GitHub Copilot is GitHub’s AI “pair programmer” that suggests code inline in your editor and answers questions through chat. This guide covers what it is, where it runs, and how to start using it in practice.
What Copilot offers
Copilot provides inline suggestions as you type, plus Copilot Chat to explain code, propose fixes, and write tests. It is trained on public repository code, so suggestion quality varies by language and how common it is.
Where it runs
Copilot integrates with leading editors: Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, and Neovim — and it is natively built into GitHub.
Available plans
GitHub offers a limited Copilot Free tier for individuals, a paid Pro plan, and Business and Enterprise for teams and organizations. Always check current details and pricing on the official page, as they change.
Getting started step by step (VS Code)
- Install the “GitHub Copilot” extension from the VS Code marketplace.
- Sign in with your GitHub account and enable the right plan.
- Start typing, let the gray suggestion appear, then press Tab to accept.
- Open Copilot Chat and ask, e.g., “explain this function” or “write a test for this.”
Practical tip
Write a clear comment describing what you want before the code — suggestions improve with context. If you prefer an editor built entirely around AI, try Cursor as an alternative.
