GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered programming tool that helps you write code faster and smarter.
What is GitHub Copilot?
GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered programming tool that helps you write code faster and smarter.
GitHub Copilot adapts to individual needs, allowing you to choose the best model for your project, customize chat responses with personalized instructions, and use agent mode for seamlessly integrated, AI-powered peer-to-peer programming sessions.
When you install Copilot in Visual Studio Code, you will get two extensions:
- GitHub Copilot (extension) - Provides live coding suggestions as you type.
- GitHub Copilot Chat - An accompanying extension that provides AI conversational support.
Access GitHub Copilot
Sign up for GitHub Copilot for free or request access from your enterprise administrator.
To access GitHub Copilot, you need an active GitHub Copilot subscription. You can learn more about business and individual offers at github.com/features/copilot.
AI-assisted programming session
Start an AI-powered programming session customized to your workflow. Copilot Edits lets you quickly iterate over code changes directly in the editor, across multiple files using natural language. For a more automated peer-to-peer programming experience, agent mode performs multi-step programming tasks at your command. It automatically handles compilation and syntax errors, monitors terminal output and testing, and iterates until the task is complete. Edit mode provides a step-by-step, conversational programming experience. Engage in multi-turn conversations while Copilot applies edits directly to your codebase, allowing you to review changes in context and maintain full control.
Suggest code in the editor
Get code suggestions automatically in the editor from auto-completion and next-edit suggestions to help you write code faster. Code auto-completion provides suggestions at the current point, customized to your programming style and existing code. Copilot's next-edit suggestions (Copilot NES) go a step further and predict what your next logical code change will be and where. Use the Tab key to navigate and accept changes quickly.
Ask questions and learn about your code using the chat feature.
Ask Copilot for help with any task or question in Chat view, by displaying code from your current files. Instead of giving generic answers, it can provide answers tailored to your codebase using information provided by participants, variables, and slash statements.
Apply Copilot's AI suggestions directly to your code using inline chat, maintaining the workflow. Need help refactoring a method, adding error handling, or explaining a complex algorithm—just launch Copilot in the editor!
Supported languages and frameworks
GitHub Copilot works with any language, including Java, PHP, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Go, C#, or C++. Because it's trained on languages in public repositories, it works with almost any popular language, library, and framework.
Version compatibility
Because Copilot Chat is released in conjunction with VS Code due to its extensive UI integration, all new versions of Copilot Chat are only compatible with the latest version of VS Code. This means that if you are using an older version of VS Code, you will not be able to use the latest version of Copilot Chat.
Only the latest versions of Copilot Chat utilize the leading models provided by the Copilot service, as even minor model upgrades require timely changes and bug fixes within the extension. Older versions of Copilot Chat will still use the latest version of the Copilot autocomplete feature.
Privacy Policy and Preview
By using Copilot Chat, you agree to the GitHub Copilot Chat preview terms. Review the transparency notes to understand how to use, the limitations of, and how to improve Copilot Chat during the technical preview phase.
Your code is yours. GitHub Copilot adheres to responsible practices under its Privacy Statement to ensure that your code snippets will not be used as suggested code for other GitHub Copilot users.
To receive the latest security patches, use the latest version of the Copilot extension and VS Code.
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