Step-by-Step: How to Setup Copilot Chat in VS Code

How to Setup Copilot Chat in VS Code

Before we dive into the step-by-step instructions for setting up Copilot Chat, it's important to understand the full potential of this powerful tool. Copilot Chat is an innovative AI-powered paired programing solution, leveraging the capabilities of OpenAI's GPT-4, specifically designed to serve as a conversational user interface. With its natural language processing abilities, Copilot Chat enhances your coding experience by providing a personalized and flexible environment. By streamlining your workflow, this tool enables you to develop faster, shift focus to business logic instead of boilerplate code, and concentrate on building awesome apps. Moreover, Copilot Chat offers comprehensive analysis, explanations of code blocks, automated unit test generation, and proposed bug fixes, elevating your coding efficiency to new heights.

Prerequisites for setting up Copilot Chat in VS Code

Before setting up Copilot Chat, there are a few prerequisites that need to be in place.

1. An active GitHub Account.
   • GitHub Account Signup: https://github.com/signup 
   • If you are an exisiting academic student, @Lee Stott  has provided a detailed step-by-step on verifiying your student status with GitHub which can be found here: How to verify your student status on GitHub
     
     
2. The latest version of VS Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/download 
   • If you already have VS Code installed make sure it is upgraded to the latest version by navigating to the following:
     • Windows: Help > Check for updates...
     • Mac: Code > Check for updates...
3. Sign up to be granted access to Copilot chat preview here: https://github.com/github-copilot/chat_waitlist_signup/join
   
   Note: You'll need to wait for confirmation via email that you have been granted access before proceeding.

Setting up Copilot Chat in VS Code

Once you have received confirmation from GitHub via email that you have been included into GitHub Copilot Chat preview, you can begin your installation via the following steps:

1. Run VS Code and click on the extension icon.
   
   VS Code Extension Icon
2. Type Copilot in the search bar located in the top left-hand side of the Extensions: Marketplace window.
3. Select GitHub Copilot Nightly.
4. Click Install.
   
   Installing GitHub Copilot Nightly
5. Sign-in using the GitHub account you received confirmation from GitHub via email that you have been included into GitHub Copilot Chat preview when prompted.
   
   GitHub Sign-on prompt
6. Click Allow when asked to allow the GitHub Copilot extension to sign-in using GitHub.
7. A browser window should now open to GitHub's authentication page to ask for your authorization. Click Continue.
8. An Open Visual Studio Code.app? pop-up will now appear. Click on Open Visual Studio Code.app to continue.
   
   Allow for VS Code to open
9. Back on VS Code, a pop-up will appear asking to allow the Copilot Extension to open the URI. Click Open to continue.
   
   Allow for GitHub Copilot Chat to open the URI
10. Close / Exit VS Code then run VS Code again.
11. Click on the GitHub Copilot Chat Icon to get started using GitHub Copilot Chat.
    
    GitHub Copilot Chat

NOTE: You will need confirmation via email that you have been granted access to GitHub Copilot Chat before proceeding with the steps above. Confirmation of access can be found here: https://github.com/github-copilot/chat_waitlist_signup/join

Confirmation should look like this:

GitHub Copilot Chat confirmation

Reynald Adolphe also has a great video walkthrough of the GitHub Copilot chat setup process which can be viewed below.

Please also feel free to share your comments and/or inquires in the comment section below.