GitHub Copilot, utilizing OpenAI's Codex, is an AI-powered tool seamlessly integrated into your code editor. It goes beyond traditional autocomplete by offering real-time suggestions for code, functions, snippets, and even entire blocks based on your inputs. Trained on millions of open-source repositories, Copilot acts as a smart, context-aware assistant that accelerates coding, minimizes bugs, and enhances the overall development experience.
Copilot is a great pair programming gen AI tool which allows developers to work efficiently and solve complex programs quickly. It is an easy to use AI tool which is configured in visual studio by default. If a user has a valid licence then user can use it to reduce the work load with the help of co-pilot.
There are mainly two ways to give the prompt to the co-pilot-
- By commenting: if a developer comment and give the prompt then co-pilot will provide the solution for it
- By using copilot chat window
Copilot has a great in-build features where a developer can see the code explanations, create test cases, optimizing code, fix the errors, add documentations and get the help. To do so users just need to type / in copilot chat window.
Below are the few best features of co-pilot where it is explained why this is a very useful tool
Context-Aware Suggestions:
Copilot goes beyond simple prediction; it comprehends the context of your code. By analysing variables, functions, and imported libraries, it offers highly relevant suggestions. This streamlines the coding process, making it more intuitive and reducing the need for developers to frequently search for syntax or function names.
Enriched Productivity:
Copilot accelerates the development process by providing relevant code suggestions, auto-completions, allowing developers to focus more on solving complex problems. It provides code suggestions which is relevant to the coding framework.
e.g. Here, we can see that, we have just given a prompt to generate a code for uploading a document in temp folder and co-pilot suggested a code within a seconds
Property Defining:
A developer can create properties or dto’s within seconds with the help of co-pilot because co-pilot can sense what properties could be required based on class name.
Documentation:
Copilot helps us in documenting the code like methods, properties etc correctly.
Here in below example, a developer can document all the properties with the help of co-pilot with the /doc command in co-pilot chat window
Improved Code Quality:
With intelligent suggestions based on best practices, Copilot helps reduce errors and improves the overall quality of the codebase, ensuring adherence to coding standards. It suggests middleware setups and secure practices to protect sensitive data.
e.g. here we can see that, there is an error in our code because this method doesn.t exists in our code. Now, I have given a prompt to co-pilot to fix it.
Post giving a command, we can see here, copilot has suggested a code within seconds to create the missing method following all coding standards like documentation and all. Now developer can accept or cancel the suggested code based on their requirement.
Unit Testing:
Generates unit tests for controllers, services, or business logic. Suggests test cases based on methods being tested, supporting tools like xUnit or NUnit.
e.g., Here we can see that with the /test command, co-pilot has created the unit test cases within a second. We can select the code or we can give the file reference and line number for which test cases are required to be created
Post clicking on enter, co-pilot suggests a test cases which are required for the specific cases
Code Optimization:
Copilot helps developers in optimizing the code so that it should Identifies repetitive code and suggests reusable methods or patterns.
In below example, we can see that, by giving the command /optimize, copilot has suggested the optimized code with explanation that what has been done for the optimization and how it will be beneficial for a developer.
Learning and Skill Development:
Copilot serves as more than just an assistant—it’s a valuable learning resource. For novice developers or those venturing into new programming languages, it offers a great opportunity to explore libraries, tools, and techniques. It can provide examples to illustrate specific functionalities and help you write idiomatic code in languages you’re less familiar with.
Final Thoughts
GitHub Copilot and similar AI-driven tools are transforming the landscape of software development by boosting productivity, reducing errors, and enhancing code quality. These innovative solutions empower developers to code more efficiently, collaborate seamlessly, and discover new techniques throughout the process. However, they do come with their own set of challenges, which require careful consideration and thoughtful implementation. By combining the capabilities of AI tools with their own expertise, developers can achieve remarkable efficiency and create high-quality software at an accelerated pace. Whether you’re an aspiring developer starting your journey or a seasoned engineer tackling complex projects, GitHub Copilot and other AI technologies are invaluable resources in today’s dynamic development environment.
This article by Aditya Mishra placed as a runner-up in Round 1 of R Systems Blogbook: Chapter 1.
