This release of GitHub Copilot in Eclipse packs a lot: a refreshed chat experience, deeper visibility into your session context, BYOK for Business and Enterprise, better ABAP support, and brand new support for skills and prompt files. Read on for the highlights.
[✨ What’s new](#%e2%9c%a8-whats-new)
[Refreshed chat view with a new combo picker](#refreshed-chat-view-with-a-new-combo-picker)
We’ve refreshed the chat view with a brand new combo picker for selecting chat modes and models, surfacing more information for each model right where you make the choice.
Session context window usage at a glance Ever wonder how much of the conversation’s context window has been consumed? The chat view now shows a context size donut indicator alongside the input area, with a popup that breaks down token usage for the current session.
Custom models (BYOK) for Copilot Business and Enterprise Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) is now available to individual users as well as GitHub Copilot Business and Enterprise users when enabled by their organization. Once your organization turns it on, you can configure your own API keys for supported providers and use the custom models directly in Copilot chat in Eclipse.
Note: If you don’t see custom models enabled, reach out to your organization’s administrator to turn the feature on.
Better ABAP support This release brings improved support for ABAP development in Eclipse. Copilot now provides more accurate and context-aware chat responses for ABAP projects. It can also read directories and search within the locally cached files.
Custom instructions preference A new Copilot preference lets you control how a chat’s custom instructions are loaded. Tailor when and how your project-specific or personal instructions are picked up by Copilot, giving you finer control over the context that shapes each conversation.
All projects(default): Load custom instructions from every project in your Eclipse workspace.** Referenced projects**: Only load instructions from projects whose files or folders are referenced in the current chat.
Skills and prompt files Copilot for Eclipse now supports skills and prompt files. Define reusable prompts and skills to streamline your workflows. Invoke them on demand to apply consistent instructions and patterns across your chats.
- Persist skill files under
/.github/skills/
(e.g.,.github/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md
). - Persist prompt files under
/.github/prompts/
(e.g.,my-prompt.prompt.md
).
To trigger a skill or prompt in chat, type /
in the chat input box to open the slash command picker.
[Thinking blocks in chat view](#thinking-blocks-in-chat-view)
For models that support reasoning, the chat view now displays thinking blocks so you can follow Copilot’s reasoning process alongside its final response. Expand or collapse the blocks to dive into the details or keep the view focused on results.
[Selectable thinking effort](#selectable-thinking-effort)
You can now choose the thinking effort level for supported models. Dial the reasoning depth up for complex problems or keep it light for quick tasks. This gives you control over the trade-off between latency and answer quality.
🛠 Try it out
Prerequisites: Ensure you have an activeGitHub Copilot subscription. For BYOK, your organization administrator must enableCustom Models for Copilot Business or Enterprise.Update your IDE: Install or update the** GitHub Copilot for Eclipseplugin from the Eclipse Marketplace ( Help → Eclipse Marketplace→ search for “GitHub Copilot”). Open the chat view**: Launch Copilot Chat and try the new combo picker to switch chat modes and models.** Watch your context**: Keep an eye on the context size donut next to the input area, and click it to see a per-session token breakdown.** Configure custom instructions**: In Eclipse preferences, open** GitHub Copilot → Custom Instructionsand pick All projectsor Referenced projectsto match your workflow. Add a skill or prompt**: Drop a file at/.github/skills//SKILL.md
or/.github/prompts/.prompt.md
, then type/
in chat to invoke it.Tune reasoning: For supported models, expand the thinking blocks to follow Copilot’s reasoning and adjust the thinking effort to match the task at hand.
💬 Share your feedback Your feedback drives improvements. Let us know what you think using the in-product feedback option, or share your thoughts in the GitHub Copilot for Eclipse issues.