Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Yes—you can bring much of a software-delivery workflow into GitHub with agent apps. Install a partner-built agent app from GitHub Marketplace, enable its agent features, authorize it the first time it runs, and invoke it from an issue, pull-request comment, or the Agents UI. For implementation work, GitHub Copilot cloud agent can research a repository, plan and edit changes in an ephemeral environment, run tests and linters, and open a pull request for human review. Repeated tasks can be formalized as Agentic Workflows in GitHub Actions.
Agent apps are GitHub Apps that expose partner-built agents inside GitHub and are powered by a Copilot subscription. They are in public preview, so names, eligibility, permissions, and screens can change. Treat the agent as an additional contributor: give it a bounded outcome, limit permissions, inspect its work and CI results, and keep a maintainer responsible for merging.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What are GitHub agent apps, and why do they matter for delivery?
GitHub defines agent apps as GitHub Apps that expose partner-built agents directly in GitHub workflows. An app provider can supply a custom prompt, model, tools, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, allowing the agent to connect to systems outside the repository when the app supports that integration. GitHub’s documentation describes the purpose plainly: “Agent apps let you use partner-built agents directly in your workflows on GitHub, powered by your Copilot subscription.”
This is different from adding a generic chatbot to a team. The agent is attached to the place where delivery work already happens: an issue, a pull request, an Actions run, or the Agents interface. A product-analytics agent might investigate behavior, a security agent might scan for vulnerabilities, and another agent might add a feature flag to a proposed change. The exact tools and external connections depend on the app developer.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
The practical benefit is less context switching. A ticket can carry the request, repository history, discussion, proposed changes and review in one system. That does not make the output automatically correct: agent apps are currently in public preview, and generated changes still need the same engineering review, tests and release controls as changes written by a person.
What do I need before installing an agent app?
You need a repository on GitHub, permission to install GitHub Apps for the account or organization that owns it, and an eligible paid GitHub Copilot plan because agent apps are powered by Copilot. Enterprise-owned organizations may also need an administrator to enable the enterprise Copilot policy named Agent apps.
- Repository access: Confirm whether you can install an app for your personal account or organization. If you cannot, ask an organization or enterprise administrator to perform the installation or approve it.
- Copilot eligibility: Verify that your account has a paid Copilot plan accepted by the organization’s policy. The documentation does not establish a universal price or entitlement for every plan, so check the plan and policy shown in your account.
- A defined first task: Prepare an issue or pull request with a measurable result, such as identifying the cause of a CI failure, preparing a narrowly scoped code change, scanning for a vulnerability, or adding a feature flag.
- Permission expectations: Decide in advance whether the app should only read repository data or whether it needs to create comments, branches, issues or pull requests. Start with the smallest useful scope.
Because the feature is in public preview, a team should record which app version, organization policy and repository permissions were used. That makes a later UI or eligibility change easier to diagnose.
How do I install and authorize an agent app?
Installation is a one-time account or organization setup; authorization normally appears the first time you invoke the app. Use this sequence:
- Open GitHub Marketplace. Find an agent app whose stated job matches your delivery need. Read the developer’s description, requested permissions, data handling information and supported repositories before installing.
- Choose the installation owner. Install it on the personal account or organization that owns the target repository. Installing it elsewhere will not make it available to that repository.
- Enable agent features. Complete the app’s installation flow and turn on the agent capability when GitHub presents that option. An enterprise administrator may have to enable the Agent apps Copilot policy first.
- Authorize on first use. The first invocation can open an OAuth authorization prompt. Review the account and scopes, then approve only if they match the job you intend to run.
- Run a low-risk task. Start with an investigation, report or small documentation update rather than a broad refactor. Confirm that the app can read the intended repository and that its response appears in the expected issue, pull request or agent view.
- Inspect and adjust. If the result is useful, document the invocation pattern and permissions. If it is not, stop the run, revoke authorization or uninstall the app rather than expanding access to compensate for an unclear request.
An app can be installed successfully yet remain unavailable in a repository if the organization or enterprise policy blocks agent features. Conversely, an app may appear in the interface but still request OAuth authorization at first invocation. Treat installation, policy enablement and user authorization as separate checks.
Where should I invoke an agent: an issue, pull request, Agents UI or workflow?
Choose the entry point based on how much control you need, how quickly you need a response, whether the task repeats and where a reviewer should see the result.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →| Entry point | Best fit | Control and latency | Review surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issue assignment | A ticket with a defined desired result and asynchronous progress | Give the agent the issue context; work can proceed while the team continues other tasks | Issue comments, linked branches or pull requests |
| Pull-request comment | Iterative refinement of an existing change | High conversational control; ask for a concrete modification in a comment | The pull request’s diff, checks and discussion |
| Agents UI | Exploratory or cross-cutting requests | Select an agent and provide a longer prompt before committing to a repository change | The resulting agent session and any linked repository artifacts |
| Agentic Workflow in Actions | Scheduled or event-driven work that should repeat | Explicit triggers and permissions; runs without a person starting each instance | Workflow runs, declared safe outputs, issues, comments or pull requests |
GitHub’s broader guidance is to use a local app, CLI or IDE session when you need close, interactive steering; a cloud agent when the task is well scoped and can be reviewed later; and an automated workflow when the same operation should run repeatedly from a defined trigger. The choice is operational, not merely a user-interface preference.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
When is issue assignment the right choice?
Assign an app to an issue when the desired outcome can be checked asynchronously. A useful issue states the symptom, repository or component, constraints, acceptance checks and what the agent should return if it cannot complete the task. “Investigate the failing Linux CI job and report the first failing test with evidence” is bounded; “improve the build” is not.
When should I use a pull-request comment?
Use a pull-request comment when a human or another agent has already created a change and you want a focused revision. Mention the agent and state one modification, such as requesting a test for a specific edge case or asking for a vulnerability explanation. Keep unrelated cleanup in a separate request so the resulting diff remains reviewable.
When does the Agents UI help?
The Agents UI is useful when you need to choose among available agents or provide more context than fits naturally in a short issue or comment. It is a good starting point for exploring an agent’s capabilities, but convert successful experiments into a clear issue or repeatable workflow before making them part of a release process.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsHow does Copilot cloud agent turn a request into a pull request?
For an implementation task, Copilot cloud agent can research the repository, create a plan, edit files, run tests and linters in an ephemeral cloud environment, and open a pull request. The pull request—not the agent’s initial message—is the review boundary.
- Describe the outcome. Include the relevant component, expected behavior, constraints, tests to run and any files or interfaces that must not change.
- Let the agent inspect first. Its repository research and plan provide an opportunity to correct assumptions before a large edit is made.
- Review the branch and diff. The agent can push to the existing pull-request branch or to a new branch whose name begins with
copilot/. Confirm that the changes are limited to the requested repository and task. - Read test and linter results. A green check does not prove the behavior is correct, and a failed check may reflect environment or fixture issues. Inspect the logs and changed tests rather than accepting a summary.
- Request focused follow-ups. Use pull-request comments for specific corrections. Avoid continually broadening the same request; close or replace the pull request when the scope has changed materially.
- Merge through normal controls. A maintainer should evaluate design, security, licensing, backwards compatibility and release risk before merging.
Cloud agent interactions require repository write access. For Actions triggered by a pull request, GitHub may require approval from a user with write access before the run proceeds. The agent is limited to the repository where it is creating a pull request; it cannot freely move a task across unrelated repositories.
Cloud agent also does not receive ordinary organization or repository Actions secrets. It receives only secrets and variables explicitly added to the copilot environment. This boundary is important when a build, deployment or integration test normally depends on credentials.
How do I automate recurring delivery work with Agentic Workflows?
Use an Agentic Workflow when the same operation should run from a schedule or event instead of being started manually. Workflows are Markdown files stored in .github/workflows/. Their frontmatter declares triggers, permissions, tools and safe outputs; the Markdown body supplies the agent instructions.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
- Choose a repeatable operation. Good candidates include issue triage, CI investigation, status reports, documentation updates and test-coverage checks. Define what counts as a successful output and what the agent must leave unchanged.
- Write the workflow file. Put the trigger, least-privilege permissions, available tools and permitted outputs in the frontmatter. Write the task instructions in Markdown, including escalation conditions when the agent lacks evidence.
- Compile it. From the repository, run
gh aw compile. Compilation produces a corresponding.lock.ymlfile for GitHub Actions. - Commit both files. Keep the source Markdown workflow and generated lock file under version control so reviewers can inspect the instructions and the executable result.
- Run and review. Execute it through GitHub Actions or the GitHub CLI. Check the run log, outputs and any issue, comment or pull request it creates.
- Change deliberately. Treat edits to triggers, permissions, tools and safe outputs as code changes requiring review. Recompile after modifying the Markdown source.
Agentic Workflows run in firewalled containers with read-only tokens by default. A workflow cannot create an issue, comment or pull request merely because its instructions ask for one; those writes must be declared as safe outputs. This default makes a report-only first version safer than a workflow that immediately edits repository state.
What should a safe first workflow do?
Start with an output that a person can inspect without changing production code: for example, summarize newly failing CI jobs in an issue comment or identify stale documentation pages for review. Once the evidence and wording are reliable, add only the specific write operation required by the team’s process.
What permissions and review controls should a team use?
Repository permissions should be read-only by default. Add a write capability only when the job requires it, and name the output that the agent is allowed to create. An app that only analyzes vulnerabilities should not also be able to merge code or alter workflow files.
- Review the developer: Check who publishes the app, what systems it connects to and why each requested permission exists.
- Separate experimentation from release work: Use a test repository or low-risk issue for the first run. Do not grant production credentials to prove that an agent can operate.
- Protect workflow files: Changes to Actions configuration can alter future permissions and execution. Require normal code-owner or branch-protection review for those files.
- Keep a human in the loop: A maintainer interprets CI, validates behavior and decides whether a pull request is safe to merge.
- Reassess access: Suspend or uninstall an app that is no longer needed, and revoke its authorization when appropriate. Repeat the review after a change in ownership, scope or external integration.
For cloud-agent work, remember the additional boundaries: write access is required, pull-request-triggered Actions may await approval, the agent stays within the repository hosting its pull request, and only the explicitly configured copilot environment secrets and variables are available.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchHow should I write requests that produce reviewable changes?
Agent quality is strongly affected by the request’s acceptance criteria. Give the agent enough context to make a decision, but constrain the surface it may change.
Include an observable outcome
State what a user, API client or build should observe after the work. “Return HTTP 429 after the configured request limit and add a regression test” is verifiable; “make rate limiting better” is not.
Name boundaries and non-goals
List files, modules, APIs or generated artifacts that are out of scope. Say whether dependency upgrades, formatting changes and database migrations are prohibited. This reduces incidental churn and makes the diff easier to review.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Specify evidence
Tell the agent which tests, linters or diagnostic commands should run and what evidence to report if they cannot. A failure with a captured log is more useful than a claim that testing was attempted.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Choose an escalation rule
Ask the agent to stop and explain when requirements conflict, credentials are missing, a security issue is discovered or the change would cross repository boundaries. A deliberate stop is safer than a guessed implementation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can go wrong, and how do I recover?
The app does not appear in the repository
Check that it was installed for the account or organization owning the repository, that the enterprise has enabled the Agent apps policy where required, and that your Copilot plan is eligible. If all three are correct, verify that the app’s installation was granted access to this repository rather than to a different repository set.
OAuth authorization fails or loops
Stop invoking the app and inspect the account, organization and requested scopes in the authorization prompt. An administrator policy can block authorization even after installation. Remove the incomplete authorization, have the administrator confirm policy, and retry once the ownership and scope are correct.
The agent changes too much
Close the run or revert the branch, then restate the task with explicit non-goals and a smaller acceptance test. Ask for an investigation or plan before another implementation attempt. Keeping the original broad diff is rarely faster than restarting with a bounded request.
Tests fail in the cloud environment
Read the complete check log and distinguish a product failure from a missing tool, unavailable service or absent secret. The cloud agent’s access to secrets is limited to the configured copilot environment, so a test that relies on an ordinary Actions secret may fail even when the code is sound. Either provide a safe test substitute or have a maintainer run the required check in the normal environment.
An automated workflow writes unexpectedly
Inspect the workflow frontmatter and generated lock file. Remove unnecessary safe outputs, restore read-only permissions, recompile with gh aw compile and commit the corrected pair. Treat the unexpected write as a permissions defect, not as a prompt-writing problem alone.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
How do I decide whether an agent app belongs in the delivery process?
Adopt an app when it consistently shortens a bounded task without weakening review, traceability or least-privilege controls. A useful pilot has one repository, one job, one owner and a clear way to compare the agent’s output with the team’s existing process.
- Keep it manual when the task is novel, high-risk or requires close steering in a local app, CLI or IDE.
- Use an issue or pull request when a person should initiate the work and inspect progress in the normal development conversation.
- Use cloud agent when the requested implementation is well scoped and a maintainer can review the resulting pull request later.
- Use an Agentic Workflow when the operation is repeatable, its trigger is explicit and its outputs can be safely declared.
Measure success by reviewable outcomes rather than by the number of agent invocations: fewer unresolved CI investigations, faster documentation updates, clearer vulnerability reports or smaller, better-tested pull requests are meaningful signals. Because the feature is in public preview, revisit the setup when GitHub changes the interface, policy or app capabilities.
Recommended Free Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Do agent apps work with a free Copilot account?
GitHub describes agent apps as powered by a Copilot subscription and available for paid plans. If your plan or an organization policy is not eligible, the app may install but its agent entry points will not be available; confirm the entitlement shown for your account rather than assuming installation proves access.
Who can approve an Actions run started by a pull request?
GitHub’s cloud-agent guidance says a pull-request-triggered Actions run may require approval from a user with write access. The exact prompt depends on repository settings, so establish an approval owner before relying on an automated agent in a protected repository.
Can an agent app use systems outside GitHub?
It can when the app developer supplies tools or MCP servers that connect to the partner’s systems. Review those external connections and their permissions separately from the GitHub App installation, because repository access does not by itself describe what data the partner service can reach.
What should I record when piloting an agent app?
Record the repository, installing owner, Copilot and enterprise policy state, app permissions, invocation point, requested outcome and review result. This small audit trail lets you reproduce a successful run and quickly identify whether a later preview change affected access, behavior or output.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
