How to Use GitHub Copilot
AI that autocompletes your code as you type — built into VS Code.
🧩Browser Extension — VS Code extension — free tier available with GitHub accountGitHub Copilot is an AI that lives inside your code editor and suggests code as you type — like autocomplete, but for entire functions and files. It sees what you're building and offers to write the next line, function, or block. You accept suggestions with Tab.
✓ Perfect for you if...
- ▸People learning to code who want context-aware help as they type
- ▸Developers who already know a bit of coding and want to go faster
- ▸Backend projects, APIs, scripts, and test writing
Get set up in 5 steps
Follow these in order — each step takes about 1–2 minutes.
Download VS Code
Go to code.visualstudio.com and download Visual Studio Code. It's free and available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. Install it like any other app.
Create a GitHub account
Go to github.com and create a free account if you don't have one. Copilot uses your GitHub account.
Install the GitHub Copilot extension
Open VS Code. Click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (the square icon). Search for "GitHub Copilot." Click Install on the result by GitHub.
Sign in with GitHub
After installing, VS Code will show a prompt to sign in with GitHub. Click it and follow the browser flow. The free plan includes a generous monthly limit for Copilot Chat and code completions.
Open a file and start typing
Create a new file (e.g. index.js). Start typing a comment or function name and watch Copilot suggest the rest. Press Tab to accept a suggestion, or Esc to dismiss it.
Your first prompt — paste this right now
In VS Code, type this as a comment at the top of a new .js file. Copilot will read the comment and start suggesting the entire app structure. Press Tab to accept each suggestion, then keep typing to prompt the next one.
// A simple to-do list app in plain JavaScript // Features: add tasks, mark as done, delete tasks, persist to localStorage // I'm a beginner — explain each section with a comment before you write it
3 tips that make a real difference
1. Press Tab to accept, Esc to dismiss
Copilot suggestions appear in gray text as you type. Press Tab to accept the full suggestion, or Esc to ignore it and keep typing. If multiple suggestions are available, look for an arrow or shortcut in the suggestion tooltip to cycle through them.
2. Write a comment describing what you want next
The best way to guide Copilot is to write a comment: "// Function that takes a list of tasks and returns only the incomplete ones." Copilot reads the comment and writes the function below it. Comments are your prompts.
3. Use Copilot Chat for questions and explanations
Find Copilot Chat in the VS Code sidebar or via the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P → "Copilot Chat"). You can also select confusing code, right-click, and look for "Explain with Copilot" — it will explain it in plain English.
Ready to pick your first idea?
We've curated the best project ideas specifically matched to GitHub Copilot — filtered by what actually works well with this tool.
Browse GitHub Copilot project ideas →Also learn how to use