225 lines
16 KiB
Markdown
225 lines
16 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Asking GitHub Copilot questions in GitHub
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shortTitle: Chat in GitHub
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intro: You can use {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_dotcom %} to answer general questions about software development, or specific questions about the issues or code in a repository.
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versions:
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feature: copilot
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topics:
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- Copilot
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redirect_from:
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- /copilot/github-copilot-enterprise/copilot-chat-in-github/using-github-copilot-chat-in-githubcom
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- /copilot/github-copilot-enterprise/copilot-chat-in-github/about-github-copilot-chat-in-githubcom
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- /copilot/github-copilot-chat/copilot-chat-in-github/using-github-copilot-chat-in-githubcom
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- /copilot/github-copilot-chat/copilot-chat-in-github/about-github-copilot-chat-in-githubcom
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- /copilot/github-copilot-chat/copilot-chat-in-github
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- /copilot/using-github-copilot/asking-github-copilot-questions-in-githubcom
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- /copilot/using-github-copilot/asking-github-copilot-questions-in-github
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- /copilot/using-github-copilot/copilot-chat/asking-github-copilot-questions-in-github
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- /copilot/how-tos/chat/asking-github-copilot-questions-in-github
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- /copilot/how-tos/chat/use-chat-in-github
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- /copilot/how-tos/use-chat/use-chat-in-github
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- /copilot/how-tos/chat-with-copilot/use-chat-in-github
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contentType: how-tos
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category:
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- Author and optimize with Copilot
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---
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## Introduction
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This guide describes how to use {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} to ask questions about software development in {% data variables.product.github %}. You can ask general questions about software development, or specific questions about the issues or code in a repository. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/concepts/about-github-copilot-chat).
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## Submitting a question to {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %}
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You can open {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} from any page on {% data variables.product.github %}. Certain questions may require you to be in a specific context, such as a repository, issue, or pull request. The following procedure describes how to ask a general software related question, and demonstrates the core functionality of {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} on {% data variables.product.github %}. For more information on other scenarios, see [Asking {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} questions in different contexts](/copilot/using-github-copilot/asking-github-copilot-questions-in-github#asking-copilot-chat-questions-in-different-contexts).
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Depending on the question you ask, and your enterprise and organization settings, {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} may respond using information based on the results of a Bing search. By using Bing search, {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} can answer a broad range of tech-related questions with up-to-date details based on information currently available on the internet. For information on how to enable or disable Bing search integration, see [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/managing-copilot/managing-copilot-as-an-individual-subscriber/managing-copilot-policies-as-an-individual-subscriber#enabling-or-disabling-web-search-for-github-copilot-chat) and [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/managing-copilot/managing-copilot-for-your-enterprise/managing-policies-and-features-for-copilot-in-your-enterprise).
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{% data reusables.copilot.access-chat-instructions %}
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1. In the prompt box, type a question and press <kbd>Enter</kbd>.
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Some examples of general questions you could ask are:
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* {% prompt %}What are the advantages of the Go programming language?{% endprompt %}
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* {% prompt %}What is Agile software development?{% endprompt %}
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* {% prompt %}What is the most popular JavaScript framework?{% endprompt %}
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* {% prompt %}Give me some examples of regular expressions.{% endprompt %}
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* {% prompt %}Write a bash script to output today's date.{% endprompt %}
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{% data reusables.copilot.stop-response-generation %}
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1. If {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} uses a Bing search to answer your question, you can click the **_n_ references** link at the top of the response to see the search results that {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} used to answer your question.
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1. Within a conversation thread, you can ask follow-up questions. {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} will answer within the context of the conversation. For example, you could type "tell me more" to get {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} to expand on its last comment.
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You can use your initial question as a foundation for follow-up questions. A detailed foundational prompt can help {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} provide more relevant answers to your follow-up questions. For more information, see [Prompting {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat %} to become your personal AI assistant for accessibility](https://github.blog/2023-10-09-prompting-github-copilot-chat-to-become-your-personal-ai-assistant-for-accessibility/) on the {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} Blog.
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1. To start a new conversation, click {% data reusables.copilot.pencil-paper-icon %} at the top left of the page.
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1. To see a list of your previous conversations, click {% octicon "sidebar-collapse" aria-label="Open sidebar" %} at the top left of the page.
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{% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} stores up to 100 of your most recent conversations. Messages within each conversation are kept for 28 days before being permanently deleted. Once a conversation has no messages left, it's automatically removed from your history.
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### Viewing and editing generated files within {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %}
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> [!NOTE]
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> This feature is currently in {% data variables.release-phases.public_preview %} and subject to change.
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When you ask a question, {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} may generate one or more files as part of its response. The generated files are displayed in a side panel. You can view and edit the files in the panel, or download them to your computer.
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For example, asking {% prompt %}Generate a simple calculator using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript{% endprompt %} may generate multiple files, such as `index.html`, `styles.css`, and `script.js`.
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You can also preview how some file formats, such as Markdown, render by toggling to the "Preview" tab in the side panel.
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### Regenerating a response with a different model
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After {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} responds to your question, you can regenerate the same prompt using a different model by clicking the retry icon ({% octicon "sync" aria-label="The re-run icon" %}) below the response. The new response will use your selected model and maintain the full context of the conversation.
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You can switch between responses to compare the results from different models.
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For help deciding which model to use, see [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/reference/ai-models/model-comparison).
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### Using subthreads in a conversation
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Subthreads are branches of a conversation that are created from a point in a conversation where you asked a question. Subthreads offer more control and flexibility for exploring aspects of a topic, or new topics, all within the same thread.
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You can create and navigate through subthreads in {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %}.
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You can create a subthread in {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} by either editing or retrying any of your questions in the conversation.
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To edit a question:
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1. Hover over the question you want to edit.
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1. Click the {% octicon "pencil" aria-label="Edit message" %} button that's displayed.
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1. Edit the question, then click **Send**.
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> [!NOTE]
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> You can only edit the text of a question. You can't edit any attachments.
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To retry a question:
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1. Hover over the response to a question you want to retry. Resubmitting a question to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} may generate a different response.
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1. Click the {% octicon "sync" aria-label="Retry" %} button.
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The response to your edited or retried question is displayed in a new subthread.
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To navigate between subthreads:
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* If you have retried a question, a retry counter is displayed under the response, alongside the retry button.
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Click {% octicon "chevron-left" aria-label="Previous response" %} or {% octicon "chevron-right" aria-label="Next response" %} to navigate to the previous or next subthread.
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* If you have edited a question, an edit counter is added below the question.
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Hover over the counter to display the edit and navigation buttons, then click {% octicon "chevron-left" aria-label="Previous response" %} or {% octicon "chevron-right" aria-label="Next response" %} to navigate to the previous or next subthread.
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## Powered by skills
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{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} has access to a collection of skills to fetch data from {% data variables.product.github %}, which are dynamically selected based on the question you ask.
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You can explicitly ask {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_dotcom %} to use a particular skill - for example, {% prompt %}Use the Bing skill to find the latest GPT4 model from OpenAI.{% endprompt %}
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Generate a list of currently available skills by asking {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}: {% prompt %}What skills are available?{% endprompt %}
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## Asking {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} questions in different contexts
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You can ask {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} different types of questions depending on where you are on {% data variables.product.github %}. For example, to ask a question about a specific repository, you must be in the context of that repository. The following sections describe how to access the different contexts.
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For examples of the types of questions you can ask in different contexts, see [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/using-github-copilot/example-use-cases/example-prompts-for-copilot-chat?tool=webui).
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## Using images in {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %}
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> [!NOTE]
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> * Attaching images to chat prompts is currently in {% data variables.release-phases.public_preview %} and is subject to change.
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You can attach an image to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} and then ask about the image. For example, you can attach:
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{% data reusables.copilot.image-questions-and-file-types %}
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### Attaching an image to your chat prompt
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1. Go to {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} ([https://github.com/copilot](https://github.com/copilot?ref_product=copilot&ref_type=engagement&ref_style=text)).
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1. If you see the AI model picker at the top of the page, select one of the models that supports adding images to prompts:
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1. Do one of the following:
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* Copy an image and paste it into the prompt box at the bottom of the page.
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* Click {% octicon "paperclip" aria-label="Add attachment" %} in the prompt box, then click **Image**. Browse to the image file you want to attach, select it and click **Open**.
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* Drag and drop an image file from your operating system's file explorer into the prompt box.
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{% data reusables.copilot.type-prompt-for-image %}
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## Accessing {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} from the search bar
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You can ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} a question about an entire repository by typing your question in the main search box of the repository.
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1. Navigate to a repository on {% data variables.product.github %}.
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1. Press <kbd>/</kbd>, or click in the main search box at the top of the page.
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1. In the search box, after `repo:OWNER/REPO`, type the question you want to ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}.
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For example, you could enter:
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* `What does this repo do?`
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* `Where is authentication implemented in this codebase?`
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* `How does license file detection work in this repo?`
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1. Click **Ask {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}**.
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The {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat %} panel is displayed and {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} responds to your request.
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{% data reusables.copilot.stop-response-generation %}
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## Accessing {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} from the dashboard
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You can access {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} from the dashboard. The dashboard is your personalized overview of your activity on {% data variables.product.github %}, seen when you visit https://github.com while logged in.
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1. Go to the dashboard at [https://github.com](https://github.com).
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1. In the prompt box, type a question and press <kbd>Enter</kbd>.
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You will be taken to {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} where {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} responds to your request.
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> [!NOTE]
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> If you don't see the {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} prompt box on your dashboard, check that **Dashboard entry point** in enabled in your {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} settings.
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## Sharing {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} conversations
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> [!NOTE] This feature is currently in {% data variables.release-phases.public_preview %} and subject to change. During the {% data variables.release-phases.public_preview %}, this feature is only available to users without enterprise or team memberships.
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Shared conversations are public or private (i.e. permission-based), depending on the referenced content, for example, a conversation about a private repository. If you share a private conversation, the recipient must have the necessary permissions to view the content.
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Once you share a conversation, the conversation and future messages will be visible to anyone with the link.
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{% data reusables.copilot.access-chat-instructions %}
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1. After you submit your first prompt, a share button is displayed in the upper right corner.
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1. Click **{% octicon "lock" aria-hidden="true" aria-label="lock" %} Share** to open the share dialog.
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1. To share the conversation, click **Share**. This will generate a link to the conversation.
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1. To copy the conversation link, click the **{% octicon "copy" aria-label="Copy conversation icon" %}** copy icon. The link is copied to your clipboard.
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## Sharing feedback about {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_dotcom %}
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{% data reusables.rai.copilot-dotcom-feedback-collection %}
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To give feedback about a particular {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} response, click either the thumbs up or thumbs down icon at the bottom of each chat response.
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To give feedback about {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} in general, click the ellipsis (**...**) at the top right of the chat panel, then click **{% octicon "comment-discussion" aria-hidden="true" aria-label="comment-discussion" %} Give feedback**.
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## Further reading
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* [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/github-copilot-chat/copilot-chat-in-ides/using-github-copilot-chat-in-your-ide)
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* [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/using-github-copilot/asking-github-copilot-questions-in-github-mobile)
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* [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/tutorials/using-copilot-to-explore-a-codebase)
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