Copilot CLI helped me with VS Code accessibility extension
Source: Dev.to
GitHub Copilot CLI Challenge Submission
This is a submission for the GitHub Copilot CLI Challenge.
What I Built
I created Axe Accessibility Checker — a VS Code extension powered by axe‑core that runs accessibility audits directly in VS Code. Built entirely with GitHub Copilot CLI assistance, this extension shortens the gap between accessibility testing and AI‑powered helpers for fixing.
Key Features
- 🔍 Instant accessibility audits using industry‑standard axe‑core
- 📊 Beautiful HTML reports with violation categorization (critical, serious, moderate, minor)
- ⚡ Integrated with VS Code’s command palette for seamless workflow
- 🤖 Reports optimized for GitHub Copilot consumption — copy violations directly into chat for AI‑powered fixes
Why I Built It
Accessibility testing shouldn’t feel difficult. The traditional workflow—run Lighthouse, export a report, copy‑paste violations into Copilot, explain context—wastes precious development time.
This extension eliminates that friction entirely. Run an audit, click to open the report, and feed violations directly to GitHub Copilot for instant fix suggestions. What used to take 5–10 minutes now takes seconds.
Personal Journey – I’d never created a VS Code extension before this challenge. GitHub Copilot CLI walked me through the entire process—from manifest configuration to Puppeteer integration to TypeScript compilation. This extension proves that Copilot CLI can guide you through completely unfamiliar territory.
I’m seriously considering publishing it on the VS Code Marketplace because it solves a real problem I face daily.
Demo
Repository
- 💻 Project Repository
- 🔌 VS Code Extension link – WIP, coming soon™
My Experience with GitHub Copilot CLI
What I Loved
/delegate [prompt]— The killer feature! Sends the whole session to GitHub and creates a PR automatically./on-air— Streamer mode that hides model names and quotas, perfect for demos and recordings./tasks— Background task management for sub‑agents and shell sessions; feels like a real task manager for AI work.- Context awareness — Copilot CLI understood my project structure and suggested changes across multiple files simultaneously.
What Could Be Better
- Fleet mode unpredictability — Occasionally made edits without clear explanations, feeling like “moving fast and breaking things.”
- Silent operations — Periods of 60–200 seconds with no feedback; a simple “analyzing codebase…” status would help.
- Terminal session handling — Sometimes lost track of the active terminal when switching between compile and test sessions.
Overall
Despite minor quirks, GitHub Copilot CLI elevated my productivity significantly. This project would have taken me 3–7 days alone; Copilot CLI got me there in hours.
Team
Solo Developer: Vadim Frolov
Designer • Developer • Producer (with a little help from my AI friend)