GitHub Copilot tips and tricks
Summary
TLDRGitHub Copilot is an AI-powered coding assistant that enhances productivity by generating context-aware suggestions. To maximize its potential, install the extension in your IDE, such as Visual Studio Code. It excels in drafting repetitive code and can be guided with comments for precise suggestions. Copilot's outputs are modifiable and should be vetted through security and quality checks. It also aids in recalling syntax for various frameworks and supports multiple languages, particularly those with extensive public codebases. Integrating Copilot into your workflow can be seamless, as it adapts to your coding style and provides suggestions as you code.
Takeaways
- 🔧 Install the appropriate extension or plugin for GitHub Copilot, based on your IDE.
- 🛠 For Visual Studio Code, search for Copilot in the extensions and select install.
- 👀 Copilot makes suggestions based on the context from files, packages, code, and comments.
- 📝 Use comments to provide more context if Copilot gives vague suggestions.
- 🔄 Copilot excels at handling repetitive or boilerplate code, such as creating data models.
- 💡 Suggestions from Copilot are just that—suggestions. Modify them to suit your needs.
- 🔍 Run all code, including Copilot's suggestions, through normal security checks and code quality linters.
- 📚 Copilot helps with remembering syntax and frameworks by providing suggestions based on descriptions.
- ⌨️ Cycle through multiple suggestions using keyboard shortcuts or the UI to find the best match.
- 🌐 Copilot works best with languages and frameworks that have a large, publicly available code base.
- 💻 Continue coding as usual; Copilot will provide suggestions naturally as you write code.
- 🤖 With practice, interacting with GitHub Copilot becomes a seamless experience.
Q & A
What is the first step to start using GitHub Copilot?
-The first step is to install the appropriate extension or plugin for your IDE. For Visual Studio Code, you go to the extensions, search for 'Copilot', and then select install.
How does GitHub Copilot make suggestions?
-Copilot makes suggestions based on the context it sees, including the files you've opened, interacted with, the installed packages and libraries, the code you're writing, and the comments you add.
Why might GitHub Copilot give generic or vague suggestions?
-Copilot may give generic or vague suggestions if it doesn't have enough context. Adding comments can help provide more context and guide it in the right direction.
In what scenarios does GitHub Copilot excel?
-GitHub Copilot excels when dealing with repetitive or boilerplate code, such as creating a data model, where you might otherwise find yourself copying and pasting from elsewhere.
How can you ensure the suggestions from GitHub Copilot are correct?
-Remember that suggestions from Copilot are just that—suggestions. You should modify them as needed and run them through the normal processes, including security checks and code quality linters.
What is one way to use GitHub Copilot for dealing with unfamiliar syntax?
-You can describe your scenario in natural language, such as what you're looking to validate with a regular expression, and Copilot will suggest the syntax for you.
How can you cycle through multiple suggestions provided by GitHub Copilot?
-You can cycle through multiple suggestions by using keyboard shortcuts or the UI and then accept the one that most closely matches what you're trying to do.
When is GitHub Copilot most effective?
-Copilot is most effective when working with languages and frameworks where there's a large publicly available code base. It may not be as effective for more obscure languages or those with less publicly available code.
Does using GitHub Copilot require changing the way you code?
-No, using Copilot does not mean you need to change the way you code. You can continue writing code as you normally would, and Copilot will make suggestions as you add functions, methods, classes, etc.
How can GitHub Copilot assist with staying in the zone while coding?
-Copilot allows you to describe scenarios and get suggestions without having to leave your IDE to look up syntax or search for information, helping you stay focused and in the zone.
What is the role of GitHub Copilot described in the script?
-GitHub Copilot is described as an AI pair programmer that assists developers by making suggestions based on the context and the code they are working on.
Outlines
🤖 Getting Started with GitHub Copilot
This paragraph introduces the process of utilizing GitHub Copilot, starting with the installation of the necessary extension or plugin in Visual Studio Code. It emphasizes the importance of providing context for Copilot to make accurate suggestions, such as through comments or code snippets. The script also touches on the tool's proficiency in handling repetitive code and the necessity of treating Copilot's suggestions as a starting point that may require further refinement and security checks.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡GitHub Copilot
💡IDE (Integrated Development Environment)
💡Extension
💡Context
💡Boilerplate Code
💡Suggestions
💡Security Checks
💡Code Quality Linters
💡Frameworks
💡Regular Expression
💡Publicly Available Code Base
💡AI Pair Programmer
Highlights
Install the appropriate extension or plugin for GitHub Copilot depending on the IDE you are using.
Copilot makes suggestions based on the context of the files, packages, libraries, and code you are working with.
Add comments to provide more context for Copilot to give more accurate suggestions.
Copilot excels at dealing with repetitive or boilerplate code, such as creating data models.
Accept suggestions from Copilot but modify them as necessary to ensure they meet your expectations.
Run all code, including Copilot's suggestions, through security checks and code quality linters.
Use Copilot to get suggestions for syntax you may not remember, such as regular expressions.
Stay in your development zone without needing to search externally for syntax by using Copilot's natural language descriptions.
Cycle through multiple suggestions provided by Copilot using keyboard shortcuts or the UI.
Copilot works best with languages and frameworks that have a large publicly available code base.
Continue coding as you normally would, and Copilot will provide suggestions as you add functions, methods, and classes.
Practice using Copilot to interact naturally with the AI pair programmer after a short period of time.
GitHub Copilot can be a valuable tool for developers to enhance their coding efficiency and accuracy.
Copilot's suggestions are based on the current context and can be refined with additional comments.
The quality of Copilot's suggestions may vary for more obscure languages or those with less publicly available code.
Use GitHub Copilot as an AI pair programmer to assist in your coding process without changing your coding style.
Transcripts
Now that you've been granted access to
GitHub Copilot, let's explore how to get
the most out of the tool. The first step
is to install the appropriate extension
or plugin. The exact steps for
this will vary depending on the
IDE that you're using, but in the case
of Visual Studio Code, you'll go to the
extensions, do a search for Copilot, and
then select install.
Copilot makes suggestions based on the
context that it sees. This includes the
files that you've opened and interacted
with, the packages and libraries that
have been installed, the code that
you're writing, and comments that you add.
If you notice that Copilot is
giving you relatively generic or vague
suggestions, this is typically because
it just needs a little bit more context.
You can use a comment, for example
to help point it in the right direction and
describe exactly what it is that you're
looking for. Copilot that really
shines when it comes to dealing
with repetitive or boilerplate code.
When we think, for example, about
creating a data model, this is
relatively repetitive and typically you
would find yourself copying and pasting
from somewhere else. With Copilot, I can
describe with a comment what I need and
then get a suggestion for a
class that matches the description
that I provided.
Always remember that the suggestions
from Copilot are exactly that,
they're suggestions. This means that even if
you accept them, you're allowed to modify
them to ensure that they are setup
and going to run the way that you expect.
Additionally, you want
to run any code, be it code that
you've created, or code that Copilot has
suggested, through the normal
processes that you would with any code,
and this includes running it through
security checks, code quality linters, etc.
As a developer
there's a lot of different
frameworks and bits of syntax that,
well, we don't always quite remember,
and with Copilot I can describe
my scenario and get a suggestion.
So let's take a regular expression.
I can describe in natural language
what it is that I'm looking to validate, and
and Copilot will then make a suggestion for
me, and this allows me to
avoid having to leave to go look up what
that syntax might be, do a search, or otherwise.
I can stay in the zone and in my IDE
Depending on the
scenario, Copilot will provide multiple suggestions.
You can cycle through these
either by utilizing keyboard shortcuts
or the UI, and then accept the one
that most closely matches what it is
that you're trying to do.
Copilot is at its best when
working with languages and frameworks
where there's a large publicly available
code base. You may find that the
suggestions aren't necessarily to the
quality that you might want for
languages that are more obscure,
or where that level of a
publicly available code base
doesn't exist.
Using Copilot does not mean that you
need to completely change the way that
you code. You can use
comments to describe your scenario and
get suggestions, and you can also just
keep writing code like you normally
would that as you add in functions,
as you add in methods, as you add in classes
as you write code,
Copilot will be making suggestions.
And you will find
that after a little while, after
a little bit of practice, that you'll be
able to interact very
naturally with GitHub Copilot,
your AI pair programmer.
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