Tools And Setup

/_ Description: Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, shell aliases, sparkdock provisioning, and subscription policy Sort: 20 _/

Table of Contents

• TL;DR
• Overview
  • When to use what
• Claude Code
  • IDE integration
• GitHub Copilot (secondary)
• OpenCode (backup)
• OpenSpec
• Other CLI tools
• Installation and updates
• Authentication
• Claude Code subscription
• GitHub Copilot subscription policy
  • Personal use

TL;DR

Get up and running:

sjust sparkdock-upgrade    # install all tools

Start coding with AI:

Authenticate (one-time):

All GitHub-based tools authenticate against github.com using your SparkFabrik organization account.

The rest of this page covers how each tool works, when to use which, and the subscription policy.

Overview

All AI development tools are installed and configured by sparkdock, our workstation provisioning system. You should not need to install anything manually. Run sjust sparkdock-upgrade to provision or update everything (sjust is sparkdock's just-based task runner).

To install or update a specific tool, use tags:

sjust sparkdock-install-tags claude-code  # just Claude Code
sjust sparkdock-install-tags copilot-cli  # just Copilot CLI
sjust sparkdock-install-tags opencode     # just OpenCode
sjust sparkdock-install-tags skills       # just shared skills
sjust sparkdock-install-tags npm_packages # just npm packages (OpenSpec, etc.)

When to use what

AI coding tools operate in two modes: reactive (suggest code, wait for you to apply it) and agentic (plan, act, observe, adjust in a loop). Both are useful. The agentic mode (where the AI reads your codebase, forms a plan, executes it, runs tests, and course-corrects) is where the biggest productivity shift is happening.

Use Claude Code (terminal or IDE extension) as your primary agent for implementation, debugging, and any task that benefits from an autonomous work loop. Copilot's inline autocomplete complements it with real-time code suggestions as you type.

Claude Code

Claude Code is our primary AI coding assistant in the terminal. It is Anthropic's agentic coding tool that runs the full autonomous loop: reading your codebase, planning changes, executing them, running tests, and adjusting when things fail.

Start a session:

claude                         # start in the current directory
claude -p "your prompt"        # one-shot mode (non-interactive, see warning below)

Cost warning: claude -p draws from a separate Agent SDK monthly credit, not your interactive usage limits. Once the credit is exhausted, usage is billed at API rates. See Agent SDK and headless usage below for details.

Claude Code uses the current directory as project context. Type / for slash commands (including /opsx:* for OpenSpec workflows).

What sets it apart:

• Plan mode: press Shift+Tab twice to enter plan mode. Claude explores and plans without making changes. Use this for anything touching multiple files.
• Full tool use: reads, edits, creates files; runs shell commands; manages git
• Skills and agent profiles: loads skills from ~/.agents/skills/ (system) and .claude/skills/ (project); agent profiles from .claude/agents/ (project) and ~/.claude/agents/ (user)
• Subagents: delegate tasks to specialized agents that run in their own context window
• MCP integrations: connect to external tools (GitLab, databases, design tools) via Model Context Protocol
• CLAUDE.md: project-level instructions that compound over time — every mistake becomes a rule
• Permission controls: sparkdock configures rules that require confirmation before destructive operations

Configuration: Claude Code reads project instructions from CLAUDE.md at the repository root and from .claude/ directory. Global configuration lives in ~/.claude/. See the official documentation for details.

IDE integration

Claude Code also runs natively inside your IDE, providing the same agentic capabilities with a graphical interface. This is separate from Copilot's inline autocomplete — they complement each other:

• Claude Code extension = agentic coding (plan, execute, review diffs, multi-step tasks)
• Copilot extension = reactive inline completions (code suggestions as you type)

You can use both simultaneously.

VS Code

Install the Claude Code extension for VS Code (requires VS Code 1.98.0+).

Key features:

• Inline diffs: Claude shows side-by-side comparisons of proposed changes; accept, reject, or edit before applying
• Plan review: in Plan mode, Claude opens the plan as a full markdown document where you can add inline comments before execution
• @-mentions: reference files, folders, or line ranges (@src/auth.ts#5-10) for precise context
• Multiple conversations: open sessions in separate tabs or windows for parallel work
• Session history: resume past conversations, including remote sessions from claude.ai
• Keyboard shortcuts: Cmd+Esc / Ctrl+Esc to toggle focus, Option+K / Alt+K to insert @-mention references

Open Claude via the Spark icon in the editor toolbar, the Activity Bar, or the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P → "Claude Code").

For the full reference, see the Claude Code VS Code docs.

JetBrains (beta)

Install the Claude Code plugin for JetBrains (IntelliJ IDEA, WebStorm, PyCharm, GoLand, and other IntelliJ-based IDEs).

The plugin is currently in beta. It provides the same agentic workflow within the JetBrains IDE family.

GitHub Copilot (secondary)

GitHub Copilot remains available as a secondary tool. Its primary value is IDE inline autocomplete — the real-time code suggestions that appear as you type in VS Code or JetBrains. The Copilot CLI is available as a backup terminal agent for teams that prefer it.

IDE autocomplete

GitHub Copilot runs as an extension in VS Code and JetBrains IDEs, providing inline completions and a chat panel. Install it from your IDE's extension marketplace and sign in with your GitHub account. This continues to work alongside Claude Code — use Claude Code for agentic tasks in the terminal, and Copilot's inline suggestions as you type in your editor.

Copilot CLI (backup)

GitHub Copilot CLI is available for teams that still need it. Sparkdock installs it and configures shell aliases.

co "your prompt"        # one-shot mode
ico                     # interactive mode
ico --model gemini-3-pro  # start with a specific model

Skills and slash commands work in both the terminal CLI and the IDE extension.

OpenCode (backup)

OpenCode is an open-source, model-agnostic terminal coding agent. It is available as a backup option for teams that need model-agnostic flexibility or are still transitioning to Claude Code.

Start a session:

c                          # start in the current directory
c --agent the-architect    # start with a specific agent profile

OpenCode uses the current directory as project context. Press Tab to switch agent profiles, type / for slash commands (including /opsx:* for OpenSpec workflows).

What sets it apart:

• Model-agnostic: works with Claude, GPT, Gemini, and others; no vendor lock-in
• Full tool use: reads, edits, creates files; runs shell commands; manages git
• Skills and agent profiles: loads from ~/.agents/skills/ (system), .opencode/skills/ (project), and ~/.config/opencode/agents/ (agent profiles)
• Permission controls: sparkdock configures rules that require confirmation before destructive operations

Configuration: sparkdock installs the config at ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json. You generally don't need to edit it.

OpenSpec

OpenSpec is a framework for capturing requirements, design decisions, and implementation tasks as structured artifacts before and during AI-assisted development. It's installed as an npm package by sparkdock. Verify with:

openspec --version

OpenSpec is covered in detail on its own page: Spec-Driven Development.

Other CLI tools

Sparkdock also installs CLI tools that aren't AI-specific but that the coding agents use via skills:

Both tools work standalone in your terminal and are also used by Claude Code and other agents through skills (e.g., the glab skill lets the AI fetch issue details, read MR discussions, and check pipelines on your behalf).

Installation and updates

Everything is managed by sparkdock. Here are the commands you'll use most:

If a tool is missing or outdated, sjust sparkdock-upgrade is always the safe default.

What sparkdock installs

Sparkdock also configures shell aliases, zsh completions, and permission rules for all agents.

Authentication

Claude Code

Run claude auth login from your terminal:

claude auth login

This opens your browser for authentication. Claude Code uses your Anthropic account linked to the SparkFabrik organization. The token is stored locally.

For the full reference, see the official docs: Claude Code authentication.

GitHub Copilot CLI

Copilot CLI has its own authentication, separate from the gh CLI. Run copilot login from your terminal (or /login inside an active session):

copilot login

This opens your browser at github.com/login/device where you enter the one-time code displayed in the terminal. Select GitHub.com, authorize, and you're set. The token is stored in your OS keychain under the service name copilot-cli.

If you've already authenticated with gh auth login, Copilot CLI can use that token as a fallback. But we recommend running copilot login explicitly so Copilot CLI has its own stored credential.

For the full reference, see the official docs: Authenticating GitHub Copilot CLI.

GitHub Copilot in VS Code / JetBrains

Sign in through the Copilot extension sidebar. It opens the same GitHub OAuth flow in your browser. Once authorized, the extension stays authenticated.

OpenCode (backup)

Open an OpenCode session (c), then run the /connect command:

/connect

Select GitHub Copilot from the provider list. OpenCode gives you a device code and a link to github.com/login/device. Enter the code, authorize, done.

For the full reference, see the OpenCode docs: GitHub Copilot provider.

glab (GitLab CLI)

glab authenticates against GitLab, not GitHub. Run:

sjust gitlab-configure-glab

This is a one-time setup handled by sparkdock.

gh (GitHub CLI)

gh auth login

Select GitHub.com, authenticate via browser. This is also the fallback credential for Copilot CLI if copilot login hasn't been run.

Claude Code subscription

Claude Code is provided through the SparkFabrik organization's Anthropic plan. Interactive usage (Claude Code sessions, Claude Cowork, Claude chat) consumes your plan's usage limits.

For interactive usage limits, the personal-use policy, org-managed settings, and multi-account guidance, see Claude Code usage & policy.

Agent SDK and headless usage

Starting June 15, 2026, claude -p (headless/one-shot) and Agent SDK usage no longer count toward interactive usage limits. These get a separate monthly credit that refreshes with the billing cycle:

This means your interactive Claude Code sessions and your CI/automation (claude -p) pipelines have independent budgets. Once the Agent SDK credit is exhausted, additional usage is billed at standard API rates (if usage credits are enabled), otherwise requests stop until the next billing cycle.

References:

• Use the Claude Agent SDK with your Claude plan (official Anthropic support article)
• What Anthropic's New Claude Billing Means for Zed Users (Zed blog, practical impact analysis)
• Anthropic Claude pricing changes (Axios coverage)

GitHub Copilot subscription policy

The GitHub Copilot subscription is maintained primarily for IDE inline autocomplete and as a backup terminal agent. Claude Code is our primary agentic coding tool.

Eligibility

All employees with access to GitHub can use GitHub Copilot. You should receive a subscription during onboarding.

Usage policy

1. Employees are encouraged to use AI suggestions but must use their own judgment when applying them. Always review suggested code and understand it before implementing it. The name is Copilot, not Autopilot.

2. Employees must comply with all company policies when using GitHub Copilot. Non-compliance is the employee's responsibility.

3. The service is regulated by the GitHub Terms for Additional Products and Features and the GitHub Privacy Statement. Code snippets are transmitted in real-time for suggestions but are not retained by default. For details on data handling, see the GitHub Copilot Trust Center. It is the employer's responsibility to verify that these terms are acceptable for their specific use case; if in doubt, ask your team lead or manager.

4. This policy is reviewed periodically and updated as needed.

Personal use

GitHub attaches the Copilot subscription to your personal GitHub account. When the organization seat is assigned, any existing personal subscription is automatically cancelled. We recognize this means the tools you use for work are the same tools available on your personal projects.

Here is what is and isn't covered:

• Open source and community contributions: encouraged. Contributing to open source projects, building community tools, and participating in hackathons all build skills that benefit you and the company.
• Personal non-commercial projects: allowed. Learning new technologies, hobby projects, and personal tools are fine, within the guidelines below.
• Personal commercial projects: not covered. Freelance work, side businesses, SaaS products, and paid consulting deliverables should not use the company-provided subscription.
• Projects that compete with the company: not allowed. Personal projects must not compete with SparkFabrik's products, services, or business areas.

A few guidelines:

1. Work takes priority. Premium requests are metered and have a cost. If your usage is unusually high, we may ask about it.
2. Keep company and personal work separate. Personal projects must not include, reuse, or be derived from company code, proprietary logic, or confidential information.
3. Your personal projects are yours. The company makes no intellectual property claim on code you write for personal or open source projects, provided it is developed outside working hours and is not related to the company's business.
4. This is trust-based. We'd rather give clear boundaries than build surveillance. If costs become unsustainable, we'll revisit the policy with transparency.

If you're unsure whether a specific use case qualifies, ask your manager.

Requesting a subscription

If you weren't granted a subscription during onboarding:

1. On the GitHub Copilot settings page, locate Get Copilot from an organization
2. Use Ask admin for access on the SparkFabrik organization
3. Confirm with an HR representative via the #support-hr channel

The subscription is through our GitHub Organization. Any existing personal Copilot subscription on the same account will be automatically cancelled and refunded by GitHub.

Refunding a previously purchased subscription

If you already purchased a personal GitHub Copilot subscription, GitHub will refund the unused portion when the Organization subscription is attached. You can request a refund for the partial paid subscription using the company's employee refund platform, only if it was previously approved as a company expense.