GitHub Announces Updates for Copilot, Glimpse into Agentic Future
New Features and Updates
Among the notable updates includes a feature called Vision for Copilot, which allows users to attach a screenshot, photo, or diagram to a chat, with Copilot generating the interface, code, and alt text to bring it to life.
For example, someone on a marketing team could take a screenshot of a web page and illustrate some changes they want made to that page. Rather than requesting such changes via text prompts, it’s now possible to upload an image and just ask Copilot to implement the changes as indicated in the file.
It’s worth noting that this has been available as an extension in VS Code since October, with Microsoft confirming in the app’s description that it would eventually be deprecated in favor of a native feature within GitHub Copilot Chat. Previously, it also required the user to have their own API key.
Vision for CopilotImage Credits:GitHub
Next Edit Suggestions
GitHub is also introducing a new feature dubbed “next edit suggestions” as part of Copilot’s broader code-complete functionality.
Before now, GitHub Copilot in VS Code’s editor worked from the cursor position, but now it will look at other recent edits to predict what you might want to do next. It’s basically using richer contextual cues to automatically identify and suggest what the next edit should be.
If the developer wants to accept the suggestions, they can hit the Tab key, or Esc to reject.
GitHub Copilot Next Edit SuggestionsImage Credits:GitHub
GitHub’s Agentic Future
Copilot Edits
GitHub also debuted Copilot Edits last November, serving as a new way to carry out multi-file edits using natural language prompts. This feature is now graduating to general availability, while also packing a new “agent mode” that identifies all the files that are relevant to the changes that a developer is trying to make — rather than relying on them to manually select the files that the changes should apply to.
Project Padawan
Longer term, the goal is to have such “agent modes” apply to other aspects of Copilot, enabling greater automation across a broader range of interlinked tasks. This is why GitHub has also teased a new initiative it’s calling Project Padawan, which is basically a SWE (software engineering) agent that can independently handle entire tasks under the direction of a developer who assigns issues to Copilot.
GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke didn’t give any indication when this might be ready for prime time, merely noting that it will be working with partners and the community to improve it.
Conclusion
GitHub’s updates for Copilot aim to make the AI-powered pair programmer more efficient and effective. With features like Vision for Copilot and next edit suggestions, developers can work more quickly and accurately. The agentic future of Copilot, with its focus on automation and independence, has the potential to revolutionize the way developers work.
FAQs
Q: What is Vision for Copilot?
A: Vision for Copilot is a feature that allows users to attach a screenshot, photo, or diagram to a chat, with Copilot generating the interface, code, and alt text to bring it to life.
Q: What is next edit suggestions?
A: Next edit suggestions is a feature that uses richer contextual cues to automatically identify and suggest what the next edit should be.
Q: What is Project Padawan?
A: Project Padawan is a new initiative that is basically a SWE (software engineering) agent that can independently handle entire tasks under the direction of a developer who assigns issues to Copilot.
