GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered coding assistant designed to enhance developer productivity by providing real-time code suggestions, generating boilerplate code, and much more. Here’s everything you need to know to make the most out of GitHub Copilot.

Key Features of GitHub Copilot

  • Code Suggestions
  • Boilerplate Code Generation
  • Learning and Exploration
  • Error Reduction
  • Improved Productivity
  • Debugging
  • Unit Test Generation
  • Multi-Language Support

1. Code Suggestions

GitHub Copilot provides real-time suggestions as you write code, significantly improving speed and efficiency.

How to Use Code Suggestions:

Enable GitHub Copilot and start typing.

  • Accept a suggestion: Press Tab or Enter.
  • Reject a suggestion: Keep typing to ignore it.
  • View more suggestions: Press Ctrl + Space (Windows) or Cmd + Space (Mac).

Use Comments to Guide Copilot

// Create a function to calculate the factorial of a number

Copilot will generate the function automatically.

Customize Settings

  • Go to VS Code:

     File > Preferences > Settings > Extensions > GitHub Copilot

2. Boilerplate Code Generation

GitHub Copilot simplifies repetitive coding tasks by generating boilerplate code.

How to Generate Boilerplate Code:

Write a descriptive comment

// Create an Express server with a single GET endpoint

Use function or class names

function createServer() {

Leverage file context

  • Naming files like server.js or app.py helps Copilot infer the appropriate boilerplate code. Use framework-specific keywords
  • React: function App() {}
  • Node.js: const express = require('express');

Example: React Component 

import React from 'react';

const MyComponent = () => {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Hello, World!</h1>
    </div>
  );
};

export default MyComponent;

Example: Express Server 

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Hello, World!');
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server is running on port 3000');
});

3. Learning and Exploration

GitHub Copilot aids developers in exploring new technologies and best practices.

Learning Methods:

Learn by Example

// Create a REST API endpoint using Express

Copilot suggests relevant code snippets.

Understand Best Practices

  • Suggests secure coding practices, such as using bcrypt for password hashing.

Discover New Libraries

  • Suggests useful libraries based on context, such as date-fns for date operations.

Experiment with Code

  • Modify generated code snippets to understand their behavior.

4. Error Reduction

GitHub Copilot minimizes coding errors by providing accurate suggestions.

How It Reduces Errors:

Accurate Syntax Suggestions

for (let i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
     // Correct loop structure
   }

Autocomplete for APIs and Libraries

const fs = require('fs');
   fs.readFile('file.txt', 'utf8', (err, data) => {
     if (err) {
       console.error(err);
       return;
     }
     console.log(data);
   });

Error-Handling Suggestions

try {
     const data = await fetchData();
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error fetching data:', error);
   }

Avoiding Common Mistakes

  • Prevents errors like missing await in async functions.

5. Unit Test Generation

GitHub Copilot assists in writing unit tests efficiently.

Steps to Generate Unit Tests:

Write a Comment Describing the Test

// Write a unit test for the add function

Use a Testing Framework

  • Ensure Jest, Mocha, or Pytest is installed.

Generate Tests for a Function

function add(a, b) {
     return a + b;
   }

   test('adds two numbers', () => {
     expect(add(2, 3)).toBe(5);
   });

Test Edge Cases

test('returns NaN when inputs are not numbers', () => {
     expect(add('a', 3)).toBeNaN();
   });

Mocking and Stubbing

const fetchData = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve({ data: 'mocked data' }));

   test('fetches data successfully', async () => {
     const data = await fetchData();
     expect(data).toEqual({ data: 'mocked data' });
   });

Parameterized Tests

test.each([
     [1, 2, 3],
     [0, 0, 0],
     [-1, -1, -2],
   ])('adds %i and %i to get %i', (a, b, expected) => {
     expect(add(a, b)).toBe(expected);
   });

Generate Tests for Classes

class Calculator {
     add(a, b) {
       return a + b;
     }
   }

   test('adds two numbers using Calculator class', () => {
     const calc = new Calculator();
     expect(calc.add(2, 3)).toBe(5);
   });

Conclusion

GitHub Copilot is a powerful tool that enhances productivity, reduces errors, and simplifies coding tasks. By leveraging its features effectively, developers can streamline their workflow and focus on building high-quality software.