Introduction

GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered code completion tool developed by GitHub in collaboration with OpenAI. It acts as an "AI pair programmer," assisting developers by suggesting code snippets, functions, and even entire classes in real-time as they write code. By analyzing the context of the current file and leveraging a vast dataset of programming languages and frameworks, GitHub Copilot enhances productivity and reduces the time spent on routine coding tasks.

Differences Between Free and Paid Plans

GitHub Copilot offers both free and paid subscription plans, each tailored to different user needs:

• Free Plan:

  • Code Completions: Up to 2,000 completions per month.

  • Chat Requests: Up to 50 chat requests per month.

  • AI Models Access: Limited to select features of GitHub Copilot.

  • Intended For: Occasional users and small projects.

  • Availability: Integrated into VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, and GitHub.com.

• Pro Plan:

  • Code Completions: Unlimited completions.

  • Chat Requests: Unlimited chat requests.

  • Additional AI Models: Access to advanced AI models.

  • Intended For: Professional developers and larger projects.

  • Pricing: $10 USD per month or $100 USD per year.

Notably, verified students, teachers, and maintainers of popular open-source projects can access GitHub Copilot Pro for free.

Setting Up GitHub Copilot

To integrate GitHub Copilot into your development environment, follow these steps:

1. Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code):

   • Download and install VS Code from the official website.

2. Install the GitHub Copilot Extension:

   • Open VS Code and navigate to the Extensions view by clicking on the square icon in the Activity Bar or pressing Ctrl+Shift+X.

   • In the search bar, type "GitHub Copilot" and select the official extension from GitHub.

   • Click "Install" to add the extension to your editor.

3. Authenticate with GitHub:

   • After installation, you'll be prompted to sign in to your GitHub account.

   • Follow the authentication steps to grant the necessary permissions.

4. Configure GitHub Copilot Settings:

   • Access the settings by clicking on the gear icon in the lower-left corner and selecting "Settings".

   • Search for "GitHub Copilot" to adjust preferences such as enabling or disabling specific features.

Using GitHub Copilot

Once set up, GitHub Copilot can assist you in various ways:

• Inline Code Suggestions:

  • As you type, GitHub Copilot suggests code completions in real-time.

  • Press Tab to accept a suggestion or continue typing to see alternative suggestions.

• Generating Functions:

  • Describe the desired function in a comment, and GitHub Copilot will generate the corresponding code.

  • Example:

      # Function to calculate the factorial of a number
    

    GitHub Copilot will suggest the implementation below the comment.

• Learning from Suggestions:

  • GitHub Copilot adapts to your coding style over time, providing more personalized suggestions.

Use Cases

Here are few more uses cases of how you can leverage GitHub Copilot in VS Code

1. Code Completion and Suggestions

As you write code, Copilot provides real-time suggestions to complete lines or blocks of code, helping you code faster and with less effort.

2. Generating Unit Test Cases

Copilot can assist in writing unit tests by generating code snippets based on the existing code, reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks.

3. Explaining Code and Suggesting Improvements

By analyzing selected code, Copilot can generate natural language descriptions of its functionality and propose enhancements, aiding in code comprehension and optimization.

4. Proposing Code Fixes

When encountering errors, Copilot suggests potential fixes by analyzing error messages and the surrounding code context, streamlining the debugging process.

5. Answering Coding Questions

You can ask Copilot for help or clarification on specific coding problems and receive responses in natural language or code snippet format.

6. Generating Boilerplate Code

Copilot can generate standard code structures, such as HTML templates or class definitions, allowing developers to focus on more complex tasks.

7. Translating Code Between Languages

Copilot can assist in translating code from one programming language to another, facilitating cross-language development and learning.

8. Providing Algorithm Suggestions

When faced with a specific problem, Copilot can recommend suitable algorithms, offering a starting point for implementation.

9. Generating Documentation

Copilot can help create documentation by generating comments and explanations for code, improving code readability and maintainability.

10. Learning and Adapting to Your Coding Style

Over time, Copilot adapts to your coding preferences, providing more personalized and contextually relevant suggestions.

For a comprehensive guide, refer to the official documentation.

You can enhance coding efficiency, reduce repetitive tasks, and focus on building solutions by integrating GitHub Copilot into your workflow.