GitHub Copilot

What is GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot is an AI development assistant that works across the software lifecycle. It supports individual developers and engineering organizations in editors, GitHub, the command line, mobile environments, project tools, chat applications, and custom MCP servers. Its capabilities range from inline completion and code explanation to multi-file changes, autonomous task execution, code review, and centralized management of agent-driven work.

In an editor, Copilot can explain concepts, complete code, propose edits, validate files, and use agent mode to work across a codebase. On GitHub, users can assign issues to cloud agents such as Copilot and supported third-party agents, then review the resulting changes. Organizations can add repository and documentation context through Copilot Spaces, manage agent access and usage, inspect audit logs, and govern MCP integrations.

How to Use GitHub Copilot

1. Enable Copilot under an eligible individual or organization plan.
2. Use Copilot in a supported editor, GitHub interface, or the CLI.
3. Ask for code completion, explanations, answers, or edits within the current development context.
4. For larger tasks, use agent mode or assign a GitHub issue to a cloud agent.
5. Review proposed changes, validation results, code-review feedback, and pull requests before merging.

Core Features

• Code completion and chat: Provides contextual suggestions, explanations, and answers while developers work.
• Agent mode: Plans and applies changes across multiple files, with review controls for keeping or undoing edits.
• Cloud agents: Executes assigned development tasks in the background from GitHub issues.
• Code review: Analyzes changes and provides review feedback within supported workflows.
• Copilot Spaces: Creates shared context from repositories and documentation for more project-specific assistance.
• Enterprise governance: Offers policy management, usage controls, audit logs, and controls for agent and MCP access.

Use Cases

• Everyday coding: Developers use completions, explanations, chat, and suggested edits while implementing features.
• Multi-file changes: Agent mode can update and validate several files for a defined task.
• Issue execution: Teams assign issues to cloud agents and review the resulting pull requests.
• Code review: Organizations apply AI analysis to proposed changes and pull requests.
• Project knowledge access: Teams ground assistance in shared repository and documentation context.

Pricing

GitHub lists Free, Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise plans. The Free plan is intended for individual developers and includes up to 2,000 code completions and 50 chat requests, including Copilot Edits. Paid plans add higher usage allowances and capabilities that vary by plan, including cloud agents, code review, third-party agents, organization controls, and enterprise customization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can GitHub Copilot be used?

The site lists GitHub, supported IDEs, the CLI, mobile, project tools, chat apps, and custom MCP servers. It specifically names Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, and Neovim among supported editors.

Is there a free plan?

Yes. Copilot Free provides limited completion and chat usage for eligible individual developers.

Can organizations manage access?

Yes. GitHub administrators can manage seats, policies, model and feature access, agent usage, and enterprise controls.