Tools

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### Getting Started with GitHub Copilot

Getting started with GitHub Copilot is a straightforward process that involves getting access to a plan, installing the extension in your IDE, and signing in to your GitHub account.

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### **Step 1: Secure a GitHub Copilot Plan 💰**

You first need a plan to use GitHub Copilot. Here are the options:

* **For Individuals:**

* **Copilot Pro**: costs $10 per month or $100 per year and includes a 30-day free trial.

* **Copilot Pro+**: costs $39 per month or $390 per year. It does **not** include a trial.

* **Free Access**: Verified students, teachers, and maintainers of popular open-source projects may be eligible for a free plan.

* **For Organizations**:

* **Copilot Business**: costs $19 per user/month.

* **Copilot Enterprise**: costs $39 per user/month.

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### **Step 2: Install the GitHub Copilot Extension 💻**

After you have a plan, you can install the GitHub Copilot extension in your preferred IDE. The process can vary slightly depending on the IDE you use.

* **For Visual Studio Code**:

1. Open VS Code and navigate to the **Extensions** view by clicking the square icon on the side or using the keyboard shortcut `Ctrl+Shift+X`.

2. In the search bar, look for "GitHub Copilot."

3. Select the extension by GitHub and click **Install**.

* **For Visual Studio**:

1. Launch the **Visual Studio Installer**.

2. Select the Visual Studio installation you want to modify and click **Modify**.

3. In the **Optional components** list, ensure **GitHub Copilot** is selected and then click **Modify** to install the extension.

* **For JetBrains IDEs**:

1. Open your JetBrains IDE and go to the **Settings/Preferences** menu.

2. Navigate to **Plugins** and search for "GitHub Copilot" in the Marketplace.

3. Click **Install** and then restart your IDE when prompted.

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### **Step 3: Authenticate with Your GitHub Account ✅**

Finally, you need to sign in to your GitHub account to activate Copilot.

1. After installation, a prompt will appear in your IDE asking you to sign in to GitHub.

2. Follow the prompts. Your browser will open, directing you to GitHub's authorization page.

3. Sign in with your credentials and **Authorize GitHub Copilot**.

4. Once authorized, you will be redirected back to your IDE, and the Copilot icon will indicate that it's active.

Once these steps are complete, GitHub Copilot will start providing inline code suggestions as you type. To get better results, encourage your team to use **specific and well-defined prompts** and to provide **helpful context** by having relevant files open.