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GitHub Copilot Beginner 8 min read

GitHub Copilot for Beginners: Complete Getting-Started Guide (2025)

GitHub Copilot beginner guide 2025 — install in VS Code or JetBrains (2 min), comment-to-code pattern (describe in comment → Enter → Tab), Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I, file context + #file references), inline chat (Ctrl+I, highlight + edit), Copilot Edits (multi-file), unit test generation, JSDoc writing. Free: 2000 completions + 50 chat/mo. Individual $10/mo unlimited.

1. What is GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot is an AI coding assistant by GitHub (Microsoft) — it works inside your existing code editor as an extension. Unlike Cursor, which replaces VS Code, Copilot stays in your existing setup: VS Code, JetBrains (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm), or Neovim.

Pricing at a glance

Free
  • 2000 completions/month
  • 50 chat requests/month
  • Any GitHub account
  • Released Nov 2024
Individual — $10/mo
  • Unlimited completions
  • Unlimited chat
  • Copilot Edits (multi-file)
  • GPT-4o + Claude 3.5 Sonnet + Gemini
Business — $19/user/mo
  • Everything in Individual
  • Admin controls
  • Audit logs
  • IP protection
Students and open-source maintainers: GitHub Education offers free Individual access — apply at education.github.com. Verified open-source maintainers may also qualify.

2. Install GitHub Copilot (4 steps for VS Code)

Installation takes about 2 minutes. You need a GitHub account (free). JetBrains users: follow the same flow via Settings → Plugins instead of the Extensions sidebar.

1

Install Visual Studio Code if you haven't

Download VS Code from code.visualstudio.com — it's free, available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. If you already have VS Code installed, skip to step 2.

2

Open VS Code → Extensions sidebar → search “GitHub Copilot” → Install

Click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X). Search for GitHub Copilot — make sure you install the official extension by GitHub. Click Install.

3

Click “Sign in with GitHub” when prompted → authorize in your browser

A prompt will appear in VS Code to sign in. Click it — your browser opens the GitHub authorization page. Click Authorize github. You'll be redirected back to VS Code automatically.

4

The Copilot icon appears in the status bar — you're ready

Look for the Copilot icon in the bottom status bar of VS Code. A filled icon means Copilot is active. An icon with a slash means it's disabled for the current file type — click it to enable.

3. Your first Copilot experience — 3 things to try

Open any JavaScript or Python file and try these three modes in order — they cover the three main ways you interact with Copilot.

1

Autocomplete — start typing a function

Open a JavaScript or Python file and start typing a function. Copilot shows a grey-text suggestion of how to complete it. Press Tab to accept the suggestion, or Esc to reject it. The grey text that appears is Copilot's suggestion — you can type over it to dismiss it too.

Tab to accept — Esc to reject — keep typing to ignore
2

Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I) — ask about your open file

Press Ctrl+Alt+I to open the Copilot Chat sidebar. Copilot reads your open file and can answer questions about it. Try:

explain what this file does
write a unit test for the calculateTotal function
3

Inline chat (Ctrl+I) — highlight code and edit it

Highlight a function in your file. Press Ctrl+I. A text input appears inline — type what you want done to the highlighted code. Copilot rewrites it in place and shows a diff. Example:

add input validation

4. 6 practical workflows

Workflow 1: Write functions from comments

Type a comment describing what you want, then press Enter — Copilot writes the full function. This is the “comment to code” pattern.

// function to validate email address with regex
# calculate compound interest given principal, rate, time, and n periods

Write the comment → press Enter → Copilot suggests the implementation → Tab to accept.

Workflow 2: Generate unit tests

Two ways to generate tests with Copilot:

Copilot Chat: open a file → type “write unit tests for all functions in this file using Jest” → Copilot generates the test file
// test for the validateEmail function

Type the comment in your test file → press Enter → Copilot writes the test body.

Workflow 3: Explain code you don't understand

Two options for understanding unfamiliar code:

Inline chat: highlight the code → Ctrl+I → “explain what this code does step by step”
Chat: “explain the difference between Promise.all and Promise.allSettled and when to use each”

Workflow 4: Fix errors (Copilot Fix)

Two ways to fix errors:

Lightbulb: click the red-underline error → click the lightbulb → “Fix with Copilot” → Copilot reads the error and suggests a fix
I'm getting this error: [paste] — what's wrong?

Workflow 5: Copilot Edits (multi-file)

For changes that span multiple files, use Copilot Edits:

Open Command Palette → “Copilot: Open Copilot Edits” → describe the task → Copilot makes changes across files → review diffs and accept
add TypeScript types to all JavaScript files in the /utils folder

Workflow 6: Documentation

Generate JSDoc comments for any function:

Highlight a function → Copilot Chat → “write a JSDoc comment for this function with parameter types, return type, and example usage”

5. Copilot Chat — the power feature

Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I) is more than just Q&A — it has context about your open file and can reference other files by name.

#filename.ts

Reference a specific file

Type #filename.ts in Chat to include that file in the AI context — Copilot will read it when answering your question.

Context-aware

Ask about your codebase

“What does the authMiddleware function do and where is it used?” — Copilot can trace through your open files to answer.

Security

Ask about best practices

“What are the security issues with this code?” — Copilot reviews the highlighted or open code and flags problems.

Learning

Teach yourself while you work

“What is the difference between useCallback and useMemo in React?” — ask anything, Copilot explains it in the context of your project.

6. Free vs Individual vs Business

The free tier is enough for hobby projects and light use. Most developers working daily will want Individual after a few weeks.

Free
  • 2000 completions/month
  • 50 chat requests/month
  • Good for hobby and light use
  • Autocomplete + Chat
Individual — $10/mo
  • Unlimited completions + chat
  • All models (GPT-4o + Claude 3.5 Sonnet + Gemini)
  • Copilot Edits (multi-file)
  • Full mobile support
Business — $19/user/mo
  • Everything in Individual
  • Admin controls
  • Audit logs
  • IP protection
  • Exclude specific repos
Tip: Start with the free tier. When you hit the 2000-completion cap or 50-chat limit mid-month, that's the signal to upgrade to Individual at $10/mo.

7. Copilot vs Cursor — should you switch?

Both are strong AI coding tools. The right choice depends on your editor, budget, and how much you want AI to do autonomously.

Choose GitHub Copilot if…
  • You use JetBrains (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm)
  • You want to stay in your existing editor
  • Budget matters ($10/mo vs $20/mo)
  • You prefer a more mature, established tool
  • You use Neovim
Choose Cursor if…
  • You're okay replacing VS Code
  • You want Tab next-edit prediction
  • You need a more powerful multi-file agent (Composer)
  • You want direct model choice at every request
Recommendation: Start with Copilot — especially if you use JetBrains or prefer lower cost. Try Cursor after if you want more powerful agentic AI and don't mind switching editors.

8. Tips for better completions

Tip 1: Name things clearly

✗ Vague name
getData()
✓ Descriptive name
getUserFromDatabase()

Clear function and variable names give Copilot more signal about your intent — the suggestions will be more accurate and useful.

Tip 2: Write intent comments

// parse JWT, extract userId, throw if expired

Write a comment describing exactly what you want, then press Enter. Copilot uses the comment as a specification and implements it. This is more reliable than relying on naming alone.

Tip 3: Use Chat for reasoning tasks

The autocomplete is for writing code. Chat is for “why” and “how to structure this”. If you're asking yourself “how should I approach this?”, open Chat rather than relying on autocomplete alone.

Tip 4: Accept then edit

Tab to accept Copilot's suggestion and keep moving — don't wait for a perfect first suggestion. Copilot gives you a fast starting point; you refine the nuances. This workflow is usually faster than manually writing everything from scratch.

🔔

Monitor GitHub Copilot status at Prismix

Before a critical coding session, check that GitHub Copilot's AI backend is running normally. Prismix monitors GitHub Copilot in real time — get free alerts so you know immediately when there's an outage.

Copilot status Get alerts free →

FAQ

Is GitHub Copilot free?

Yes, GitHub Copilot has a free tier with 2000 completions/month and 50 chat requests/month for any GitHub account. GitHub Copilot Individual is $10/month for unlimited use. Students and verified open-source maintainers may get free Individual access via GitHub Education.

How do I install GitHub Copilot?

In VS Code: Extensions sidebar → search “GitHub Copilot” → Install → sign in with GitHub. In JetBrains (IntelliJ/PyCharm/WebStorm): Plugins → search “GitHub Copilot” → Install → sign in. The Copilot icon appears in the status bar when active.

What's the difference between GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT for coding?

GitHub Copilot works inline in your editor — it sees your current file, project structure, and open tabs for context. ChatGPT requires copy-pasting code to and from a browser. Copilot is better for in-editor completion and code generation; ChatGPT is better for architectural questions, lengthy explanations, and conversations without needing code context.

Is GitHub Copilot better than Cursor?

Both are strong. Copilot stays in your existing editor (VS Code or JetBrains) at $10/mo. Cursor is a VS Code fork at $20/mo with Tab next-edit prediction and a more powerful multi-file agent (Composer). Choose Copilot if you use JetBrains or prefer lower cost. Choose Cursor if you want the strongest agentic AI and don't mind replacing VS Code.

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