GitHub Copilot

AI Pair Programmer

Module overviewGitHub Copilot

In this lesson

You'll learn what GitHub Copilot is, how to use it end-to-end, and walk away with prompt templates you can reuse today.

AI coding assistantAutomating codeSoftware productivity

20 min100 XPTry GitHub Copilot

1What This AI Tool Does

3 min

GitHub Copilot plans, writes, and ships full features when prompted well — not just autocomplete.
Break work into atomic units and let it execute each with full context. Build apps, fix bugs, ship websites.

2Why It Matters in 2026

2 min

Software is the new spreadsheet. GitHub Copilot lets non-engineers ship real products and engineers move 10x faster.
One-person startups are now standard.

3How To Set It Up

3 min

Install or visit https://github.com/features/copilot.
Connect your repo, IDE, or browser and sign in.
Set up your project context (files, rules, design system).

4Core Features Explained

3 min

Plan-and-execute mode for complex features.
Inline code suggestions across files.
Bug fixing with full project context.
One-click deploys from prompt to URL.

5Real-World Applications

3 min

Landing pages and marketing sites.
Internal tools and dashboards.
Full SaaS MVPs in a weekend.

6Practical Workflow Demo

3 min

Project: Build a working app with GitHub Copilot.
Step 1 — State the goal, constraints, and stack.
Step 2 — Let the AI propose a plan; approve it.
Step 3 — Execute step-by-step, reviewing each diff.
Step 4 — Deploy live and share the URL.

7Assignment & Challenge

3 min

Build and deploy one small feature using GitHub Copilot today. No matter how small — ship it.

Prompt templates

Bonus

RACE

Role · Action · Context · Expectation

You are a senior expert in code.
Your task is to ai coding assistant using GitHub Copilot.
Context: I'm working on [PROJECT] for [AUDIENCE] with the goal of [OUTCOME].
Deliver: a step-by-step plan plus the finished output in [FORMAT].

CRISPE

Capacity · Insight · Statement · Personality · Experiment

Act as a world-class code expert with 10+ years using GitHub Copilot.
My situation: [DESCRIBE].
Produce: 3 distinct approaches to [GOAL].
Tone: confident, specific, no fluff.
For each approach, include the trade-offs and which one you'd ship today.

RTF

Role · Task · Format

Role: top 1% GitHub Copilot power user.
Task: Automating code.
Format: numbered checklist + ready-to-use deliverable.
Constraint: maximum 300 words, zero generic advice.

Day 8 · Cursor

Day 10 · Notion AI