Visual Studio now combines Copilot and Copilot Chat into one package
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Key notes
- Visual Studio 17.10 Preview 3 integrates GitHub Copilot for a streamlined developer experience.
- No more juggling separate Copilot and Copilot Chat extensions, just one unified package.
- Developers benefit from context-aware code completion, code optimization, and more.
Developers using Visual Studio can now have a more unified GitHub Copilot experience with Preview 3 of version 17.10. This update merges the functionalities that were previously offered by separate Copilot and Copilot Chat extensions into a single package.
The best thing is that users no longer need to install and manage two separate extensions.
If you are a Visual Studio 17.10 Preview user, Copilot will be available to you automatically as a recommended component. However, if you need to install it later, you can search for “GitHub Copilot” in the “Individual Component” tab of the Visual Studio Installer.
While users of previous versions (17.8-17.9) can still access the separate extensions, it is recommended to upgrade to 17.10 to enjoy the latest features.
The new Copilot experience retains the core functionalities developers have come to expect:
- Code Completions: Users can now receive smart suggestions for code snippets, methods, and even entire programs as they type.
- Better code quality: One can utilize the
/optimizefeature in Copilot, which can improve code performance, readability, and security. - Repetitive tasks: Delegate repetitive tasks to Copilot.
- Users can gain exposure to new coding patterns, languages, and frameworks through explanations and documentation provided for suggested code.
- Information access: Users can also access immediate answers to coding questions, including definitions, references, error explanations, and best practices.
A GitHub Copilot subscription is required, though. While it is free for verified students and maintainers of popular open-source projects, a free 30-day trial is available for everyone else. Once installed, users can sign in and manage Copilot directly from the top right corner of the Visual Studio 17.10 title bar.
More here.
