Accelerate your programming with the most popular AI coding tool on the market: GitHub Copilot
In Programming with GitHub Copilot: Write Better Code — Faster, veteran software developer and GitHub community hero Kurt Dowswell delivers an insightful and hands-on exploration of GitHub's powerful, new AI coding assistant, Copilot. In the book, you'll discover how to use the tool's capabilities to push the boundaries of what you thought was possible in programming.
Even if you've used autocomplete tools—like VS Code's TabNine extension—before, you'll be floored by GitHub Copilot's potential to transform the way you code. You'll learn how to install, configure, and use the software, from employing it's most common and widely used features to deploying business and enterprise functionality. You'll even discover how to fix runtime and compilation bugs and write unit, integration, and end-to-end tests.
You'll also find:
- Prompt strategies to get GitHub Copilot to help you brainstorm new code solutions
- What the future looks like for AI-assisted coding, including discussions of issues like code licensing and ethics
- Directions for chatting with Copilot, including common commands and prompts to help you guide the conversation to where you want it to go
Perfect for practicing programmers, developers, and software engineers, Programming with GitHub Copilot is also an essential resource for coders and other IT practitioners-in-training who want to expand their knowledge and improve the scope and depth of their programming skillsets.
Table of Contents:
Introduction xvii
Part I Getting Started with GitHub Copilot 1
Chapter 1 Get Started with GitHub Copilot 3
Learn Why GitHub Copilot Matters 4
Create a GitHub Account 4
Acquire a GitHub Copilot License 4
Install an IDE Extension 5
First Run: Test Copilot 10
Conclusion 15
Reference 15
Chapter 2 Decoding GitHub Copilot 17
Uncover the AI Behind GitHub Copilot 17
Understand Security, Privacy, and Data Handling 18
Understand Copyright Protections 20
Explore the GitHub Copilot Trust Center 21
Conclusion 22
References 22
Part II GitHub Copilot Features in Action 23
Chapter 3 Exploring Code Completions 25
Introducing Code Completions 25
Working with Copilot Code Completions 26
Discovering the Toolbar and Panel 34
Updating Copilot Settings 36
Leveraging Keyboard Shortcuts 38
Conclusion 40
Chapter 4 Chatting with GitHub Copilot 41
Discovering Copilot Chat 41
Defining Prompt Engineering with Copilot Chat 48
Commanding Your Conversation with Precision 52
Conclusion 65
Part III Practical Applications of GitHub Copilot 67
Chapter 5 Learning a New Programming Language 69
Introducing Language Education with Copilot 70
Setting Up Your Development Environment 70
Learning the Basics 72
Creating a Console Application 74
Explaining Code with Copilot 77
Adding New Code 78
Learning to Test 79
Conclusion 85
Reference 86
Chapter 6 Writing Tests with Copilot 87
Establishing the Example Project 87
Adding Unit Tests to Existing Code 89
Exploring Behavior-Driven Development with Copilot 94
Conclusion 99
Chapter 7 Diagnosing and Resolving Bugs 101
Establishing the Example Project 101
Fixing Syntax Errors 103
Resolving Runtime Exceptions 105
Resolving Terminal Errors 109
Conclusion 111
Chapter 8 Code Refactoring with Copilot 113
Introducing Code Refactoring with Copilot 113
Establishing the Example Project 114
Refactoring Duplicate Code 116
Refactoring Validators 122
Refactoring Bad Variable Names 127
Documenting and Commenting Code 129
Conclusion 132
Chapter 9 Enhancing Code Security 133
Detailing Code Security 133
Establishing the Example Project 134
Exploring Code Security 135
Finding and Fixing Security Issues 139
Conclusion 142
Chapter 10 Accelerating DevSecOps Practices 143
Detailing DevSecOps 143
Simplifying Containers 144
Automating Infrastructure as Code 148
Streamlining CI/CD Pipelines 152
Conclusion 158
Chapter 11 Enhancing Development Environments with Copilot 159
Amplifying Visual Studio with Copilot 159
Elevating Azure Data Studio with Copilot 166
Boosting JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA with Copilot 171
Enhancing Neovim with Copilot 176
Consulting Copilot in the GitHub cli 181
References 185
Conclusion 185
Chapter 12 Universal Conversion with GitHub Copilot 187
Translating Natural Language to Programming Languages 188
Converting JavaScript Components 190
Simplifying CSS Styles 191
Enhancing Nontyped Languages with Types 196
Transitioning Between Frameworks and Libraries 199
Converting Object-Oriented Languages 203
Migrating Databases 205
Transitioning CI/CD Platforms 206
Modernizing Legacy Systems 209
Conclusion 213
Reference 214
Part IV Key Insights and Advanced Use Cases for GitHub Copilot 215
Chapter 13 Considering Responsible AI with GitHub Copilot 217
Introducing Responsible AI 217
Examining How Copilot Implements Responsible AI 218
Programming with AI Responsibly 226
Conclusion 226
References 227
Chapter 14 Augmenting the Software Development Life Cycle with GitHub Copilot 229
Introducing the SDLC 229
Assessing the Adoption of AI in the SDLC 231
Detailing Levels of AI Integration in the SDLC 232
Showcasing GitHub Copilot in the SDLC 238
Addressing Concerns: AI Adoption and the Future of Work 250
Conclusion 251
References 251
Chapter 15 Exploring Copilot Business and Enterprise 253
Introducing Copilot Business and Enterprise 254
Chatting with Copilot in GitHub.com 257
Indexing Code Repositories to Improve Copilot’s Understanding 262
Getting Better Answers with the Knowledge Base 267
Leveraging Copilot Chat in Code Repository Files 273
Enhancing Pull Requests with Copilot 279
Managing GitHub Copilot 288
Looking Ahead 292
Conclusion 293
References 293
Conclusion 295
Appendix Resources for Further Learning 297
GitHub Copilot Overview and Subscription Plans 297
Community Engagement and Support 299
Legal and Ethical Considerations 299
Research and Insights 300
Glossary 303
Index 311
About the Author :
KURT DOWSWELL is a software architect with over 13 years of experience delivering enterprise-grade software solutions for the Department of Defense. He is one of the first developers to work with GitHub Copilot and is a GitHub “community hero,” evangelizing the AI coding tool to the global developer community.
