Yesterday Afternoon

Oh, yea.I signed up for that. Well...

So...

# Introduction to GitHub Copilot

Explain what GitHub Copilot is, its purpose, and how it was developed. Mention that it's an AI pair programmer that helps write code.

# Features of GitHub Copilot

Discuss its ability to suggest whole lines or blocks of code, how it adapts to the code you've already written, and its capability to generate tests.

# Benefits of GitHub Copilot

Talk about how it can speed up the coding process, help with learning new languages or frameworks, and reduce the need to constantly look up documentation.

# Limitations and Considerations

Discuss that it's not perfect and can sometimes suggest incorrect or insecure code. It's a tool to assist, not replace, developers.

# Demonstration

Show examples of GitHub Copilot in action. You can use code snippets to illustrate how it suggests code.

# Conclusion

Summarize the key points and discuss the potential impact of AI in software development.

Introduction to GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is an AI pair programmer that helps write code.

You've all seen OpenAI's ChatGPT. Maybe some of you have tested it out. GitHub Copilot Chat is like ChatGPT, but focused on writing software.

GitHub Copilot is distinct from ChatGPT in that it is deeply embedded in Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), meaning it is able to to give you suggestions and answer questions about your code. It has context.

Features of GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot adapts to the code you've already written and the code that is already in your repo.

GitHub Copilot Adapts

Contextual Understanding

GitHub Copilot understands the context of the code you're writing. It uses the code you've already written to make relevant suggestions for the next lines or blocks of code.

GitHub Copilot Adapts

Language and Framework Adaptability

It adapts to the programming language or framework you're using. Whether you're writing in Python with PySpark, TypeScript with Angular, C# with ASP.NET Core, Java, Terraform, PostgreSQL, or any other supported language, GitHub Copilot can provide relevant suggestions.

GitHub Copilot Adapts

Learning from Your Code

GitHub Copilot learns from the code you've written. If your team has a particular coding style or common patterns in your repo, it will start to suggest code in a similar style or pattern.

GitHub Copilot Adapts

Code Completion

It doesn't just suggest the next few characters or a single line of code. It can suggest whole functions, classes, or even larger blocks of code based on what you've already written.

GitHub Copilot Adapts

Use of Comments

GitHub Copilot can even generate code from comments. If you write a comment describing what you want the next piece of code to do, GitHub Copilot can generate a code suggestion based on that comment.

Benefits of GitHub Copilot

• It can speed up the coding process.
• It can help with learning new languages or frameworks.
• It can reduce the need to constantly look up documentation.
• It's cool

Limitations and Considerations

Not Always Correct

GitHub Copilot's suggestions are based on patterns it has learned from public code repositories. It doesn't understand your code in the same way a human would, so it can sometimes suggest incorrect or nonsensical code.

Limitations and Considerations

Security Risks

It might suggest code that has security vulnerabilities, especially if it's basing its suggestions on flawed code it has learned from.

Limitations and Considerations

Lack of Understanding of Business Logic

GitHub Copilot doesn't understand your specific business rules or logic. It can't make suggestions based on business needs, only on the code it has seen.

Limitations and Considerations

Potential for Code Duplication

Since it suggests code based on what it has learned, it might suggest code that duplicates functionality you've already written elsewhere in your codebase.

Limitations and Considerations

Legal and Licensing Issues

As GitHub Copilot learns from public repositories, it might suggest code that is similar to code in these repositories. This could potentially lead to copyright issues.

Limitations and Considerations

It's a tool to assist, not replace, developers.

So don't worry, your job is secure...

Conclusion

GitHub Copilot is impressive. It's ability to adapt to your code sometimes make it feel like magic.

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Arthur C. Clarke

Conclusion

There are still limitations, but GitHub Copilot a tool to assist, not replace, developers. Within that context, the benefits seem to outweigh the limitations.