Cheatsheet: GitHub Copilot Symbols

GitHub Copilot

Published on Mar 15, 2026

4 MIN READ

GitHub Copilot — Symbols Cheatsheet

Symbol	Where it works	Purpose
@	Chat & inline	Select an agent / participant
#	Chat	Attach a specific context reference
/	Chat & inline	Issue a command (action shortcut)

Each agent has a different scope and set of capabilities.

Agent	Description
@workspace	Searches across all files in the open workspace. Best for project-level questions like "how does X work in this repo?"
@terminal	Explains terminal output, suggests shell commands, and can run commands in the integrated terminal.
@vscode	Answers questions about VS Code settings, keybindings, and extensions. Can trigger editor commands.
@github	Pulls in issues, PRs, commits, and discussions from GitHub.com. Use when you need remote repo context.
@azure	Provides Azure-specific guidance and can interact with Azure resources (requires Azure extension).

Pin exactly the context Copilot should focus on instead of letting it guess.

Variable	Description	Example
#file:	Attaches a specific file. Pick from the fuzzy-search dropdown.	#file:api/routes.ts
#sym:	Scopes the answer to a single symbol (function, class, type). Faster than attaching the whole file.	#sym:UserService
#selection	Passes the text you've currently highlighted in the editor.	#selection
#editor	Attaches the full content of the currently active tab.	#editor
#codebase	Same as @workspace but usable as an inline variable alongside other references.	#codebase
#termSel	Passes selected text from the terminal panel — great for error messages.	#termSel

Slash commands remove ambiguity about your intent.

Command	Description
/explain	Walks through what the selected code or file does in plain language.
/fix	Diagnoses and proposes a fix. Works best with a compiler error or failing test pasted alongside.
/tests	Generates unit tests using whatever test framework is detected in the project.
/doc	Adds JSDoc / docstring comments to functions, classes, or the whole file.
/new	Scaffolds a new project from a description. Opens a preview before writing files.
/search	Searches the workspace using a natural-language query and returns relevant code or files.
/simplify	Rewrites selected code to be shorter or more idiomatic without changing behaviour.
/review	Reviews selection or file for bugs, style issues, and improvements.
/startDebugging	Generates a launch.json debug configuration for the current project.
/setupTests	Scaffolds a test framework config (Jest, Vitest, etc.) for the project.
/clear	Clears the current chat history and starts a fresh conversation context.
/help	Lists all available slash commands and agent capabilities in the current context.

The real power comes from using all three together in one message.

@workspace /explain #file:auth.ts

@workspace /fix #sym:parseToken — cannot read property of undefined

@workspace /search JWT parsing middleware

@terminal explain this error

/tests #file:utils.ts #file:utils.test.ts

/new Express REST API with TypeScript

Pattern: @agent /command #context — optional natural language detail

flowchart LR
    A["You"] --> B["@agent\nWho processes it"]
    A --> C["#context\nWhat data to use"]
    A --> D["/command\nWhat action to take"]
    B --> E["Copilot Response"]
    C --> E
    D --> E

    style A fill:#1e1e2e,color:#cdd6f4,stroke:#89b4fa
    style B fill:#313244,color:#cba6f7,stroke:#cba6f7
    style C fill:#313244,color:#a6e3a1,stroke:#a6e3a1
    style D fill:#313244,color:#f38ba8,stroke:#f38ba8
    style E fill:#1e1e2e,color:#cdd6f4,stroke:#89b4fa

Example Breakdown

@workspace  /fix  #sym:parseToken — cannot read property of undefined
    │          │         │                        │
    │          │         │                        └── Natural language detail
    │          │         └── Focus only on this symbol
    │          └── Action: diagnose and fix
    └── Agent: search the whole project

Table of contents

GitHub Copilot — Symbols Cheatsheet

The Three Symbol Types

@ — Agents (Who You're Talking To)

# — Context Variables (What to Attach)

/ — Commands (What Action to Take)

Combining Symbols

How the Symbols Work Together

Example Breakdown