GitHub Copilot Chat Technical Guide for VS Code

Overview

GitHub Copilot (chat) in Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is an extension, which is an AI-powered coding assistant that helps developers with various coding tasks through its chat facility. This guide outlines its key capabilities and provides tips on how to effectively use them within VS Code.

Word of Caution: Using AI tools are purely to improve day to day productivity, but we have to use these tools with high caution while using in client environment or code

Let us now explore the key capabilities of GitHub Co-pilot Chat feature.

Key Capabilities

1. Ask a Question About the Files in Your Current Workspace

Usage: Get information about the files you are working on.

Example: "What files are in my current workspace?"

2. Explain How the Code in Your Active Editor Works

Usage: Understand complex or unfamiliar code.

Example: "Explain the function of this code snippet."

3. Make Changes to Existing Code

Usage: Request specific modifications or improvements.

Example: "Refactor this function to improve performance."

4. Review the Selected Code in Your Active Editor

Usage: Get feedback on code quality, potential bugs, or improvements.

Example: "Review this code for potential issues."

5. Generate Unit Tests for the Selected Code

Usage: Ensure your code is well-tested.

Example: "Generate unit tests for this function."

6. Propose a Fix for the Problems in the Selected Code

Usage: Identify and fix issues in your code.

Example: "Fix the bug in this code."

7. Scaffold Code for a New File or Project in a Workspace

Usage: Quickly set up new files or projects with boilerplate code.

Example: "Create a new React component."

8. Create a New Jupyter Notebook

Usage: Start a new Jupyter Notebook for data analysis or experimentation.

Example: "Create a new Jupyter Notebook."

9. Find Relevant Code to Your Query

Usage: Search for code snippets or examples relevant to your query.

Example: "Find an example of a binary search algorithm."

10. Propose a Fix for a Test Failure

Usage: Diagnose and fix issues causing test failures.

Example: "Fix the test failure in this code."

11. Ask Questions About VS Code

Usage: Get help with using Visual Studio Code features.

Example: "How do I use the debugger in VS Code?"

12. Generate Query Parameters for Workspace Search

Usage: Formulate search queries to find specific code or files.

Example: "Search for all JavaScript files in the workspace."

13. Run a Command

Usage: Execute commands directly from the terminal.

Example: "Run the build command."

14. Ask How to Do Something in the Terminal

Usage: Get instructions for terminal commands and operations.

Example: "How do I create a new directory in the terminal?"

15. Explain What Just Happened in the Terminal

Usage: Understand the output or errors from terminal commands.

Example: "Explain the error message from the last command."

Tips for Effective Use

Be Specific: Clearly describe what you need help with. The more details you provide, the better the assistance.

Select Code: When asking for reviews, fixes, or tests, select the relevant code in your editor.

Iterate: Use suggestions as a starting point and iterate on them to fit your specific needs.

Ask Questions: Don't hesitate to ask follow-up questions if something is unclear or if you need further assistance.

How To install the GitHub Copilot Chat extension in Visual Studio Code

Follow these steps to install the GitHub Copilot Chat extension,:

1. Open Visual Studio Code: Launch VS Code on your machine.
2. Open the Extensions View: You can open the Extensions view by clicking on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the side of the window or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+X (Mac).
3. Search for GitHub Copilot Chat: In the Extensions view, type "GitHub Copilot Chat" into the search bar.
4. Install the Extension: Find the "GitHub Copilot Chat" extension in the search results and click the "Install" button.
5. Sign In to GitHub: After installation, you may need to sign in to your GitHub account to activate the extension. Follow the prompts to authenticate.
6. Enable the Extension: Once signed in, the extension should be enabled and ready to use. You can access the Copilot Chat by opening the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac) and typing "GitHub Copilot Chat".

Additional Tips

Check for Updates: Ensure you keep the extension updated to benefit from the latest features and improvements.

Explore Settings: Customize the extension settings by navigating to File > Preferences > Settings (Windows/Linux) or Code > Preferences > Settings (Mac) and searching for "Copilot".

Demo Video

In this demo video, I've asked GitHub Copilot to explain the code I've created in Python.

There should be scenario where a developer need to create documentation, in that case they can use GitHub Copilot chat to explain the code and create documentation.

The python code I've created is an Python diagram as a code, which creates a AWS AI chip flow diagram for one of the new blog I'm writing.

• Open Chat feature from VScode activity bar in left
• Select the code in workspace
• Ask Copilot chat to explain
• You can see the Copilot explain the code line by line

GitHub Copilot Pricing

Co-pilot is a paid feature from GitHub, so please refer the pricing plans here, if you really wanted to try this.

To conclude from my personal experience, subscribing to Github copilot for improving productivity is an investment that saves hours of coding efforts.

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Saravanan Gnanaguru | CloudEngine Labs®