How to Use GitHub Copilot to Improve Your Coding Workflow

Key takeaways

GitHub Copilot is an artificial intelligence coding assistant that provides context-aware suggestions directly in your editor for faster development. Here are some important facts to know:

• According to GitHub’s research, which examines the impact of GitHub Copilot on developer productivity and happiness, developers using this tool complete tasks 55 percent faster than those who do not use it [1].

• To get the best results, write specific prompts, provide relevant code context, and always review suggestions as Copilot is an aid, not a replacement for your expertise and oversight.

• You can use Copilot to increase your productivity and further your career as a software developer.

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What is GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot is an AI assistant that speeds up the coding process and reduces the amount of effort you have to put into it, ultimately allowing you to focus on problem-solving and teamwork instead. In fact, according to GitHub’s research, developers using GitHub Copilot finished tasks 55 percent faster than those who didn’t use it [1]. 

You can use GitHub Copilot to analyze your code and comments, providing context-aware suggestions directly in your editor. Additionally, you can access Copilot in a variety of settings, including in your integrated development environment (IDE), in GitHub Mobile, in Windows Terminal Canary, on the command line, and on the GitHub website.

Is GitHub Copilot free to use?

You can use GitHub Copilot for free by accessing either the free option or the 30-day free trial for Copilot Pro. In total, Copilot provides three unique pricing tiers for individuals, all with varying features [2]: 

• Free: Access to 50 monthly agent/chat requests, 2,000 monthly completions, GPT-4.1, Claude Sonnet 3.5, and more

• Pro ($10/month): Access to all free features and unlimited GPT-5 mini chats and code completions, code review, Claude Sonnet 4, GPT-5, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and more, plus six times more premium requests than Copilot Free and a preview coding agent

• Pro+ ($39/month): Access to all Pro features plus maximum flexibility with full models, including Claude Opus 4.1, o3, and more, 30 times more premium requests than Copilot Free (with the option to purchase extras), and GitHub Spark

How GitHub Copilot works

GitHub Copilot is powered by generative AI models trained on natural language and publicly available code, including from GitHub repositories. Copilot connects to Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to utilize your repositories and external data, making it feel like you're working with a member of your own team. Copilot does not simply copy and paste public code. Instead, it creates unique code based on its training data and the context of the code surrounding your cursor. 

Read more: 20 Examples of Generative AI Applications Across Industries

Key features

GitHub usually releases new features every quarter. For example, in summer 2025, it released a new resource, the Awesome GitHub Copilot Customizations repository, which enhances your ability to define how you want tasks completed, creating a more personalized experience. It also released improvements for your use of Copilot with .NET, including a Microsoft Learn integration that allows Copilot to provide more updated information and Describe with Copilot for a faster overview of your codebase. 

New features aside, GitHub Copilot provides you with several unique core features, including performing code analysis, suggesting edits, running tests, and verifying results across different files:

• AI-based coding suggestions: Copilot provides context-aware code suggestions that align with project style, offering options to accept, edit, or reject.

• Multifaceted integration: Copilot supports seamless integration with Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, and Neovim.

• Chat support: You can chat directly with Copilot for coding aid if you have specific questions.

• Generate pull request descriptions: Copilot will automatically generate a relevant description of your repository edits for your pull requests.

GitHub Copilot models

GitHub supports various AI models for you to use in Copilot, including several different GPT, Claude, and Gemini versions. This gives you more autonomy since you can choose the model that will work best for the project or task you’re working on, and allows Copilot to keep up with evolving technology.

Some of these models focus on speed and cost, while others emphasize accuracy, reasoning, or multimodal input like images plus code. For example, you might choose ChatGPT for speed and balanced performance, OpenAI’s o3 for more advanced reasoning, or Claude Opus when you need the maximum reasoning power. By giving you access to multiple models so you can pick the large language models best suited for each task, Copilot also offers flexibility in a fast-changing landscape.

How to use GitHub Copilot effectively

One of the ways to get the most out of GitHub Copilot is to integrate it directly with your IDE to access features like code suggestions. You can also use Copilot to experiment with new programming languages, as it will suggest syntax and code in dozens of them, helping you learn by doing. Clicking the Copilot icon on the GitHub website to ask the AI any questions that may arise during your coding endeavors. 

You might also be mindful of the language you use. Copilot is compatible with all publicly accessible programming languages but is particularly effective with JavaScript.

How to integrate GitHub Copilot into your workflow

To integrate Copilot into your workflow, first create your own GitHub account with access to any of the three aforementioned Copilot plans. Then, depending on your IDE, you will either need to sign into GitHub within the IDE (Visual Studio Code) or also install a GitHub Copilot extension/plugin (JetBrains IDEs, Visual Studio). 

How to optimize existing code using GitHub Copilot

Copilot’s refactoring feature helps optimize your existing code by restructuring it without altering behavior. This may improve readability, reduce complexity, ease maintenance, and enable easier feature additions. 

To refactor your code, open the inline chat of your IDE by pressing “Ctrl + Alt + i” (Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio), then type “Can this script be improved?” Copilot can also optimize your code as you write it, using code completions that suggest code, comments, and tests directly in your editor, supporting many languages and frameworks.

How to review code using GitHub Copilot

To review code, click “Review changes with Copilot” in the Git Changes window (Visual Studio). Copilot will go through and review your changes, leaving comments on them after a short period. Copilot will then display the comments with summaries of potential issues. You will have the option to either review and apply suggestions or dismiss a comment with the downward arrow in its corner.

Microsoft Copilot vs. GitHub Copilot

Microsoft Copilot and GitHub Copilot are two distinct tools. Microsoft’s Copilot is an AI-powered tool designed to help enhance productivity and workflows. Its uses are more general, including applications for industries like retail, finance, health care, and government. Microsoft Copilot is most effective when you use it alongside Microsoft tools, like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. 

Meanwhile, GitHub Copilot specializes in technology and coding only, making it a powerful resource for developers. 

Common mistakes to avoid when coding with GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is a powerful AI coding assistant, but using it effectively requires awareness of potential mistakes or misuse. Some common mistakes to avoid while using Copilot include the following: 

• Using Copilot for non-coding/technology-related prompts 

• Using Copilot as a substitute for your expertise and knowledge

• Using an IDE that is incompatible with Copilot

• Unintentional content exclusion (configurable by a repository administrator)

For more information, you can check out GitHub’s official documentation: Configuring GitHub Copilot in your environment.

Getting started with GitHub Copilot

You can begin using GitHub Copilot for free right now by making an account and choosing the free GitHub Copilot pricing plan. Then select your development environment (IDE) and follow the appropriate integration guide to begin using Copilot. Remember, you can only perform 2,000 code completions and 50 chat messages a month as part of the Copilot free plan. 

Discover Coursera’s free resources for front-end developers

Discover our free online resources to help further your career in front-end development, such as Career Chat, our free weekly LinkedIn newsletter designed to help you stay updated on trends and emerging technologies. You might also consider: 

• Watch on YouTube: How to Become a Software Developer

• Explore career paths: Web Development Career Paths: Explore Roles & Specializations

• Learn from others: How This Self-Taught Web Developer Went Straight to a Master’s Degree

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