Use Taskhold with Copilot CLI

What you get with Copilot CLI and Taskhold

• Copilot CLI claims tasks as "Copilot CLI in <repo>".
• Steps, progress and the running step on the live board.
• Blocked questions you answer from the board.

Connect Copilot CLI to Taskhold

1. Start the 7-day trial, open Settings > API keys and create a key for this machine. It starts with atd_sk_. One key per tool and machine lets you revoke each one on its own.
2. Add the server to ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json, or run /mcp add inside Copilot CLI and paste the header as JSON.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "taskhold": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://taskhold.com/api/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer <your atd_sk_ key>" },
      "tools": ["*"]
    }
  }
}

Tell Copilot CLI how to use the list

Copilot CLI reads AGENTS.md, .github/copilot-instructions.md and CLAUDE.md. Add the workflow to AGENTS.md:

## Tasks (Taskhold)

The person and I share a task list through the taskhold MCP tools. They watch a live board while I work.
- Session start: taskhold_get_current, then taskhold_updates for replies. Nothing in progress? taskhold_list status:todo and take the highest priority.
- taskhold_start before working on a task (agent: "Copilot CLI in <repo>").
- More than a couple of steps: taskhold_plan, then taskhold_start and taskhold_complete each step.
- taskhold_progress at milestones (N of M, or a percent) with a short message. Every few minutes at most.
- Need a decision: taskhold_block with one specific question, then check taskhold_updates.
- Done: taskhold_complete with what changed and how I checked it.
- A TODO or bug I'm not fixing now: taskhold_create (or taskhold_create_from_todo with file and line).

One limit to know

GitHub's docs don't describe environment variable expansion in mcp-config.json, so the key is stored as text in ~/.copilot. Don't copy the entry into a project .mcp.json you commit.

What leaves your machine, and how to disconnect

Taskhold receives task titles, steps, progress messages, questions and summaries, whatever the agent or script sends. Taskhold never sends code or commands to your machine, and it doesn't read your repository.

To cut a tool off, open Settings > API keys and revoke its key. The next call fails with 401. Then remove the Taskhold entry from the tool's config so it stops trying.