GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is GitHub’s AI coding assistant, available as an extension for VS Code, JetBrains, and other editors.

Overview


Type	Extension
Open Source	No
Best For	Existing VS Code/JetBrains users, enterprise

Key Features

Inline Completions — Tab to accept suggestions
Chat — Conversational coding assistance
Copilot Edits — Multi-file editing
Workspace Agent — @workspace for codebase context
CLI Integration — Terminal command suggestions

Access Model

Copilot has individual and enterprise-oriented access paths. The durable distinction is not the exact plan table, but whether you need personal convenience or centralized policy, governance, and codebase controls.

Privacy

Setting	Value
Training	OFF for Business/Enterprise
Telemetry	Configurable
Code Storage	Not retained (Business+)
Jurisdiction	US (Microsoft)

Models Available

Model availability is plan-dependent and changes frequently. Common options include:

GPT-5.x family (including Codex variants)
Claude Sonnet/Opus 4.6
Gemini 3 Pro

Installation

VS Code:

1. Extensions → Search "GitHub Copilot"
2. Install
3. Sign in with GitHub

JetBrains:

1. Settings → Plugins → Search "GitHub Copilot"
2. Install
3. Sign in with GitHub

Context Files

Copilot uses .github/copilot-instructions.md:

# Copilot Instructions

## Code Style
- Use TypeScript strict mode
- Prefer named exports

## Gotchas
- Auth tokens in cookies, not localStorage

Workspace Agent

Use @workspace to give Copilot codebase context:

@workspace How is authentication implemented?
@workspace Find all API endpoints
@workspace Explain the data flow for user creation

Tips

Use @workspace for codebase-aware questions
Create .github/copilot-instructions.md for project context
Tab accepts suggestions, Esc dismisses
Ctrl+Enter shows multiple suggestions