Recently, GitHub announced a significant update to GitHub Copilot, enhancing its support for developers by introducing Agent mode, launching the Copilot Edits feature, and showcasing the SWE agent (Project Padawan). The goal is to simplify the development process and improve efficiency through artificial intelligence, allowing developers to focus more on core creative work.
Introduction to GitHub Copilot
Launched in 2021, GitHub Copilot was designed as an AI pairing tool to help developers write better code, emphasizing that AI is not meant to replace developers but to work alongside them. Now, it has received a critical upgrade:
Introduction of Agent Mode: This feature allows Copilot to iterate on its own code, identify and fix errors, suggest and guide the execution of terminal commands, making it more autonomous and intelligent in task handling.
Full Launch of Copilot Edits: Combining the advantages of chat and inline editing, it enables natural language-driven inline changes across multiple files, while offering various language model options to enhance the editing experience.
Debut of Project Padawan: This is an autonomous SWE agent that will eventually be able to receive tasks assigned by developers directly, generate thoroughly tested pull requests, and drive changes in team task management.
Highlights of New Features in GitHub Copilot
Intelligent Iteration in Agent Mode: It can iterate on its own code and its execution results until all sub-tasks of the user's instructions are completed; it can infer additional tasks that are not explicitly stated but are necessary to fulfill the main request, reducing the need for manual intervention. For example, when building a web application, it can automatically enhance related functional modules.
Automatic Error Handling: It can automatically identify errors in the code, whether they are errors in the code it generated or runtime errors, and fix them without developers needing to manually search for and correct them, thus improving development efficiency.
Multi-file Editing with Copilot Edits: After developers specify a set of files to be edited, they can use natural language to instruct Copilot to make inline changes across multiple files, such as simultaneously modifying frontend and backend code to implement new features.
Diverse Model Options: It provides various foundational language models, such as OpenAI's GPT-4o, o1, o3-mini, Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Google's Gemini 2.0 Flash, catering to different development needs and preferences.
Convenient Voice Interaction: When using Copilot Edits, voice interaction is supported, allowing for natural and smooth communication, as if collaborating with a professional colleague, enhancing the development experience.
Automation of Task Handling by SWE Agent: Project Padawan can independently complete a range of tasks from code development and repository setup to request reviews, and can adjust its work based on issue discussions and repository instructions, reducing the burden on developers.
Applicable Scenarios
Student Groups: While learning programming, students can use GitHub Copilot to quickly generate code examples, understand programming concepts, complete assignments and projects, thus enhancing their learning efficiency.
Professional Developers: When handling large projects, they can use Agent mode to automatically complete tedious coding and error-fixing tasks; Copilot Edits allows for quick collaborative modifications across multiple files, accelerating the development process.
Startup Teams: With limited resources, startups can rely on GitHub Copilot to save development time and labor costs, rapidly iterate products, and enhance market competitiveness.
Open Source Project Contributors: When participating in open source projects, contributors can efficiently handle tasks through the SWE agent, such as fixing bugs and adding features, driving the development of open source projects.
Technology Enthusiasts: When exploring new technologies or developing personal projects, they can leverage its rich functionalities to quickly realize their ideas and lower the barriers to development.
GitHub Copilot Usage Guide
Preparation: Download VS Code Insiders and ensure you are logged into your GitHub account.
Enable Agent Mode: In VS Code, go to the settings interface, search for "copilot agent," find the "Chat > Agent: Enabled Experimental" option, and enable it. You can also set "Chat > Agent: Max Requests Experimental" according to your needs.
Using Copilot Edits: Open the project you need to edit, enter the Copilot Edits panel, and switch the mode from "Edit" to "Agent" next to the model selector; specify the files to be edited and describe the requirements in natural language, such as "Add user login validation features in these files," then review and accept suitable change suggestions.
Experience SWE Agent (Future): Once Project Padawan is officially released, in the GitHub client, you can directly assign tasks to GitHub Copilot and wait for it to complete the tasks and generate pull requests, participating in the subsequent review process.
Conclusion
The latest update of GitHub Copilot, from the intelligent upgrade of Agent mode to the convenient multi-file editing with Copilot Edits, and the highly anticipated SWE agent, provides strong support for different users in various stages of software development, significantly enhancing development efficiency.
The continuous evolution of GitHub Copilot highlights the immense potential of artificial intelligence in the programming field. We encourage everyone to actively try out these new features, and if you have any discoveries or thoughts during use, feel free to share and discuss in the comments.
