Store Copilot output in a shell variable.
Section: Programmatic mode basics
Capture output in a script
bash
bash
description=$(copilot -p "Describe this file briefly: $file" -s 2>/dev/null)Explanation
This pattern is featured in the official automation quickstart for script-based workflows.
Learn the surrounding workflow
Compare similar commands or jump into common fixes when this command is part of a bigger troubleshooting path.
Related commands
Same sheet · prioritizing Programmatic mode basics
Pipe prompt text and redirect the answer
Generate output for downstream steps.
Run a prompt with automatic tools
Let Copilot use tools during a non-interactive run.
Export a session transcript after a run
Save the output session to Markdown.
Share programmatic output to a secret gist
Publish the transcript as a gist.
Analyze a file from CI
Use a one-off prompt to inspect generated artifacts or source files.