Github Copilot

GitHub Copilot is an AI coding assistant that integrates directly into the editor to suggest code as you type. Built on large language models trained on public code, it offers inline completions, a chat interface, and an autonomous agent mode that can plan and apply multi-file changes. It is aimed at individual developers, teams, and enterprises who want AI assistance without leaving their existing tooling.

Copilot works across many languages and frameworks, with the strongest results in widely-used ecosystems such as JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Go, and Java.

Highlights

• Inline completions — context-aware single-line and multi-line suggestions as you type.
• Copilot Chat — ask questions, explain code, generate tests, and refactor in a side panel.
• Agent mode — delegate tasks where Copilot edits multiple files, runs commands, and iterates.
• Editor support — VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim, and the GitHub web UI.
• Model choice — switch between several underlying models depending on plan and task.

Where it fits

Copilot suits a tight inner-loop workflow: accept completions for boilerplate, use chat for targeted edits, and hand off larger refactors to agent mode while you review the diff.

# Install the GitHub Copilot CLI, then start an interactive session
curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install | bash   # or: brew install --cask copilot-cli
copilot

Good to know

Copilot is freemium, as of September 2026: the $0 Free plan includes 2,000 completions a month and an allowance of GitHub AI Credits, paid plans have billed chat, agent, and CLI usage in GitHub AI Credits since June 1, 2026, verified students get a free Student plan, and eligible verified teachers and popular open-source maintainers can get Pro for free. It normally requires a GitHub account, a supported editor, and an internet connection; the exception is bring-your-own-key chat in VS Code, which works with local models through Ollama or Foundry Local without a Copilot plan. Available models vary by plan. Comparing options? The best GitHub Copilot alternatives covers free, open-source, and self-hosted picks.