docs/content/copilot/quickstart.md

title, intro, allowTitleToDifferFromFilename, versions, shortTitle, topics

title	intro	allowTitleToDifferFromFilename	versions	shortTitle	topics
Quickstart for GitHub Copilot	Quickly learn how to use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} in your editor{% ifversion ghec %} or on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}{% endif %}.	true	feature copilot	Quickstart	Copilot

Introduction

{% ifversion ghec %} {% webui %}

You can use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat_dotcom %} to get answers to coding-related questions, such as how best to code something, how to fix a bug, or how someone else's code works. For full details of what {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can do, see "AUTOTITLE."

Instructions for using {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} differ depending on whether you are in an editor or on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}. This version of the quickstart is for {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}. Click the tabs above for instructions on using {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} in an editor.

Prerequisites

{% data reusables.copilot.chat-dotcom-prerequisites %}

Asking your first question

1. On {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}, navigate to a repository and open a file.

2. Click the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} icon ({% octicon "copilot" aria-hidden="true" %}) at the top right of the file view.

   

3. Type a question in the "Ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}" box at the bottom of the chat panel and press Enter.

   For example, you could enter:

   • Explain this file.
   • How could I improve this code?
   • How can I test this code?

   {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} responds to your request in the panel.

4. You can continue the conversation by asking a follow-up question. For example, you could type "tell me more" to get {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to expand on its last comment.

Other questions you can ask

There are many more things you can do with {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat_dotcom %}. For example:

• Ask a general question about software development
• Ask exploratory questions about a repository
• Ask a question about a knowledge base
• Find out about the changes in a pull request
• Ask a question about a specific issue or commit

For more information, see "AUTOTITLE."

Next steps

• Find out more about {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat %} - See "AUTOTITLE{% ifversion fpt %}.{% endif %}"{% ifversion ghec %} and "AUTOTITLE."{% endif %}
• Get {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} code completion suggestions in an IDE - See "AUTOTITLE."
• Use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} on your mobile device - See "AUTOTITLE."
• Use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} on the command line - See "AUTOTITLE."

{% endwebui %} {% endif %}

{% vscode %}

{% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-intro %}

Instructions for using {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} differ depending on the editor you use. This version of the quickstart is for {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}. Click the tabs above to see instructions for other editors{% ifversion ghec %} and for {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}{% endif %}.

{% ifversion fpt %} {% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-signup %} {% endif %}

Prerequisites

{% ifversion ghec %}

• {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} subscription - To use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} you must have been assigned a seat as part of a {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_for_business %} or {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_enterprise %} subscription. {% endif %} {% data reusables.copilot.vscode-prerequisites %}

Chat with {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %}

After you've installed the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} extension, you can ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} coding-related questions.

[!NOTE] {% data reusables.copilot.chat-access-denied %}

1. Open an existing code file.

2. Open the Chat view from the Activity Bar.

   

3. At the bottom of the chat view, in the chat input field, type: explain this file.

4. Press Enter.

   {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} replies in the chat view.

5. In the editor, select one or more lines of code that are not commented.

6. In the chat input field, type: add comments to these lines.

7. If you like the comments that {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} suggests, hover over the suggested code in the chat view and click the "Insert at Cursor" icon to replace the selected lines with the suggested code.

   

Get your first code completion suggestion

The following example uses JavaScript, however other languages will work similarly. {% data reusables.copilot.supported-languages %}

1. Open {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}. {% data reusables.copilot.create-js-file %} {% data reusables.copilot.type-function-header %} {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} will automatically suggest an entire function body in grayed text. The exact suggestion may vary.
2. {% data reusables.copilot.accept-suggestion %}

Next steps

{% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-nextsteps1 %}

• Use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} like a pro - Learn how to write effective prompts for {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %}. For more information, see "Best practices for using {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} in VS Code" in the {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %} documentation. {% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-nextsteps2 %}

{% endvscode %}

{% visualstudio %}

{% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-intro %}

Instructions for using {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} differ depending on the editor you use. This version of the quickstart is for {% data variables.product.prodname_vs %}. Click the tabs above to see instructions for other editors{% ifversion ghec %} and for {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}{% endif %}.

{% ifversion fpt %} {% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-signup %} {% endif %}

Prerequisites

{% ifversion ghec %}

• Subscription to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}. To use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} in Visual Studio, you must have an active {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} subscription. {% data reusables.copilot.subscription-prerequisite %} {% endif %} {% data reusables.copilot.visual-studio-prerequisites %}

Chat with {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %}

After you've installed the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} extension, you can ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} coding-related questions.

[!NOTE] {% data reusables.copilot.chat-access-denied %}

1. Open an existing code file.

2. In the {% data variables.product.prodname_vs %} menu bar, click View, then click {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat %}.

3. In the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat_short %} window, type what does this file do then press Enter.

   {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}'s answer is displayed below your question.

4. Select a line of code in the editor.

5. In the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat_short %} window, type explain this line then press Enter.

Get your first code completion suggestion

The following example uses JavaScript, however other languages will work similarly. {% data reusables.copilot.supported-languages %}

1. Open {% data variables.product.prodname_vs %}.
2. In {% data variables.product.prodname_vs %}, create a new JavaScript (*.js) file. {% data reusables.copilot.type-function-header %} {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} will automatically suggest an entire function body in grayed text. The exact suggestion may vary.
3. {% data reusables.copilot.accept-suggestion %}

Next steps

{% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-nextsteps1 %}

• Prompt like a pro - Watch "{% data variables.product.prodname_vs %} Prompt Engineering with {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %}" on YouTube. {% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-nextsteps2 %}

{% endvisualstudio %}

{% jetbrains %}

{% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-intro %}

Instructions for using {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} differ depending on the editor you use. This version of the quickstart is for JetBrains IDEs. Click the tabs above to see instructions for other editors{% ifversion ghec %} and for {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}{% endif %}.

{% ifversion fpt %} {% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-signup %} {% endif %}

Prerequisites

{% ifversion ghec %}

• Subscription to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}. To use {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} in Visual Studio, you must have an active {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} subscription. {% data reusables.copilot.subscription-prerequisite %} {% endif %}
• A compatible JetBrains IDE. {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is supported in a large number of JetBrains IDEs. For a full list, see "AUTOTITLE." {% data reusables.copilot.jetbrains-plugin-prerequisites %}

Chat with {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %}

After you've installed the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} plugin, you can ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} coding-related questions.

[!NOTE] {% data reusables.copilot.chat-access-denied %}

1. Open an existing code file.

2. Open the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat_short %} window by clicking the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat_short %} icon at the right side of the JetBrains IDE window.

   

3. In the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat_short %} window, type what does this file do then press Enter.

   {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}'s answer is displayed below your question.

4. Select a line of code in the editor.

5. In the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_chat_short %} window, type explain this line then press Enter.

Get your first code completion suggestion

The following example uses JavaScript, however other languages will work similarly. {% data reusables.copilot.supported-languages %}

1. In your JetBrains editor, create a new JavaScript (*.js) file. {% data reusables.copilot.type-function-header %} {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} will automatically suggest an entire function body in grayed text. The exact suggestion may vary.
2. {% data reusables.copilot.accept-suggestion %}

Next steps

{% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-nextsteps1 %} {% data reusables.copilot.quickstart-nextsteps2 %}

{% endjetbrains %}