
Disconnect the laptop.
Return through GitHub’s session interface or reopen the complete Terminalbox terminal from any browser.
Installation and authentication follow GitHub’s official Copilot CLI documentation. Terminalbox never receives your GitHub login or Copilot credits. Inside a repository, GitHub bills its owner for cloud sandbox usage; outside a repository, GitHub asks you to select the billed owner.
Practical boundaries
Questions to answer before paying.
Can Copilot CLI remote control keep working after my laptop sleeps?
Local remote control still depends on the originating machine. GitHub cloud sandboxes and Terminalbox can both remove that laptop dependency, but they have different lifecycles: GitHub snapshots a stopped sandbox for later resume, while a Terminalbox pane keeps its full terminal and processes running.
Should I use GitHub cloud sandbox instead of Terminalbox?
Yes when an isolated, interactive Copilot CLI session with usage-based billing and GitHub policy is enough. Use Terminalbox only when you need a continuously running full terminal, background services, programmatic CLI use, or a flat monthly pane. GitHub cloud sandboxes are currently experimental public preview.
Does Terminalbox include a GitHub Copilot plan?
No. Terminalbox charges for the persistent Linux pane. Copilot access, credits, organization policy, authentication, and provider charges remain under your GitHub account.
Can I use GitHub Mobile with a Terminalbox Copilot pane?
Yes, when GitHub remote control is available to your account. Run /remote on inside Copilot CLI, then open the session through GitHub.com or GitHub Mobile with the same account. A GitHub-hosted repository is not required.
When is local remote control the better choice?
Use the official local path when the exact files, credentials, local services, or hardware on your computer matter and you can keep that computer online. It adds no cloud-infrastructure charge.
One persistent Copilot terminal
Keep the CLI. Replace the laptop as its host.
Base includes one paid pane with 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, and a 50 GB persistent workspace for €6/month. Choose it for a continuously running full terminal—not merely because the laptop should be off. Your GitHub Copilot plan remains separate.