GitHub Copilot provides AI-powered code suggestions in your editor. Understanding how to prompt effectively and when to accept or modify suggestions maximizes productivity gains.
Effective Prompting
Write descriptive comments before code. Use clear function and variable names. Structure code predictably. Provide context through file organization and imports.
- Write comments describing what you want to implement
- Use clear naming conventions Copilot can follow
- Accept suggestions incrementally, reviewing each part
- Edit suggestions to match your style and requirements
- Use Copilot Chat for explanations and refactoring
Productivity Patterns
Copilot excels at boilerplate and repetitive code. Tests generate well from implementation. Documentation completion accelerates commenting. Balance AI assistance with understanding.