github · github-actions · Apr 4, 2026
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: 'Automating with Hooks'
 description: 'Learn how to use hooks to automate lifecycle events like formatting, linting, and governance checks during Copilot agent sessions.'
 authors:
   - GitHub Copilot Learning Hub Team
-lastUpdated: 2026-04-01
+lastUpdated: 2026-04-04
 estimatedReadingTime: '8 minutes'
 tags:
   - hooks
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ Hooks can trigger on several lifecycle events:
 | `subagentStart` | A subagent is spawned by the main agent | Inject additional context into the subagent's prompt, log subagent launches |
 | `subagentStop` | A subagent completes before returning results | Audit subagent outputs, log subagent activity |
 | `errorOccurred` | An error occurs during agent execution | Log errors for debugging, send notifications, track error patterns |
+| `PermissionRequest` | When the agent is about to show a permission approval dialog | Programmatically approve or deny permission requests without user interaction |
+| `notification` | **Asynchronously** after shell completion, permission prompts, elicitation dialogs, or agent completion | Send async system alerts and log events without blocking the agent |
 
 > **Key insight**: The `preToolUse` hook is the most powerful — it can **approve or deny** individual tool executions. This enables fine-grained security policies like blocking specific shell commands or requiring approval for sensitive file operations.
 
@@ -125,6 +127,80 @@ When multiple IDE extensions (or a mix of extensions and a `hooks.json` file) ea
 
 Hook event names can be written in **camelCase** (e.g., `preToolUse`) or **PascalCase** (e.g., `PreToolUse`). Both are accepted, making hook configuration files compatible across GitHub Copilot CLI, VS Code, and Claude Code without modification. Hooks also support Claude Code's nested `matcher`/`hooks` structure alongside the standard flat format.
 
+### PermissionRequest Hook
+
+The `PermissionRequest` hook fires when the agent is about to display a **permission approval dialog** — a prompt asking the user to allow or deny a specific tool use or action. This lets you write scripts that approve trusted actions automatically without requiring manual user interaction.
+
+```json
+{
+  "version": 1,
+  "hooks": {
+    "PermissionRequest": [
+      {
+        "type": "command",
+        "bash": "./scripts/auto-approve.sh",
+        "cwd": ".",
+        "timeoutSec": 5
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Unlike `preToolUse` (which runs before *every* tool call), `PermissionRequest` fires specifically for the interactive permission dialogs — making it suitable for CI/CD environments or unattended sessions where you want fully automated approvals for known-safe operations.
+
+### Enhanced preToolUse: permissionDecision Output
+
+In addition to controlling tool execution via exit codes, `preToolUse` hooks can now output a JSON object with a `permissionDecision` field. When the hook script writes `{"permissionDecision": "allow"}` to stdout, the tool approval prompt is **suppressed** and the tool proceeds without user confirmation:
+
+```bash
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Auto-approve read-only tools, block destructive ones
+INPUT=$(cat)
+TOOL=$(echo "$INPUT" | jq -r '.tool_name // empty')
+
+case "$TOOL" in
+  view|glob|grep|read)
+    echo '{"permissionDecision": "allow"}'
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+  *)
+    exit 0  # Default: show the normal approval prompt
+    ;;
+esac
+```
+
+This is useful for workflows where you want to pre-approve low-risk tools while still prompting for higher-risk operations.
+
+### notification Hook
+
+The `notification` hook is unique: it fires **asynchronously**, meaning the agent does not wait for it to finish before continuing work. It fires at key points in the session lifecycle:
+
+- After a shell command completes
+- When a permission prompt appears
+- When an elicitation dialog is shown
+- When the agent completes its response
+
+Use `notification` for logging and alerting integrations that should not block the agent:
+
+```json
+{
+  "version": 1,
+  "hooks": {
+    "notification": [
+      {
+        "type": "command",
+        "bash": "./scripts/notify.sh",
+        "cwd": ".",
+        "timeoutSec": 10
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}
+```
+
+> **Important**: `notification` hooks run in the background. Their exit code does **not** affect agent behavior — they cannot approve, deny, or block any action. Use them purely for observability and notifications.
+
 ### Plugin Hooks Environment Variables
 
 When hooks are defined inside a **plugin**, the hook scripts receive two additional environment variables automatically:

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: 'Creating Effective Skills'
 description: 'Master the art of writing reusable, shareable skill folders that deliver consistent results across your team.'
 authors:
   - GitHub Copilot Learning Hub Team
-lastUpdated: 2026-02-26
+lastUpdated: 2026-04-04
 estimatedReadingTime: '9 minutes'
 tags:
   - skills
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ Skills are folders containing a `SKILL.md` file and optional bundled assets. The
 - Skills are **more normalised across coding agent systems** via the open [Agent Skills specification](https://agentskills.io/home)
 - Skills still support **slash-command invocation** just like prompts did
 
+### Built-in CLI Skills
+
+Starting with v1.0.17, GitHub Copilot CLI ships with **built-in skills** that are available without any installation. These provide ready-made guidance for common tasks directly in the CLI. The first built-in skill covers [customizing the Copilot cloud agent's environment](../cli-for-beginners/) — helping you configure `.github/copilot-setup-steps.yml` and related setup.
+
+You can browse and invoke built-in skills just like your own project skills. They serve as both useful capabilities and reference examples for writing your own.
+
 ### How Skills Differ from Other Customizations
 
 **Skills vs Instructions**:

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: 'Using the Copilot Coding Agent'
 description: 'Learn how to use GitHub Copilot coding agent to autonomously work on issues, generate pull requests, and automate development tasks.'
 authors:
   - GitHub Copilot Learning Hub Team
-lastUpdated: 2026-03-25
+lastUpdated: 2026-04-04
 estimatedReadingTime: '12 minutes'
 tags:
   - coding-agent
@@ -334,6 +334,34 @@ This repository provides a curated collection of agents, skills, and hooks desig
 
 > **Example workflow**: Combine a `test-specialist` agent with a `database-migrations` skill and a linting hook. Assign an issue to the coding agent using the test-specialist agent — it will automatically pick up the migrations skill when relevant, and the hook ensures all code is formatted before completion.
 
+## Critic Agent (Experimental)
+
+GitHub Copilot CLI includes an experimental **Critic agent** that automatically reviews plans and complex implementations using a complementary AI model. Rather than relying on a single model to both generate and evaluate code, the Critic uses a separate model to independently critique the work — catching logical errors, missing edge cases, and implementation gaps earlier.
+
+**How it works**:
+
+```
+1. Coding agent develops a plan or implementation
+         ↓
+2. Critic agent reviews the work using a complementary model
+         ↓
+3. Critique is fed back to the coding agent
+         ↓
+4. Agent refines the plan or implementation
+         ↓
+5. Final result is higher quality before you see the PR
+```
+
+**Key characteristics**:
+- Available in **experimental mode** for Claude models only
+- Activates automatically during complex plans and implementations — no manual invocation needed
+- Runs transparently in the background as part of the agent's normal workflow
+- Helps catch a category of errors that single-model systems miss (the "blind spot" of self-evaluation)
+
+**Why it matters**: When the same model generates *and* evaluates its own code, it tends to miss the same classes of errors in both phases. The Critic agent's use of a complementary model introduces genuine independence — a design similar to code review by a second developer.
+
+> **Note**: The Critic agent is an experimental feature. Check the [CLI release notes](https://github.com/github/copilot-cli/releases) for the latest status.
+
 ## Hooks and the Coding Agent
 
 Hooks are especially valuable with the coding agent because they provide deterministic guardrails for autonomous work: