GitHub Copilot - Things You Didn't Know

Last updated on July 20th, 2023 at 06:15 am

GitHub Copilot is a tool for automatic code completion that uses artificial intelligence (AI) that OpenAI created in partnership with Microsoft and GitHub. Copilot may be used with various programming languages and frameworks and is built to integrate with current development practices effortlessly. Several businesses utilise it to increase the effectiveness of their back-end development software.

With the automation of repetitive coding processes and a decrease in the requirement for manual coding, GitHub Copilot has the potential to boost developer productivity significantly. 

To learn more about this tool, continue reading!

Users of GitHub Copilot

An AI-powered coding tool, GitHub Copilot can speed up and streamline code writing for engineers. Here are a few users of GitHub Copilot:

1. Developers: The primary users of GitHub, developers use the platform to collaborate on code and devise systematic data structures and algorithms.
2. Project Managers: With GitHub, project managers may assign tasks, monitor team members, and measure progress. 
3. Designers: Designers work together on design assets like icons, logos, and other visual components using GitHub.
4. Open-source contributors: They can send requests, track down problems, and assist with project maintenance.
5. Students and educators: Both students and teachers may use GitHub to organise assignments and give feedback. Students can use it to submit projects and assignments.
6. Companies: Organisations may use GitHub to coordinate teamwork and manage software development projects.

What is the price of GitHub Copilot?

If you are considering using GitHub Copilot, then you may want to know how much it will cost and whether it will fit your company's budget.

The free trial period is 60 days. You can choose to continue using the product once your trial is over. If so, then the cost is $100 annually or $10 per month for each user.

You can use the product for free under certain circumstances. Verified students, professors, and those who look after some well-known open-source projects can use GitHub Copilot for free.

10 things about GitHub Copilot

Some of the hacks about GitHub Copilot developers must know are as follows:

1. Utilise the appropriate context: Since it analyses the context of your code, it is essential that you give it the appropriate context. 
2. Change your settings: It allows you to change the number of suggestions and types of code it creates.
3. Employ tab completion: You may hit the tab key to have GitHub Copilot immediately enter the proposed code when it offers a recommendation.
4. Try out several prompts: It offers multiple prompts for various programming jobs. Try out various prompts to find which ones suit you the best.
5. Review the produced code: It is not flawless and hence, may produce incorrect or ineffective code. Before utilising the created code, always examine it.
6. Documentation: It can produce comments and documentation for your code, saving you time and enhancing the quality of your documentation.
7. Testing purposes: Use GitHub Copilot to create test code for your applications to help find errors and ensure your code functions as intended.
8. Refactoring: It may provide code for refactoring activities like variable renaming or method extraction.
9. Discovering ideas: It is a valuable resource for discovering fresh programming ideas and best practices. Try out several prompts to see how they function, and then use the resultant code as an outset for more research.
10. Provide feedback: It is currently in technical preview; therefore, it's critical to assist the programme's recommendations to improve. Inform if you run into problems or if the ideas are of little use.

Drawbacks of the tool

With its remarkable feature, GitHub Copilot generates code suggestions through which DevOps developers may save a tonne of time. However, developers should be mindful of the constraints it still has. One of its main drawbacks is that GitHub Copilot only supports a few programming languages, making it potentially inappropriate for developers who work with other languages. 

Moreover, GitHub Copilot may not always provide the most effective or optimal code because its recommendations are dependent on the patterns and standards discovered in the training data. In addition, there are issues with security and intellectual property, as well as the biases and quality of the training data. Developers should utilise GitHub Copilot carefully and be aware of its limitations, even if it is a strong tool.

Wrapping Up

GitHub Copilot is a promising development in AI, but there are concerns about its potential misuse. It is important for developers and the industry to monitor the development and ensure it is used responsibly and ethically. Developers can learn about this tool by enrolling in an appropriate course.

Imarticus Learning's Full stack developer pro course teaches students the skills and knowledge necessary to become a full-stack developer . It covers a range of technologies like HTML, SQL, GitHub Copilot, and MongoDB and includes online classes, live projects, hands-on exercises, and career support. Upon completion, students will be armed with the skills necessary to build dynamic and responsive web applications and manage them in production environments.