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Guide: Add GitHub Copilot Memory with Hindsight

· 7 min read
Ben Bartholomew
Ben Bartholomew
Hindsight Team

Guide: Add GitHub Copilot Memory with Hindsight

If you want GitHub Copilot memory with Hindsight, the cleanest setup is the hindsight-copilot CLI. One command wires the Hindsight MCP server into VS Code's .vscode/mcp.json and adds a recall/retain rule to .github/copilot-instructions.md. That gives Copilot's agent mode long-term memory across tasks instead of forcing every new chat to rediscover the same project context.

This is a good fit for VS Code Copilot because it supports two things the integration uses: MCP servers in .vscode/mcp.json (including HTTP servers with headers, so the Hindsight MCP endpoint connects directly), and .github/copilot-instructions.md, which Copilot applies to every chat in the workspace. The MCP server gives agent mode recall, retain, and reflect tools; the instructions file holds the rule that tells Copilot to recall relevant memory at the start of a task and retain durable facts as it works.

This guide walks through installing the CLI, running init to wire everything up, understanding how the memory bank is scoped, and a quick verification flow so you can confirm memory is actually being used. Keep the docs home and the quickstart guide nearby while you work.

Quick answer

  1. pip install hindsight-copilot.
  2. From your project, run hindsight-copilot init --api-token YOUR_HINDSIGHT_API_KEY --bank-id my-project.
  3. init writes the MCP server into .vscode/mcp.json and the rule into .github/copilot-instructions.md.
  4. Reload VS Code, open Copilot Chat in agent mode, and start the hindsight MCP server from the chat's tools menu.
  5. Verify that a later task recalls what an earlier one stored.

Prerequisites​

Before you start, make sure you have:

  • VS Code with GitHub Copilot, and Copilot Chat in agent mode
  • A reachable Hindsight backend, Hindsight Cloud or a self-hosted server
  • A project folder open as your VS Code workspace, since init writes into .vscode/ and .github/

Step 1: Install the CLI​

Install the CLI with pip.

pip install hindsight-copilot

hindsight-copilot is configuration-only. It does not run at chat time — it wires the Hindsight MCP server and the recall/retain rule into your workspace, and the memory operations run through the MCP server at runtime.

Step 2: Wire up your project​

From inside the project you want memory for, run init:

pip install hindsight-copilot
cd your-project
hindsight-copilot init --api-token YOUR_HINDSIGHT_API_KEY --bank-id my-project

init merges the servers entry into ./.vscode/mcp.json and writes the rule into ./.github/copilot-instructions.md. The MCP server entry looks like this:

{
  "servers": {
    "hindsight": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.hindsight.vectorize.io/mcp/my-project/",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer hsk_..." }
    }
  }
}

Reload VS Code, open Copilot Chat in agent mode, and start the hindsight MCP server from the chat's tools menu.

For a self-hosted Hindsight server, pass --api-url http://localhost:8888 (no token needed for an open local server):

hindsight-copilot init --api-url http://localhost:8888 --bank-id my-project

If your mcp.json has comments, init won't rewrite it — it prints the snippet to paste instead. You can also print the config anytime without touching any files:

hindsight-copilot init --print-only

How the integration uses memory​

VS Code Copilot has no per-prompt wrapper here — instead the integration leans on the two surfaces Copilot exposes:

  • MCP server (tools): the hindsight HTTP MCP server gives Copilot's agent mode the recall, retain, and reflect tools directly. The server is scoped to a single memory bank — the last path segment of the MCP endpoint URL.
  • Instructions rule (behavior): the recall/retain rule written into .github/copilot-instructions.md is applied to every chat in the workspace. Guided by the rule, Copilot recalls relevant memory at the start of a task and retains durable facts as it works.

That combination means you don't have to remember to call the tools yourself — the rule tells Copilot when to reach for them.

For lower-level behavior, read Hindsight's recall API and Hindsight's retain API.

Memory banks​

The MCP server is scoped to a single bank, which is the last path segment of the MCP endpoint URL. You set it with --bank-id (default: copilot), so a project's memory stays isolated from unrelated work.

If you also use Hindsight with another editor or coding agent pointed at the same bank, they draw from the same project memory — a convention learned in one tool is available in the others.

You can also set the bank via the HINDSIGHT_COPILOT_BANK_ID environment variable, or the API URL and token via HINDSIGHT_API_URL and HINDSIGHT_API_TOKEN. See the package README for the full configuration options.

Verify that memory is working​

A good test sequence is:

  1. run hindsight-copilot status to confirm the MCP server and rule are configured
  2. in Copilot agent mode, work on a task and let Copilot record a decision or convention
  3. start a fresh chat in the same workspace
  4. ask about the earlier decision
  5. confirm the recalled memory surfaces it

For example:

  • the first task refactors the auth module and notes why the retry logic changed
  • a later chat asks what the current auth conventions are

If Copilot recalls the earlier decision, the setup is working.

Common mistakes​

Not starting the MCP server in the chat​

After init, you still have to reload VS Code, open Copilot Chat in agent mode, and start the hindsight MCP server from the chat's tools menu. If the server isn't running, the tools aren't available.

Editing an mcp.json that has comments​

If .vscode/mcp.json has comments, init won't rewrite it. Paste the printed servers snippet yourself, or run hindsight-copilot init --print-only to see it.

Expecting Cloud to work without a token​

Hindsight Cloud requires an API token. Pass --api-token (or set HINDSIGHT_API_TOKEN). A self-hosted open local server needs no token.

Assuming banks are shared by default​

Each bank is isolated. If you want two projects or tools to share memory, point them at the same --bank-id; otherwise they won't see each other's context.

FAQ​

Do I need Hindsight Cloud?​

No. A self-hosted Hindsight server works too — pass --api-url http://localhost:8888 (no token needed for an open local server).

Does this change how I use Copilot?​

No. It adds the hindsight MCP server and a recall/retain rule to your workspace. You keep using Copilot Chat in agent mode as usual — the rule tells Copilot when to recall and retain.

How is memory scoped?​

Per bank, set with --bank-id (default copilot). The bank is the last path segment of the MCP endpoint URL.

How do I remove it?​

Run hindsight-copilot uninstall, which removes the hindsight MCP server entry and the recall/retain rule. Use hindsight-copilot status to check the current state.

Next Steps​