- Goal: Understand what GitHub Copilot is and how it can assist in coding.
- Content:
- Overview of GitHub Copilot: Features and capabilities.
- Installing and setting up Copilot in VSCode or JetBrains IDE.
- First hands-on exercise: Writing basic code with Copilot's suggestions.
- Codelab Exercise: Setting up a simple project in Python/JavaScript and using Copilot for auto-completions.
- Goal: Learn how Copilot automates repetitive tasks and speeds up development.
- Content:
- How Copilot generates common patterns: loops, classes, functions.
- Writing function templates and classes with minimal effort.
- Codelab Exercise: Create a REST API structure (in Python/Node.js) using Copilot's suggestions for routing and HTTP methods.
- Goal: Utilize Copilot to refactor and enhance existing codebases.
- Content:
- Using Copilot to suggest optimizations and refactorings.
- How to use Copilot for improving readability and performance.
- Codelab Exercise: Refactor a basic e-commerce application (e.g., product listing) by implementing new features and optimizing code with Copilot.
- Goal: Understand how Copilot helps with writing tests and debugging code.
- Content:
- Writing unit tests with Copilot's suggestions.
- Using Copilot to detect edge cases and potential bugs.
- Codelab Exercise: Use Copilot to write unit tests for a small application (in Python or JavaScript) and debug a faulty function.
- Goal: Use Copilot to assist in writing code across multiple languages.
- Content:
- Copilot’s support for languages like Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, and more.
- Understanding how Copilot adapts to different languages.
- Codelab Exercise: Build a small project in two languages (e.g., Python and JavaScript), using Copilot for both backend and frontend components.
- Goal: Explore how Copilot can help you learn new frameworks and libraries.
- Content:
- How Copilot suggests libraries and APIs.
- Using Copilot to generate example code for unfamiliar frameworks.
- Codelab Exercise: Work with a new framework (e.g., React.js or Flask) using Copilot to scaffold a basic application and add new features.
- Goal: Improve team collaboration using Copilot in pair programming or team environments.
- Content:
- How Copilot integrates into collaborative workflows.
- Best practices for using Copilot in pair programming and code reviews.
- Codelab Exercise: Work in pairs to build a collaborative project, using Copilot to assist in code completion and decision-making.
- Goal: Understand the limitations of Copilot and how to use it effectively without over-reliance.
- Content:
- Limitations of Copilot: security concerns, code quality, and potential biases in suggestions.
- Best practices for balancing Copilot’s automation with manual intervention.
- Codelab Exercise: Review a small project where Copilot-generated code is analyzed and manually improved to meet best practices in security and maintainability.
- Final Reflection:
- Recap of all sessions and exercises.
- Best practices for integrating Copilot into daily workflows.
- Tips for ongoing learning and exploring advanced Copilot features.
Each session provides a balanced mix of theory and hands-on exercises, ensuring participants develop practical skills with GitHub Copilot while solving real-world coding problems in a Codelab format.