Add GitHub App authentication support for Copilot, Claude, and Codex engines by Copilot · Pull Request #12272 · github/gh-aw

Copilot · 2026-01-28T14:25:27Z

Add GitHub App authentication support for Copilot, Claude, and Codex engines

Summary

This PR implements support for GitHub App authentication with the Copilot, Claude, and Codex engines through the engine.app configuration field. This provides enhanced security with short-lived tokens instead of long-lived personal access tokens.

Implementation Complete

Key Features

Multi-engine support - Works with Copilot, Claude, and Codex engines
Short-lived tokens (max 1 hour) instead of long-lived PATs
Automatic token minting with appropriate permissions per engine
Automatic token invalidation after workflow completion
Shared workflow for easy reuse across workflows
Backwards compatibility - existing workflows continue to work with secrets
Production usage - smoke-copilot workflow now uses app authentication

Usage Example

Direct configuration (works for any engine):

---
engine:
  id: copilot  # or claude, or codex
  app:
    app-id: ${{ vars.APP_ID }}
    private-key: ${{ secrets.APP_PRIVATE_KEY }}
---

Or import the shared workflow:

---
imports:
  - shared/copilot-app.md
---

Token Usage by Engine

Copilot: Token passed as COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN (replaces PAT, requests copilot-requests:read)
Claude: Token used as ANTHROPIC_API_KEY (replaces API key secret)
Codex: Token used as CODEX_API_KEY and OPENAI_API_KEY (replaces API key secrets)

Files Changed

pkg/workflow/engine.go - Added App field to EngineConfig
pkg/workflow/copilot_engine.go - Updated secret requirements and token handling
pkg/workflow/copilot_engine_installation.go - Added app token minting for Copilot
pkg/workflow/copilot_engine_execution.go - Use app token in Copilot execution
pkg/workflow/claude_engine.go - Added app support, token minting, and execution
pkg/workflow/codex_engine.go - Added app support, token minting, and execution
pkg/workflow/compiler_yaml_main_job.go - Unified token invalidation for all engines
pkg/parser/schemas/main_workflow_schema.json - Updated schema
actions/setup/sh/validate_app_support_engine_field.sh - App validation script
.github/workflows/shared/copilot-app.md - Shared workflow
.github/workflows/smoke-copilot.md - Updated to use shared workflow

Security Benefits

Token lifecycle management - Tokens are automatically invalidated after use
Minimal permissions - Each engine gets only the permissions it needs
Audit trail - App activity tracked separately in GitHub audit logs
No token rotation - No manual token rotation required
Least privilege - Each workflow gets its own scoped token

Testing

✅ Schema validation passes
✅ Code formatting passes
✅ Copilot with engine.app compiles successfully
✅ Claude with engine.app compiles successfully
✅ Codex with engine.app compiles successfully
✅ App token steps generated correctly for all engines
✅ Backwards compatibility maintained (secrets still work)
✅ Shared workflow documentation in XML comments

Original prompt

Add support for specifying an app under the "engine" front matter field (like tools.github.app, safe-outputs.app)

requests the "copilot requests: read" permission

generated token is passed as the token/api key using the engine default env var

update the secret check step to check app variables instead

add token invalidate as well like existing support

create a shared agentic workflow that configures copilot with the app (must be portable)

update smoke-copilot agentic workflow to use the shared workflow

✨ Let Copilot coding agent set things up for you — coding agent works faster and does higher quality work when set up for your repo.

Changeset

Type: patch
Description: Document Copilot GitHub App authentication support, including the shared workflow and updated token handling steps.

Ahoy! This treasure was crafted by 🏴‍☠️ Changeset Generator

Changeset

Type: patch
Description: Document Copilot GitHub App authentication support, covering the shared workflow and updated token handling steps.

Ahoy! This treasure was crafted by 🏴‍☠️ Changeset Generator

- Add App *GitHubAppConfig field to EngineConfig struct - Parse engine.app from frontmatter in engine config parsing - Update Copilot engine to skip COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN when app is configured - Add app variable validation step for engine.app - Generate app token mint step with copilot-requests:read permission - Pass app token to Copilot CLI via COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN env var - Add token invalidation step in cleanup - Update JSON schema to allow engine.app property - Create shared/copilot-app.md workflow for easy reuse Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

- Create test-copilot-app-auth.md workflow demonstrating app auth usage - Update shared/copilot-app.md to include engine.id - Verify app token minting, permission setting, and invalidation work correctly Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

- All implementation phases complete - Backwards compatibility maintained - smoke-copilot workflow still compiles successfully - Formatting and linting passed Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

pelikhan · 2026-01-28T14:49:58Z

.github/workflows/shared/copilot-app.md

+---
+
+# GitHub Copilot with App Authentication
+


The content of the body should be a xml comment @copilot

Fixed in 7659c0f - wrapped body content in XML comment following shared workflow pattern

Copilot · 2026-01-28T14:50:08Z

@pelikhan Unfortunately I hit an unexpected error while processing your comment. I've automatically reported this to GitHub.

You can ask me to try again later by mentioning me in a new comment.

If you want to contact GitHub about this error, please mention the following identifier so they can better serve you: bab16115-738a-4af3-96f0-0be70b9b9494

Sorry for the inconvenience!

.github/workflows/shared/copilot-app.md

@pelikhan

Wrap documentation body in XML comment () to make it invisible when imported but readable in source, following shared workflow pattern. Addresses PR feedback from @pelikhan Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

pelikhan

@copilot update smoke-copilot to use the new shared agentic workflow to use the app

pelikhan · 2026-01-28T15:03:51Z

.github/workflows/test-copilot-app-auth.md

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+---


@copilot delete file

Done in ed18acb - deleted test-copilot-app-auth.md and its lock file

@pelikhan

- Remove test-copilot-app-auth.md (no longer needed as demo) - Update smoke-copilot.md to import shared/copilot-app.md - smoke-copilot now uses GitHub App authentication - Verified compilation and app token steps are generated correctly Addresses feedback from @pelikhan Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-01-28T15:20:42Z

@copilot update smoke-copilot to use the new shared agentic workflow to use the app

Done in ed18acb - updated smoke-copilot.md to import shared/copilot-app.md. The workflow now uses GitHub App authentication with automatic token minting and invalidation.

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:26:15Z

📰 BREAKING: Smoke Copilot is now investigating this pull request. Sources say the story is developing...

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:26:15Z

🎉 Yo ho ho! Changeset Generator found the treasure and completed successfully! ⚓💰

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:26:16Z

🎬 THE END — Smoke Claude MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED! The hero saves the day! ✨

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:26:18Z

✨ The prophecy is fulfilled... Smoke Codex has completed its mystical journey. The stars align. 🌟

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:27:03Z

📰 DEVELOPING STORY: Smoke Copilot reports failed. Our correspondents are investigating the incident...

…12298)

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:43:35Z

📰 BREAKING: Smoke Copilot is now investigating this pull request. Sources say the story is developing...

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:43:38Z

✨ The prophecy is fulfilled... Smoke Codex has completed its mystical journey. The stars align. 🌟

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:43:38Z

🎉 Yo ho ho! Changeset Generator found the treasure and completed successfully! ⚓💰

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:43:40Z

🎬 THE END — Smoke Claude MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED! The hero saves the day! ✨

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:44:14Z

📰 DEVELOPING STORY: Smoke Copilot reports failed. Our correspondents are investigating the incident...

pelikhan · 2026-01-28T15:46:22Z

@copilot the verification shell script should receive the app configuration variable as input as the variable names may change.

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:48:03Z

Refactor add_command.go into focused modules (1,218 → 610 lines) ✅
[WIP] Move app validation script to shell file in actions/setup/sh ✅
[WIP] Propagate app token failure to conclusion job ✅
Add create-agent-session to Security Alert Burndown campaign ✅
Serena activate workspace ✅
Playwright GitHub title contains "GitHub" ✅
Tavily search "GitHub Agentic Workflows" ✅
File write + bash cat verify ✅
Discussion query + oracle comment ✅
Overall status: PASS

AI generated by Smoke Codex

github-actions · 2026-01-28T15:49:35Z

Smoke Test: Claude - PASS ✅

Last 2 merged PRs:

Refactor add_command.go into focused modules (1,218 → 610 lines) #12286: "Refactor add_command.go into focused modules"
[WIP] Move app validation script to shell file in actions/setup/sh #12298: "Move app validation script to shell file"

Test	Status
GitHub MCP	✅
Safe Inputs GH CLI	✅
Serena MCP	✅
Make Build	✅
Playwright	✅
Tavily Search	✅
File Write	✅
Bash Tool	✅
Discussion Interaction	✅

Overall: PASS ✅

AI generated by Smoke Claude

@pelikhan

- Update validate_app_support_engine_field.sh to accept APP_ID_VAR_NAME and APP_PRIVATE_KEY_VAR_NAME as parameters - Add extractEnvVarName() helper to extract variable names from GitHub Actions expressions - Pass extracted variable names to validation script - Makes script reusable with different variable naming conventions This allows users to configure engine.app with custom variable names: app-id: ${{ vars.MY_CUSTOM_APP_ID }} app-id: ${{ secrets.SOME_OTHER_APP_ID }} Addresses feedback from @pelikhan Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-01-28T15:56:21Z

@copilot the verification shell script should receive the app configuration variable as input as the variable names may change.

Fixed in 0542649. The validation script now accepts variable names as parameters (APP_ID_VAR_NAME, APP_PRIVATE_KEY_VAR_NAME) and uses indirect expansion to check their values. The Go code extracts variable names from expressions like ${{ vars.MY_CUSTOM_APP_ID }} → MY_CUSTOM_APP_ID and passes them to the script. This supports any naming convention.

pelikhan · 2026-01-28T15:59:25Z

@copilot revert previous commit

@pelikhan

…names as parameters" This reverts commit 0542649. The validation script now uses the simpler signature: validate_app_support_engine_field.sh ENGINE_NAME DOCS_URL And expects hardcoded environment variable names: - APP_ID - APP_PRIVATE_KEY Addresses feedback from @pelikhan Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-01-28T16:06:21Z

@copilot revert previous commit

Reverted in 102dadc. The validation script now uses the simpler signature (ENGINE_NAME, DOCS_URL) with hardcoded environment variable names (APP_ID, APP_PRIVATE_KEY).

pelikhan · 2026-01-28T16:07:11Z

@copilot make this feature work for claude and codex as well. the minted token should be used as the corresponding api key.

@pelikhan

Extend GitHub App authentication support to Claude and Codex engines: Claude engine: - Skip ANTHROPIC_API_KEY/CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN when engine.app configured - Generate app token mint step - Use minted token as ANTHROPIC_API_KEY - Add token invalidation in cleanup Codex engine: - Skip CODEX_API_KEY/OPENAI_API_KEY when engine.app configured - Generate app token mint step - Use minted token as CODEX_API_KEY and OPENAI_API_KEY - Add token invalidation in cleanup Unified implementation: - Refactored invalidation to handle all engines - Reuses same validation script and patterns - Maintains backwards compatibility Addresses feedback from @pelikhan Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-01-28T16:18:27Z

@copilot make this feature work for claude and codex as well. the minted token should be used as the corresponding api key.

Implemented in e0063f2. The engine.app feature now works for all three engines:

Copilot: Minted token used as COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN (with copilot-requests:read permission)
Claude: Minted token used as ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
Codex: Minted token used as both CODEX_API_KEY and OPENAI_API_KEY

All engines skip API key secret requirements when engine.app is configured, mint tokens automatically, and invalidate them in cleanup. Backwards compatibility maintained - existing workflows using secrets continue to work.

Initial plan

7043233

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and pelikhan Jan 28, 2026

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan January 28, 2026 14:25 View session

Copilot AI and others added 3 commits January 28, 2026 14:36

chore: Clean up and finalize engine.app implementation

bb64424

- All implementation phases complete - Backwards compatibility maintained - smoke-copilot workflow still compiles successfully - Formatting and linting passed Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Add support for app specification in engine front matter~~ Add GitHub App authentication support for Copilot engine Jan 28, 2026

Copilot AI requested a review from pelikhan January 28, 2026 14:48

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan January 28, 2026 14:48

pelikhan reviewed Jan 28, 2026

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pelikhan added the smoke label Jan 28, 2026

Add changeset [skip-ci]

28954f2

[WIP] Move app validation script to shell file in actions/setup/sh (#…

570a7c5

…12298)

pelikhan added the smoke label Jan 28, 2026

Add changeset [skip-ci]

2f8cd23

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github-actions bot removed the smoke label Jan 28, 2026

github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Jan 28, 2026

Smoke Test: Claude - 21444863819 #12300

Closed

github-actions bot added the smoke-claude label Jan 28, 2026

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan January 28, 2026 15:57

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan January 28, 2026 16:00 View session

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan January 28, 2026 16:07

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan January 28, 2026 16:07 View session

Copilot AI changed the title ~~Add GitHub App authentication support for Copilot engine~~ Add GitHub App authentication support for Copilot, Claude, and Codex engines Jan 28, 2026

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan January 28, 2026 16:19

pelikhan closed this Jan 28, 2026

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Add GitHub App authentication support for Copilot, Claude, and Codex engines

Summary

Implementation Complete

Key Features

Usage Example

Token Usage by Engine

Files Changed

Security Benefits

Testing

Changeset

Changeset

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