I made my Octolamp think with GitHub Copilot CLI hooks
At GitHub Universe 2026, Beatris Mendez Gandica presents her Octolamp integration and explains how to build custom GitHub Copilot CLI hooks that control physical hardware.
From CLI events to lamp states
The project began with an Octolamp handed out at GitHub Universe 2025. Gandica connected it to GitHub Copilot CLI’s native hooks system, using lifecycle events to update the lamp through the WLED API.
The lamp provides three visible status signals:
- Breathing green: The agent is working.
- White: The agent is idle.
- Blinking red: An error has occurred.
This turns agent activity into a physical indicator that can be observed without watching the terminal.
Configuration and reliability
The session introduces Copilot CLI hooks, then covers how to configure hooks and associate them with light states. It also addresses network architecture and fallbacks, along with resolving hook race conditions—practical considerations when multiple lifecycle events drive the same device.
A live demonstration shows the Octolamp responding as a Copilot CLI status indicator.
Adapting the approach
Gandica discusses customization ideas and an open-source repository for wiring up WLED lights. The broader approach connects software lifecycle events to hardware actions: the Octolamp is one example, but custom hooks can be adapted to other devices.
Session chapters
- 00:00 — Introduction and the Octolamp idea
- 01:49 — Understanding hooks in Copilot CLI
- 02:39 — Configuring hooks and light states
- 04:17 — Network architecture and fallbacks
- 05:02 — Resolving hook race conditions
- 06:11 — Live demo: Copilot CLI lamp indicator
- 08:55 — Customization ideas and open-source repository
- 11:23 — Audience Q&A and wrap-up