# Auto Allow for Copilot

**Repository Path**: shanewa/auto-allow-for-copilot

## Basic Information

- **Project Name**: Auto Allow for Copilot
- **Description**: Automatically approve terminal commands for GitHub Copilot Agent without clicking Allow. Mirror of https://github.com/shanewa/auto-allow-for-copilot
- **Primary Language**: Unknown
- **License**: MIT
- **Default Branch**: main
- **Homepage**: None
- **GVP Project**: No

## Statistics

- **Stars**: 0
- **Forks**: 0
- **Created**: 2026-09-07
- **Last Updated**: 2026-09-07

## Categories & Tags

**Categories**: Uncategorized

**Tags**: None

## README

<div align="center">
  <h1>Auto Allow for Copilot</h1>
  <p align="center">
    <img src="./assets/auto-allow-for-copilot-logo.png" alt="Auto Allow for Copilot logo" width="140px" />
    <br />
    <i>Automatically approve terminal commands for GitHub Copilot Agent without clicking Allow.</i>
  </p>
  <p align="center">
    <img alt="VS Code" src="https://img.shields.io/badge/VS%20Code-%5E1.99-007ACC?style=flat-square&logo=visualstudiocode&logoColor=white" />
    <img alt="TypeScript" src="https://img.shields.io/badge/TypeScript-5.x-3178C6?style=flat-square&logo=typescript&logoColor=white" />
    <img alt="License MIT" src="https://img.shields.io/badge/license-MIT-2E7D32?style=flat-square" />
  </p>
</div>

<hr />

Automatically approves the **"Allow"** (a.k.a. "Continue") confirmation that GitHub
Copilot Chat's **agent mode** shows before it runs a terminal command — so the agent
can keep working unattended, without you having to click anything.

No manual settings changes required: install the extension and it configures VS Code
for you automatically, every time it starts.

## What it actually does

VS Code Copilot Chat already ships with built-in (experimental) settings that control
terminal command auto-approval:

| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
| `chat.tools.terminal.enableAutoApprove` | Turns the auto-approve feature on/off. |
| `chat.tools.terminal.autoApprove` | Map of command patterns (plain text or `/regex/`) to `true`/`false`. |
| `chat.tools.terminal.ignoreDefaultAutoApproveRules` | Ignores VS Code's built-in deny rules for destructive commands (`rm`, `del`, `kill`, `curl`, `wget`, `chmod`, `chown`, `Remove-Item`, ...). |

This extension writes these settings for you automatically on startup (and whenever
its own settings change), so you never have to open `settings.json` yourself:

- Enables `chat.tools.terminal.enableAutoApprove`.
- Adds a wildcard rule (`"/.*/": true`) to `chat.tools.terminal.autoApprove` so **every**
  terminal command the agent proposes is auto-approved.
- Ignores VS Code's built-in safety deny-list for destructive commands by default, so
  commands such as `rm`, `del`, `kill`, and `Remove-Item` are also auto-approved.
  Set `autoAllowForCopilot.includeDangerousCommands` to `false` if you want to keep
  those protections.
- Keeps custom rules that differ from VS Code's defaults. Earlier versions that copied
  VS Code's default deny rules into your settings are cleaned up automatically.

Your original settings are backed up the first time the extension runs, and can be
restored at any time with **Auto Allow for Copilot: Restore Original Approval Settings**.

## ⚠️ Security warning

This extension deliberately removes a safety confirmation step. With it enabled,
Copilot's agent mode can execute terminal commands **without asking you first**, including
destructive commands such as `rm`, `del`, and `chmod` by default. Only use this in
environments where you trust the agent and the commands it might run (for example, a
disposable container, VM, or CI sandbox). Set `autoAllowForCopilot.includeDangerousCommands`
to `false` if you want to retain VS Code's built-in dangerous-command protections.

Auto-approval only affects the **terminal command tool**. Other confirmations (such as
file edits requiring approval) are not touched by this extension.

## Requirements

- VS Code `1.99` or later, with GitHub Copilot Chat and agent mode enabled.
- The `chat.tools.terminal.autoApprove` setting must be supported by your VS Code
  build (ships as a built-in, evolving setting — check **Settings** and search for
  `autoApprove` if you want to confirm it exists in your version).

## Extension settings

| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `autoAllowForCopilot.enabled` | `true` | Master switch. When `true`, auto-approve is kept turned on; when `false`, it's turned off and any wildcard rule this extension added is removed. |
| `autoAllowForCopilot.autoApproveAllCommands` | `true` | Adds the wildcard rule that approves any command. Set to `false` to only enable the feature and rely on your own `chat.tools.terminal.autoApprove` rules. |
| `autoAllowForCopilot.includeDangerousCommands` | `true` | Also auto-approves commands VS Code normally always confirms (`rm`, `del`, `kill`, `curl`, `wget`, `chmod`, `chown`, `Remove-Item`, ...). Set to `false` to keep those protections. |
| `autoAllowForCopilot.settingsScope` | `"global"` | Apply changes to your **User** settings (`global`, all workspaces) or only the current **workspace**. |
| `autoAllowForCopilot.showStatusBarItem` | `true` | Show a status bar item indicating whether auto-approve is active; click it to toggle. |

## Commands

- **Auto Allow for Copilot: Enable Auto-Approve**
- **Auto Allow for Copilot: Disable Auto-Approve**
- **Auto Allow for Copilot: Toggle Auto-Approve**
- **Auto Allow for Copilot: Restore Original Approval Settings** — reverts
  `chat.tools.terminal.*` settings to what they were before this extension ever ran.
- **Auto Allow for Copilot: Show Status**

All commands are also available from the Command Palette (`Ctrl+Shift+P`).

## Build & install (WSL2)

Development commands should be run from WSL2, in the mounted project folder:

```bash
cd /mnt/c/Users/shanewa/WORK/SBC/code/auto-allow-for-copilot

# install dependencies
npm install

# compile TypeScript -> out/
npm run compile

# package into a .vsix you can install in VS Code
npx vsce package
```

This produces `auto-allow-for-copilot-<version>.vsix` in the project folder. Install it
in VS Code with:

```bash
code --install-extension auto-allow-for-copilot-0.1.0.vsix
```

Or, from within VS Code: open the Extensions view → `...` menu → **Install from
VSIX...** → select the generated file.

### Run without packaging (development)

1. Open this folder in VS Code.
2. Run `npm install` and `npm run compile` (or `npm run watch`).
3. Press `F5` to launch an Extension Development Host with the extension loaded.

## Uninstall / cleanup

Run **Auto Allow for Copilot: Restore Original Approval Settings** before uninstalling
if you want your original `chat.tools.terminal.*` settings back. Otherwise, uninstalling
the extension leaves whatever settings it last wrote in place — disable it first
(**Auto Allow for Copilot: Disable Auto-Approve**) if you want auto-approval turned off
immediately.