Setting up GitHub Copilot for your development workflow

Practice tasks

No practice files are necessary to complete the practice tasks in this chapter. Follow the steps below to reinforce the concepts and tools introduced in each section.

Set up your GitHub account and select a Copilot plan

Create your GitHub account and explore available Copilot plans:

1. Open your browser and go to https://github.com.

2. Select Sign Up and enter your email, password, and username.

3. Complete the CAPTCHA and email verification steps.

4. Navigate to https://github.com/features/copilot.

5. Compare the Free, Pro, and Pro+ subscription options.

6. Select Start Free Trial if applicable or subscribe to the plan that suits your needs.

Install Copilot in your development environment

Set up GitHub Copilot in your preferred IDE:

1. Open https://code.visualstudio.com and install Visual Studio Code.

2. Launch VS Code and open the Extensions panel (Ctrl+Shift+X).

3. Search for GitHub Copilot and then click Install.

4. Sign in with your GitHub account when prompted.

5. Verify that the Copilot icon appears in the bottom-right corner of the IDE.

6. Repeat steps 2–5 in another supported IDE, like JetBrains or Codespaces, if desired.

Configure permissions and personal settings

Customize Copilot behavior in VS Code:

1. In VS Code, go to File > Preferences > Settings.

2. Search for Copilot to view all available settings.

3. Adjust the suggestion frequency, panel view, and language preferences.

4. Open Keyboard Shortcuts and test:

   1. Alt+/ to trigger a suggestion.

   2. Tab to accept a suggestion.

   3. Ctrl+Enter for multiple options.

5. Explore the Copilot sidebar and Labs features (if available).

Test Copilot with sample prompts across languages

Try prompts in Python, JavaScript, SQL, and HTML:

2. Create the following new files in VS Code:

   1. test.py

   2. script.js

   3. query.sql

   4. index.html

3. In each file, write a comment that describes a function or layout:

   1. In test.py, try this prompt:

      # function to calculate factorial

   2. In script.js, try this prompt:

      // check if number is prime

   3. In query.sql, try this prompt:

      -- select top 5 salaries

   4. In index.html, add this prompt:

      <!-- responsive navbar using Bootstrap -->

4. Observe Copilot’s suggestions and accept or modify them.

Troubleshoot installation issues and common errors

Simulate and resolve common Copilot setup issues:

1. Disconnect from the internet and confirm that Copilot goes offline.

2. Reconnect and restart VS Code.

3. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and run GitHub: Sign Out and then GitHub: Sign In.

4. Try triggering suggestions in an unsupported file type (e.g., a .txt file) to observe limitations.

5. Visit your GitHub Copilot dashboard to confirm your subscription status.

Apply best practices for using Copilot effectively

Learn to prompt Copilot for optimal code suggestions:

1. In a Python file, write vague and specific comments to compare results:

   # function

   vs.

   # function to reverse a list

2. Try adding a step-by-step comment block:

   # Step 1: Filter even numbers
   # Step 2: Square them

3. Accept and test suggestions, modifying variable names and logic.

4. Create a docstring-based prompt and observe Copilot’s understanding.

5. Write insecure code and observe whether Copilot flags or reinforces bad practices.

Explore Copilot’s functionality in online and offline modes

Compare Copilot behavior in cloud vs. local setups:

1. Open GitHub Codespaces and confirm that Copilot provides suggestions immediately as you start typing code.

2. Use inline comments in Codespaces to test real-time completions.

3. Switch to local VS Code and simulate working offline.

4. Try using Copilot Chat (if on the Pro plan) and note what the chat experience is like.

5. Review telemetry settings in your GitHub Copilot preferences.

6. Reflect on how cloud-first environments differ from local development.