GitHub Copilot

Configure GitHub Copilot to route through Xilos for governance, caching, and cost control. Xilos is OpenAI-compatible, so Copilot can connect by pointing at the Xilos base URL with your Xilos API key.

Prerequisites

A Xilos account with an active organization.
An API key from Settings in the Xilos dashboard, or a Virtual Key with scoped limits.
GitHub Copilot access with the ability to configure a custom endpoint or proxy.
The base URL: https://api.xilos.ai/api/v1.

Warning: Copilot configuration options vary by client and version. The steps below cover the two supported methods: a custom endpoint override and a local proxy. Check the Copilot documentation for your specific client (VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, CLI) to confirm which method applies.

Configuration

Option 1: Custom Endpoint Override

If your Copilot client supports a custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint, set the base URL and API key directly. This is the simplest approach — no proxy required.

Set environment variables

export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-xilos-api-key"
export OPENAI_BASE_URL="https://api.xilos.ai/api/v1"

Configure the Copilot model

Set the model name to xilos so the Xilos routing engine selects the underlying LLM. If your client requires a specific model identifier, use xilos.

{
  "github.copilot.advanced": {
    "debug.overrideCAPIUrl": "https://api.xilos.ai/api/v1",
    "debug.overrideCAPIKey": "your-xilos-api-key",
    "debug.overrideEngine": "xilos"
  }
}

Info: The exact setting keys differ between Copilot versions. The principle is the same: set the API URL to https://api.xilos.ai/api/v1, the API key to your Xilos key, and the model to xilos.

Restart your editor

Reload VS Code or your JetBrains IDE so the new settings take effect.

Option 2: Local Proxy

If your Copilot client does not expose a custom endpoint setting, run a lightweight local proxy that forwards requests to Xilos. Point Copilot at the proxy and the proxy rewrites the target to the Xilos base URL.

Start a local proxy

Use any HTTP reverse proxy (for example, socat, nginx, or a small Node.js script). The proxy listens on a local port and forwards to https://api.xilos.ai/api/v1.

socat TCP-LISTEN:8080,fork,reuseaddr TCP:api.xilos.ai:443

For TLS termination, use nginx or caddy with a self-signed certificate for localhost.

Point Copilot at the local proxy

Set the Copilot endpoint to http://localhost:8080 (or your proxy address) and provide your Xilos API key in the Authorization header. The proxy injects the header and forwards the request to Xilos.

Set the model name

Use xilos as the model name in your Copilot configuration so the Xilos routing engine selects the underlying LLM.

Verify the Connection

Trigger a Copilot completion or chat action in your editor.
Open your Xilos dashboard.
Navigate to Query Log.
Confirm the query appears with the routing decision, governance actions, and cost breakdown.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Fix
Copilot still hits GitHub directly	The override setting was not applied or is unsupported in your version.	Verify the setting keys match your Copilot version. Use the proxy method if the client does not support a custom endpoint.
401 Unauthorized	The API key is invalid or expired.	Regenerate the key in the Xilos dashboard under Settings and update the override or proxy configuration.
403 Forbidden	A Xilos restriction rule blocked the query.	Check the Query Log for the triggered rule and adjust the rule or the query content.
Proxy connection refused	The local proxy is not running or is listening on the wrong port.	Confirm the proxy process is active and the port matches the Copilot endpoint setting.
Certificate errors with proxy	The proxy uses a self-signed certificate that the editor does not trust.	Install the certificate in your system trust store, or use `nginx` or `caddy` with a locally trusted certificate from `mkcert`.
Routing rules do not apply	The model name is set to a concrete model instead of `xilos`.	Set the model to `xilos` so the Xilos routing engine processes each query.

Warning: GitHub Copilot may update its configuration schema between releases. If the settings above do not work, check the release notes for your Copilot version and adapt the override keys accordingly. The Xilos base URL and API key values remain the same.

Next Steps

Create a Routing Rule — Direct specific query types to the best model.
Create a Restriction Rule — Block, mask, or flag sensitive content.
Manage Virtual Keys — Scope API keys with budget and rate limits.
Enable Context Compression — Reduce token costs by 50–90%.

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