MCPInstall

lsp-setup

by github OfficialBackend & APIs

Enable code intelligence (go-to-definition, find-references, hover, type info) for any programming language by installing and configuring an LSP server for Copilot CLI. Detects the OS, installs the right server, and generates the JSON configuration (user-level or repo-level). Use when you need deeper code understanding and no LSP server is configured, or when the user asks to set up, install, or configure an LSP server.

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Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill lsp-setup
  1. 01

    Install

    Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.

  2. 02

    Describe the task

    Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads lsp-setup automatically when relevant.

  3. 03

    Review the result

    The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

LSP Setup for GitHub Copilot CLI

UTILITY SKILL — installs and configures Language Server Protocol servers for Copilot CLI. USE FOR: "setup LSP", "install language server", "configure LSP for Java", "add TypeScript LSP", "enable code intelligence", "I need go-to-definition", "find references not working", "need better code understanding" DO NOT USE FOR: general coding tasks, IDE/editor LSP configuration, non-Copilot-CLI setups

Workflow

  1. Ask the language — use ask_user to ask which programming language(s) the user wants LSP support for
  2. Detect the OS — run uname -s (or check for Windows via $env:OS / %OS%) to determine macOS, Linux, or Windows
  3. Look up the LSP server — read references/lsp-servers.md for known servers, install commands, and config snippets (for Java, also read references/java-jdtls.md)
  4. Ask scope — use ask_user to ask whether the config should be user-level (~/.copilot/lsp-config.json) or repo-level (.github/lsp.json)
  5. Install the server — run the appropriate install command for the detected OS
  6. Write the config — merge the new server entry into the chosen config file (~/.copilot/lsp-config.json for user-level; .github/lsp.json for repo-level). Create the file if missing and preserve existing entries.
  7. Verify — confirm the LSP binary is on $PATH and the config file is valid JSON

Configuration Format

Copilot CLI reads LSP configuration from user-level or repo-level locations, and repo-level config takes precedence over user-level config:

  • User-level: ~/.copilot/lsp-config.json
  • Repo-level: .github/lsp.json (a bare lsp.json at the repo root is not read: with Copilot CLI 1.0.95, copilot lsp list listed servers from .github/lsp.json but not from a root lsp.json)

The JSON structure:

{
  "lspServers": {
    "<server-key>": {
      "command": "<binary>",
      "args": ["--stdio"],
      "fileExtensions": {
        ".<ext>": "<languageId>",
        ".<ext2>": "<languageId>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Key rules

  • command is the binary name (must be on $PATH) or an absolute path.
  • args almost always includes "--stdio" to use standard I/O transport.
  • fileExtensions maps each file extension (with leading dot) to a Language ID.
  • Multiple servers can coexist in lspServers.
  • When merging into an existing file, never overwrite other server entries — only add or update the target language key.

Behavior

  • Always use ask_user with choices when asking the user to pick a language or scope.
  • If the language is not listed in references/lsp-servers.md, search the web for "<language> LSP server" and guide the user through manual configuration.
  • If a package manager is not available (e.g. no Homebrew on macOS), suggest alternative install methods from the reference file.
  • After installation, run which <binary> (or where.exe on Windows) to confirm the binary is accessible.
  • Show the user the final config JSON before writing it.
  • If the config file already exists, read it first and merge — do not clobber.

Verification

After setup, tell the user:

  1. Type /exit to quit Copilot CLI — this is required so the new LSP configuration is loaded on next launch
  2. Re-launch copilot in a project with files of the configured language
  3. Run /lsp to check the server status
  4. Try code intelligence features like go-to-definition or hover

Java

For Java semantic navigation, prefer the lsp tool (goToDefinition, findReferences, hover, incomingCalls) over grep/view once a server is configured. LSP is optional for Java and is not a prerequisite for build or runtime diagnostics. See references/java-jdtls.md for setup details and troubleshooting.

FAQ

What does the lsp-setup skill do?

Enable code intelligence (go-to-definition, find-references, hover, type info) for any programming language by installing and configuring an LSP server for Copilot CLI. Detects the OS, installs the right server, and generates the JSON configuration (user-level or repo-level). Use when you need deeper code understanding and no LSP server is configured, or when the user asks to set up, install, or configure an LSP server.

How do I install lsp-setup?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill lsp-setup in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/lsp-setup/ (personal) or .claude/skills/lsp-setup/ (project).

Which AI agents can use lsp-setup?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is lsp-setup safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains lsp-setup?

It is published by github in github/awesome-copilot, and it is an official skill from the maker of the technology it covers. It has 1,123 recorded installs.

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