AI-powered tools like GitHub Copilot have become more and more important in our daily work.However, most of us out there are not familiar with GitHub Copilot and how to enable it.
Keep reading as we describe Microsoft Copilot in detail and how you can use it to your advantage.
What is GitHub Copilot by Microsoft
GitHub Copilot is the world’s first advanced code completion and generation tool developed by GitHub in collaboration with Microsoft. It is designed to help developers write code more efficiently by providing intelligent suggestions and auto-completion. Copilot uses machine learning algorithms to analyze millions of lines of code and documentation from various open-source projects to generate accurate and context-aware suggestions.
Screenshot of Copilot chat as an example:
With Copilot, developers can expect to significantly speed up their coding process and reduce the time spent on brainstorming algorithms and pseudocodes and searching for code syntax. Moreover, this tool supports a wide range of programming languages and can generate code for common tasks, such as creating functions, classes, or even entire code blocks.
Features of GitHub Copilot by Microsoft
As mentioned above, GitHub Copilot is an innovative coding tool developed by Microsoft to revolutionize the way developers write code. With its advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, it has a lot of benefits to offer its users i.e., developers, programmers, and software architects.
Following are some of the key features of GitHub Copilot for its users:
1. Providing Code Suggestions
GitHub Copilot has the ability to understand the context and provide relevant code suggestions based on the current codebase. GitHub Copilot does this by analyzing millions of lines of code from various open-source projects.
Below is an example of how it predicts and writes code based on your current codebase and logic.
2. Support for Multiple Programming Languages
Whether you're working with Python, JavaScript, C++, or any other popular programming language, GitHub Copilot can provide accurate and efficient code completions tailored to your needs. This versatility makes it a valuable tool for developers across different domains and industries. See the screenshot above in which Copilot is working with different languages on different files.
3. Code Generation from Scratch
By analyzing comments and function signatures, it can generate entire functions or classes, saving developers valuable time and effort.
4. Promotes Collaboration
GitHub Copilot allows developers to easily share code snippets or entire functions with their team members. This promotes knowledge sharing, encourages code reuse, and facilitates efficient teamwork.
Overall, GitHub Copilot offers a range of powerful features that enhance the coding experience and boost productivity.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using GitHub Copilot by Microsoft
Pros of using GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot offers numerous benefits that make it a valuable tool for developers and teams alike. Let’s dive into some of the pros of this software collaboration tool.
1. Saves Time and Increases Productivity
With its advanced AI capabilities, Copilot can generate code suggestions and snippets that are often accurate. This ultimately saves developers from having to write repetitive code, allowing them to focus on more critical aspects of their projects.
2. Helps in Learning Coding Techniques
The suggestions offered by Copilot are often those that developers don’t know about. Also, it writes efficient codes using different approaches, which ultimately enables developers to improve their overall coding skills and efficiency.
3. Versatility and Compatibility
GitHub Copilot supports multiple programming languages, making it suitable for a wide range of projects. Whether you are working on web development, mobile app development, machine learning, or any other software project, Copilot can provide relevant code suggestions tailored to your specific needs.
4. Integration with GitHub
GitHub Copilot integrates seamlessly with the GitHub ecosystem. As it is an AI tool built on a foundation of vast code repositories, it has access to millions of lines of open-source code. By using this much vast knowledge, it can generate accurate code suggestions.
Cons of using GitHub Copilot.
Sometimes, it can produce and complete code with some errors.
When it’s completing your code, it may take a bit longer.
The monthly/yearly subscription plan can be expensive.
Sometimes, users can’t understand the code written by Copilot, which can lead to confusion.
There is also some legal concern that the code GitHub Copilot generates may be infringed on copyright.
The code suggestions made by GitHub Copilot may need review, and these short breaks may break the overall flow when you are working on a project.
How to Enable GitHub Copilot by Microsoft
GitHub Copilot has been available to use for general users and businesses alike. If you want access to GitHub Copilot Microsoft, you will have to follow certain steps and approaches. Refer to the steps mentioned below to find out how to sign up for Microsoft GitHub Copilot and use it.
Step 1. Go to the GitHub Copilot website by following the link here: Github.Com. Here on this page, you will find a couple of buttons telling you to start a free plan and compare plans for Copilot. Go to the button named “Start a free trial” and click it.
Step 2. After clicking this button, you will be directed to a new window where you will need to sign up or sign in based on whether you have a GitHub user or business account or not. Provide the details as asked, and you click “Sign in” or “Sign up.”
Step 3: After signing in to GitHub, you will be landed on a window where you will have to provide all the billing details, including your name, address, country, city, and postal code, to start your free trial.
After providing a couple of other details, your free trial will be started and you will be able to use GitHub Copilot within other applications like Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code.
Tips to Sign up to GitHub Copilot:
After you are done signing up for GitHub Copilot Microsoft, you will have to set it up on other applications on your PC or Mac. Below are some of the things you will have to do to enjoy using GitHub Copilot straightaway.
Go to the Visual Studio Code Marketplace and find the GitHub Copilot extension.
Clicking on this extension will take you to the Visual Studio Code on your computer.
Install this extension to your Visual Studio Code.
Authorize your Visual Studio Code with your GitHub account and you will be on your way to start writing code with the help of GitHub Copilot.
Best Free Alternative to Microsoft Copilot - WPS AI
WPS AI is a complete office tool that has all the applications Microsoft Office has to offer. This includes Word editor, Spreadsheet editor, and Presentation maker. Along with this, WPS is also investing to make its own AI model that will work alongside these apps to make suggestions during writing, data analysis, and presentation making.
WPS AI is the best alternative to GitHub Copilot Microsoft that can provide you with writing suggestions for multiple types of writing. This includes stories, essays, articles, poems, and blog posts.
Advantages of WPS AI
As your partner in writing, WPS AI offers a wide range of benefits that can help both general users and businesses. Let’s look at some of the most exclusive benefits of WPS AI.
It can help you save time by generating content quickly. All you have to do is write a few simple prompts to guide WPS AI write the type of content you need.
It also offers you the possibility of enhancing the already-written content. When you generate a piece of content, you get the option to rewrite and enhance that content further, as can be seen in the screenshot below.
It creates high-quality content that can assist you in writing multiple types of content with much ease and efficiency.
It is completely free to use.
Features of WPS AI
As a high-end AI-powered tool, WPS AI offers multiple features to users that help them create and enhance written content within the WPS applications. Below are some of the features of WPS AI:
Integration with WPS Office applications, including Word, Spreadsheets, and Presentations.
Easy and simple to use interface that even non-tech users find interactive
Ability to enhance already-generated content.
Can write content in multiple formats, including bullets, tables, and plain text.
Multiple writing prompts available.
How to download WPS AI
WPS AI is yet to come to the market for general users, so the only thing you can do is join the waitlist and download it as soon as it gets released. Below are some simple steps you can follow to join the waitlist and download WPS AI.
Step 1 To download WPS AI, you can visit the WPS AI website: https://www.wps.ai/
Step 2 Click on the Free Download button
Step 3 Select the operating system that you are using.
Step 4 The file will be downloaded automatically
Follow the instructions on the screen to install WPS AI.
FAQs
Is GitHub Copilot free?
GitHub Copilot has pricing plans and versions named Free, Pro, and Team. The subscription is free for verified students, but you will have to pay if you are opting for the Pro or Teams version. So, it’s only free for verified students but not for general users and enterprises.
How can I get a refund for my Copilot subscription?
You can get a refund for your Copilot subscription by going to the Help page of your GitHub account. There, a virtual agent will guide you and offer an immediate refund. However, if your problem is not solved, you can use the contact form and get in touch with the billing team of GitHub Copilot to raise your issue.
Wrapping up the Details
Till now, you have learned about GitHub Copilot Microsoft, what it offers, and how to download and sign up for it. However, there is one thing you should keep in mind, and that is the GitHub Copilot is not free to use, and you will have to pay a monthly subscription fee to use it.
WPS AI, on the other hand, is a complete AI solution, just like GitHub Copilot Microsoft that can help users write and edit their writing projects. You can use WPS AI to write any type of content within WPS Office applications, including Word, Spreadsheets, and Presentation. The best part about WPS AI is that it is completely free to use.
