Shuttle Alpha — GitHub Codespaces Template

This repository provides a fully configured development environment for testing the Shuttle Alpha in GitHub Codespaces.

How to use this template

1. Open in a Codespace

   • Go to shuttle-alpha
   • At the top right, click “Use this template”, and create your own repository.
     • Make sure to select "Private" visibility if you don't wish your testing to be public!
   • Navigate to the newly created repository on GitHub and click "Code" > "Codespaces" > "Create codespace on main".

2. Wait for setup to finish

   • Your environment is being setup, this usually takes 5 minutes.
   • The provisioned codespace instance has Go, Python and Node installed and configured. If you want another language, install the required toolchain first.

3. Start the MCP server in the codespace

   • In the web IDE, open .vscode/mcp.json and click "Start" (just above the "shuttle" server name).
   • You will be asked to enter your GH username.

4. Setup GH Copilot

   • To open copilot click the button circled in red below:
   • You will then need to sign-in or sign-up. Don't worry if you don't have a GH copilot account as they offer a free tier which is fine for testing the alpha.
   • We recommend using gpt-4.1 in agent mode for the best results.

5. Start using Shuttle Alpha

   • That's it! You're ready to go. Follow the instructions in your info pack to get started.

Recommendations

• We find that gpt-4.1 works best with GitHub Copilot. You can select the model you want by using the dropbown in the "Chat" tab.
• Under "Code" > "Codespaces" you have the option of created a beefier machine by clicking "..." > "New with options..." - this can help make your experience smoother if you find yourself botllenecking due to your codespace CPU allocation.
  • For the closed Alpha, we will reimburse your GitHub Codespace expenses up to £20 per user.