Can you use ChatGPT in VS Code??

The video introduces a new ChatGPT-like experience integrated into Visual Studio Code (VS Code) through the GitHub Copilot extension. Users need to sign up for the waitlist to access this feature. Once installed, a chat icon appears in the activity bar, opening a sidebar that allows for programming-related conversations. The AI, Copilot, understands the user's code and open tabs, providing tailored responses and code snippets. It can also suggest code structure and answer queries about VS Code settings. An inline chat feature facilitates direct interaction within the code, and special slash commands like /vscode, /explain, /test, and /debug offer context-specific assistance. The summary emphasizes the AI's role as a pair programmer, aiming to reduce context switching and enhance coding efficiency.

Takeaways

• 🤖 Use the GitHub Copilot extension in VS Code to access a ChatGPT-like experience tailored to your coding environment.
• 📝 Sign up for the wait list to gain access to the new chat functionality within VS Code.
• 🔍 Copilot understands your code and the open tabs, allowing for more contextually relevant suggestions.
• 🗂️ The chat sidebar in VS Code can be used for longer conversations and bootstrapping code.
• 💡 Provide more details to Copilot to receive more accurate and specific answers to your programming questions.
• 📑 Copilot can generate code and steps for creating specific applications, like an Express app with TypeScript and Vue.
• 📎 The inline chat experience within your code allows for easy iteration and refinement of code snippets.
• 🛠️ Special slash commands, like /vscode, can be used to scope the context and get more precise responses.
• 🔍 The /explain command helps understand unfamiliar code or concepts.
• 🧩 The /test command assists in creating unit tests for your code.
• 🛑 The /debug command offers insights into why your code may not be functioning as expected.
• 🔄 The /fix command provides suggestions for fixing code issues, acting as a starting point for further improvements.

Q & A

What is the new chat functionality in VS Code enabled by?

The new chat functionality in VS Code is enabled by the GitHub Copilot extension.

How can you access the new chat experience in VS Code?

After installing the GitHub Copilot extension and signing in, you can access the new chat experience by clicking on the chat icon in the activity bar.

What is the key difference between the chat functionality in VS Code and a generic chat like ChatGPT?

The key difference is that GitHub Copilot knows about your code and the tabs you have open, allowing for more contextually relevant and accurate responses.

How does providing more details to Copilot improve the response you receive?

The more detailed your query, the more specific and useful the suggestions or code snippets Copilot can provide.

What happens when you click the 'add to file at cursor' button in the chat?

The code provided in the chat is added to the file at the current cursor position.

How does Copilot function as a pair programmer?

Copilot can recommend coding structures and best practices based on your queries, helping to guide you through the development process.

What is the inline chat experience in VS Code?

The inline chat experience allows you to open a chat directly within your code, enabling you to ask questions and receive suggestions without leaving the code editor.

How does the inline chat experience help reduce context switching?

By integrating the chat directly into the code, it allows developers to receive assistance and suggestions without having to switch between different applications or windows.

What special commands are available in the chat to scope the context for your conversation?

There are special slash commands such as /vscode, /explain, /test, and /debug that can be used to provide more context and receive more accurate responses.

How can you use the /vscode command to attach a debugger in VS Code?

By typing '/vscode attach the debugger' in the chat, Copilot provides a launch configuration that VS Code can use to start debugging.

What does the /fix command do in the inline chat experience?

The /fix command attempts to provide a solution to fix the selected text in your code, offering a starting point for further refinement.

How can you sign up for the waitlist to try out the new chat experience in VS Code?

You can sign up for the waitlist by clicking the link provided in the video description.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 New ChatGPT-like Experience in VS Code

This paragraph introduces the new ChatGPT-like experience coming soon to Visual Studio Code (VS Code), enabled by the GitHub Copilot extension. Users can sign up for the waitlist to access this functionality. The chat functionality operates similarly to ChatGPT but with the added advantage of understanding users' code and open tabs. It eliminates the need to copy code in and out of a chat window, enabling conversations about programming-related topics. Copilot provides specific code suggestions based on given criteria, enhancing productivity by assisting with project structuring and providing insights into best practices.

05:01

🛠️ Enhancing Coding Flow with Inline Chat

This paragraph discusses the introduction of an inline chat experience within VS Code to reduce context switching and streamline coding. Users can now engage in conversations with Copilot directly within their code, improving efficiency and facilitating collaboration. The example provided demonstrates how Copilot assists with coding tasks such as template syntax and code iteration. Special slash commands allow users to scope conversations and access VS Code features, including debugging and settings customization. The paragraph emphasizes Copilot's role as a helpful tool alongside the developer's expertise.

Keywords

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) developed by OpenAI that is capable of answering questions, summarizing text, translating languages, and engaging in conversations with humans. In the context of the video, ChatGPT is used as a reference for the new chat functionality being introduced to Visual Studio Code (VS Code) through the GitHub Copilot extension. It is highlighted as an AI that can assist with programming-related queries.

Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

Visual Studio Code is a popular, open-source source-code editor developed by Microsoft. It includes support for debugging, Git control, syntax highlighting, intelligent code completion, snippets, and code refactoring. In the video, VS Code is the platform where the new chat functionality, powered by GitHub Copilot, is being integrated to enhance the coding experience.

GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered extension for VS Code that assists developers by generating code and offering programming suggestions. It is enabled by the chat functionality and is designed to understand the code and the context in which it is written. In the video, it is presented as a tool that can act as a 'pair programmer', providing code snippets and recommendations based on the user's queries.

Code Generation

Code generation refers to the process of automatically producing source code. In the video, GitHub Copilot's ability to generate code is showcased when the user asks it to create an Express app using TypeScript and Vue for the front end. The AI provides the necessary code and steps, demonstrating its utility in accelerating the development process.

Inline Chat Experience

The inline chat experience is a feature that allows users to interact with the AI directly within their code files in VS Code. It is designed to reduce context switching and streamline the development process. The video demonstrates how this feature can be used to get assistance with code, such as iterating over an array in an HTML file.

Slash Commands

Slash commands in the context of the video refer to special commands that can be used within the chat interface in VS Code to scope the context for the AI's responses. For example, using the '/vscode' command can prompt the AI to provide a launch configuration for attaching a debugger, showing the AI's integration with VS Code's functionalities.

Contextual Understanding

Contextual understanding is the AI's ability to comprehend the user's code, the open tabs, and the specific environment to provide more accurate and relevant responses. The video emphasizes the importance of this feature, as it allows the AI to give detailed and tailored advice, such as suggesting a folder structure for organizing an Express app.

Iterative Development

Iterative development is a process where the AI and the developer work together to refine and improve the code through a series of interactions. The video highlights the importance of iteration when using GitHub Copilot, as it may not always provide the perfect solution on the first attempt, and the developer can refine the request to get closer to the desired outcome.

Debugging

Debugging is the process of identifying and resolving defects or problems in a computer program. In the video, the AI's debugging capabilities are demonstrated through the use of special commands like '/debug', which can provide insights into why the code isn't working and suggest ways to make it more robust.

Code Documentation

Code documentation involves creating written explanations for the code, which can be useful for future reference or for other developers working on the same project. The video shows how the AI can assist with code documentation by generating comments for a React component and suggesting the creation of a unit test using the '/test' command.

AI-Powered Assistance

AI-powered assistance refers to the use of artificial intelligence to aid in tasks such as coding, debugging, and understanding code. The video emphasizes that while GitHub Copilot provides valuable assistance, the developer remains in control, with the AI serving as a helpful tool to support the coding process.

Highlights

ChatGPT-like experience is coming to VS Code

Enabled by GitHub Copilot extension

Sign up for the waitlist to access the new experience

A new chat icon in the activity bar for accessing the chat functionality

Chat sidebar functions like ChatGPT with the added benefit of understanding your code and open tabs

Can have programming-related conversations and get detailed responses

Copilot provides code and steps for creating specific applications

Options to copy code or add it directly to the file at the cursor

Copilot acts as a pair programmer, offering recommendations for structuring apps

Inline chat experience integrated directly into the code

Inline chat allows for quick iteration and context-specific assistance

Special slash commands for VS Code context, like attaching a debugger

Copilot's knowledge of VS Code helps in finding settings and configurations

The /explain command provides insights into unfamiliar code

The /test command assists in creating unit tests

The /debug command helps in understanding why code isn't working

The /fix command offers suggestions for fixing code issues

GitHub Copilot is designed to reduce context switching and enhance the coding flow

Join the waitlist and learn more about AI-powered coding in Visual Studio Code