GitHub Copilot and Collaboration: Coding as a Team With the Use of AI

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GitHub Copilot is the hottest innovation in programming since sliced banana bread with blueberries. Every other competitor and their grandmother are implementing it to accelerate their work and (say it with me) get rid of boilerplate code. Let's face it, most of your team probably already uses Copilot on their own, so why not make it official and coordinate its introduction into your workflow?

Teamwork makes the dream work, and AIs are now part of everyone’s team, hogging the limelight.

1. What Is GitHub Copilot and How Much Can It Speed Up Your Work?

This AI for programmers helps speed up your coding process, whether you're a pro looking to eliminate the grind, a junior trying to learn the ropes, or a complete novice just starting out. It does everything from writing individual lines of code to developing whole functions, identifying and solving problems, and even debugging rapidly. And get this: it works with Neovim, VS Code, Visual Studio, and all Jet Brain IDEs, so you've got options.

GitHub Copilot was trained on the biggest open-source code database out there. So, it's the most mature, powerful AI for programming that you could find online. With its help, you could write code in just about any programming language currently available in the market.

Here are some hard-to-pass-on perks of using Copilot:

Increased speed. Copilot's AI-powered code generation automates repetitive tasks, so developers can write code a lot more efficiently.
Better productivity. Copilot lets developers concentrate on problem-solving and more demanding assignments, instead of wasting time on boilerplate or routine code.
Better learning experience. Augmented learning experience: As Copilot generates code, developers can learn new coding techniques and patterns, improving their skills and expanding their knowledge base.

2. Have Your Team Use the Paid Version

Avoid the free version for commercial use and get your team on board with this. GitHub uses code generated with the free version to train its algorithm, and that's a surefire way to invite privacy issues for your company.

With the paid version, your code's writing is as private as your secret crush. Make sure your team knows this and steer clear of the non-business version to avoid security and privacy problems.

3. Configure Suggestion Matching Policies for GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot will screen code suggestions for corporate use, protecting your company from plagiarism and related legal disputes. As a responsible business, it is crucial to implement measures that ensure you are not utilizing someone else's work without permission. Since Copilot's AI models are trained on existing code, there is a risk of generating code that infringes on others' copyrights. However, with the business plan, you can configure the tool to detect code suggestions that match public code on GitHub.

The filter will check suggestions, along with their surrounding context of about 150 characters, against public code to eliminate near matches. This filter ensures that Copilot will not show you code that is similar to other works available on GitHub.

4. Use Copilot’s Capacity To Learn and Remember

GitHub Copilot is an evolving AI tool that continuously learns from its users. Unlike frozen AIs like ChatGPT, Copilot's learning process is dynamic and adapts to individual coding styles.

When working in a team, beyond having each individual train their own pet copilot, get some ground rules on what everyone should feedback. If you must, create an onboarding manual for GitHub Copilot to learn the rules of the land.

5. Make Everyone Aware of Potential Security Risks

GitHub Copilot introduces some potential risks, such as inadvertently introducing security flaws. Imagine using the tool to generate code that contains a vulnerability, only to come to the realization, "Oops, I need to find and fix all of that before deployment." It's important for developers to review the code generated by GitHub Copilot carefully. Staying up-to-date with the latest security best practices is key. Be mindful that your code follows these standards, too.

If you're worried about cybersecurity, you can limit access to GitHub Copilot to trusted developers. Make sure fine folks with the right skills and knowledge are checking the code of overly-excited juniors. Better yet, limit the access of the green programmers, to only learn from GitHub. That way, it's less likely you'll run into any issues down the line.

6. Use Github Copilot to Onboard New Team Members

Your organizational Copilot is going to have its own imprinted lessons. There is a lot of value in having the code learn and adapt to your workstyle over time. Copilot can assist new team members by providing them with code examples and suggestions, helping them get up to speed more quickly. Copilot will eventually offer suggestions and generate code that aligns with the project's coding standards and architecture, which is a must when you have a large project with multiple moving parts.

Bonus Rule (If It Even Needed To Be Said). Keep Copilot Updated

Programmers are the last to need reminding that updates come with security patches, yet no list is complete without this advice. Keep the tool updated with the latest security patches and updates. As with any software, vulnerabilities will be discovered over time, and it’s important to stay on top of these to ensure that your organization stays safe.

In Closing

Copilot is an impressive accelerator and a coding wingman that absolutely blows your mind the first time you use it.

Copilot learns from user patterns and feedback to offer a personalized coding experience that evolves with you. Plus, it speeds up development, cuts down on tedious tasks, and helps team members get up to speed quickly.

Like all AI developers, GitHub still has significant polishing to go through. Every error and miscommunication feels like someone’s plucking feathers off your newly-gained wings. But when it works, it’s absolutely stellar. All you can do is look at your watch and count the hours and hours it saves for you and your company.