Replace MCP tool calls with gh CLI commands for coding agent

The coding agent doesn't have mcp_github_* prefixed tools available. Switch
to gh CLI commands run in the terminal, which are universally available on
GitHub-hosted runners. Also add gh auth status check in copilot-setup-steps.

Author: brunoborges

.github/prompts/agentic-merge-upstream.prompt.md

@@ -327,24 +327,24 @@ Run the finish script which updates `.lastmerge`, runs a final build, and pushes
 
 ### PR Handling: Coding Agent vs. Manual Workflow
 
-**If running as a Copilot coding agent** (triggered via GitHub issue assignment by the weekly sync workflow), a pull request has **already been created automatically** for you. Do NOT create a new one. Just push your commits to the current branch — the existing PR will be updated. Add the `upstream-sync` label to the existing PR using the GitHub MCP tool:
+**If running as a Copilot coding agent** (triggered via GitHub issue assignment by the weekly sync workflow), a pull request has **already been created automatically** for you. Do NOT create a new one. Just push your commits to the current branch — the existing PR will be updated. Add the `upstream-sync` label to the existing PR by running this command in a terminal:
 
-```
-mcp_github_add_issue_labels(owner: "copilot-community-sdk", repo: "copilot-sdk-java", issue_number: <PR_NUMBER>, labels: ["upstream-sync"])
+```bash
+gh pr edit --add-label "upstream-sync"
 ```
 
-> **No-changes scenario (coding agent only):** If after analyzing the upstream diff there are no relevant changes to port to the Java SDK, you **MUST** close the auto-created pull request and the triggering issue using these exact MCP tool calls:
+> **No-changes scenario (coding agent only):** If after analyzing the upstream diff there are no relevant changes to port to the Java SDK, you **MUST** close the auto-created pull request and the triggering issue by running these commands in a terminal:
 >
-> 1. Close the PR: `mcp_github_update_pull_request(owner: "copilot-community-sdk", repo: "copilot-sdk-java", pullNumber: <PR_NUMBER>, state: "closed")`
-> 2. Comment on the issue: `mcp_github_add_issue_comment(owner: "copilot-community-sdk", repo: "copilot-sdk-java", issue_number: <ISSUE_NUMBER>, body: "No relevant upstream changes to port. Closing as not planned.")`
-> 3. Close the issue: `mcp_github_update_issue(owner: "copilot-community-sdk", repo: "copilot-sdk-java", issue_number: <ISSUE_NUMBER>, state: "closed", state_reason: "not_planned")`
+> 1. Close the PR: `gh pr close $(gh pr view --json number --jq .number) --comment "No relevant upstream changes to port to the Java SDK."`
+> 2. Close the issue: `gh issue close ISSUE_NUMBER --reason "not planned" --comment "No relevant upstream changes to port to the Java SDK. Closing as not planned."` (replace ISSUE_NUMBER with the actual issue number)
 >
-> **Do NOT skip these steps.** All three tool calls are required when there are no changes to port.
+> **CRITICAL: You MUST run these `gh` CLI commands in a terminal. Do NOT skip these steps.** Both commands are required when there are no changes to port.
 
-**If running manually** (e.g., from VS Code via the reusable prompt), create the Pull Request using the GitHub MCP tool (`mcp_github_create_pull_request`). Use `owner: copilot-community-sdk`, `repo: copilot-sdk-java`, `head: $BRANCH_NAME`, `base: main`. Then add the label:
+**If running manually** (e.g., from VS Code via the reusable prompt), create the Pull Request using `gh` CLI or the GitHub MCP tool. Then add the label:
 
-```
-mcp_github_add_issue_labels(owner: "copilot-community-sdk", repo: "copilot-sdk-java", issue_number: <PR_NUMBER>, labels: ["upstream-sync"])
+```bash
+gh pr create --base main --title "Merge upstream SDK changes (YYYY-MM-DD)" --body-file /dev/stdin <<< "$PR_BODY"
+gh pr edit --add-label "upstream-sync"
 ```
 
 The PR body should include:

.github/prompts/coding-agent-merge-instructions.md

@@ -10,23 +10,20 @@ Commit changes incrementally. Update .lastmerge when done.
 IMPORTANT: A pull request has already been created automatically for you — do NOT create a new
 one. Push your commits to the current branch, and the existing PR will be updated.
 
-Add the 'upstream-sync' label to the existing PR using the GitHub MCP tool:
+Add the 'upstream-sync' label to the existing PR by running this command in a terminal:
 
-    mcp_github_add_issue_labels(owner: "copilot-community-sdk", repo: "copilot-sdk-java", issue_number: <PR_NUMBER>, labels: ["upstream-sync"])
+    gh pr edit --add-label "upstream-sync"
 
 If after analyzing the upstream diff there are no relevant changes to port to the Java SDK,
-you MUST close the pull request and the issue. Use these exact GitHub MCP tool calls:
+you MUST close the pull request and the issue. Run the following commands in a terminal:
 
 1. Close the auto-created pull request:
 
-    mcp_github_update_pull_request(owner: "copilot-community-sdk", repo: "copilot-sdk-java", pullNumber: <PR_NUMBER>, state: "closed")
+    gh pr close $(gh pr view --json number --jq .number) --comment "No relevant upstream changes to port to the Java SDK."
 
-2. Add a comment to the issue explaining no changes were needed:
+2. Close the triggering issue as 'not planned' (replace ISSUE_NUMBER with the actual issue number from the issue that was assigned to you):
 
-    mcp_github_add_issue_comment(owner: "copilot-community-sdk", repo: "copilot-sdk-java", issue_number: <ISSUE_NUMBER>, body: "No relevant upstream changes to port to the Java SDK. Closing as not planned.")
+    gh issue close ISSUE_NUMBER --reason "not planned" --comment "No relevant upstream changes to port to the Java SDK. Closing as not planned."
 
-3. Close the issue as 'not planned':
-
-    mcp_github_update_issue(owner: "copilot-community-sdk", repo: "copilot-sdk-java", issue_number: <ISSUE_NUMBER>, state: "closed", state_reason: "not_planned")
-
-Do NOT skip these steps. All three tool calls are required.
+CRITICAL: You MUST run these gh CLI commands in a terminal. Do NOT skip these steps.
+Both the PR close and issue close commands are required when there are no changes to port.

.github/workflows/copilot-setup-steps.yml

@@ -34,3 +34,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Download dependencies
         run: mvn dependency:go-offline -B
+
+      - name: Verify gh CLI is authenticated
+        run: gh auth status
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}