GitHub Copilot was the tool that started it all. When it launched in 2021, it felt like magic—an AI that could actually write useful code, not just complete simple functions.
I’ve been a Copilot subscriber since the early access days, paying $10/month (now it’s still $10 for individuals, $19 for business). I’ve written hundreds of thousands of lines of code with its help, from React frontends to Python backends to Kubernetes configs.
But here’s the thing: the AI coding landscape has changed dramatically. We now have Cursor AI, Windsurf, Codeium, and others offering more advanced features. Some even have multi-file editing and better context awareness. So the question in 2025 isn’t “Is Copilot good?”—it’s “Is Copilot still the best option?”
After using Copilot alongside newer competitors for the past year, I have a nuanced answer. Copilot is still excellent at what it does, but what it does is more limited than what newer tools offer. Let me explain what I mean.
Quick Verdict
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Best for: Developers who want reliable autocomplete that works in any editor, not just VS Code
Pricing: $10/month (Individual), $19/month (Business), Free for students/verified teachers
My recommendation: If you primarily want better autocomplete and inline suggestions, Copilot is still the best value. If you want AI that can refactor entire features across multiple files, look at Cursor or Windsurf instead.
What I Love About Copilot
- Works in every major editor: VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim, Visual Studio
- Best-in-class autocomplete speed (faster than competitors)
- GitHub integration for learning from public repos
- Copilot Chat is genuinely useful for quick questions
- $10/month is cheaper than alternatives
- Free for students and open source maintainers
What’s Missing
- No multi-file editing (unlike Cursor’s Composer or Windsurf’s Cascade)
- Can’t refactor large features in one prompt
- Limited context window (only sees current file + nearby files)
- Locked to OpenAI models (can’t use Claude or others)
- Chat interface is basic compared to newer tools
What Is GitHub Copilot?
GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered coding assistant developed by GitHub (owned by Microsoft) and powered by OpenAI’s Codex model (based on GPT).
It works primarily through three interfaces:
1. Autocomplete (The Core Feature)
As you type, Copilot suggests code completions in gray text. Press Tab to accept.
This is what made Copilot famous. It’s fast, context-aware, and works across all programming languages.
Example:
// I type this comment:
// Function to validate email format
// Copilot immediately suggests:
function validateEmail(email) {
const regex = /^[^\s@]+@[^\s@]+\.[^\s@]+$/;
return regex.test(email);
}
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)My experience: After 2 years, I still reach for Tab constantly. Copilot autocomplete is muscle memory now. It saves me from typing boilerplate and helps me stay in flow.
2. Inline Chat (Ctrl+I / Cmd+I)
Press Ctrl+I (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+I (Mac) to open an inline chat window at your cursor.
You can ask Copilot to:
– Generate code at cursor position
– Refactor selected code
– Fix bugs
– Add comments/documentation
Example workflow:
1. Select a function
2. Press Cmd+I
3. Type: "Add error handling"
4. Copilot edits the function in place
5. Press Tab to accept or Escape to reject
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)This is faster than switching to a separate chat window.
3. Sidebar Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I / Cmd+Alt+I)
Open a dedicated chat panel for longer conversations.
Best for:
– Explaining complex code
– Asking questions about your codebase
– Debugging issues that require multiple steps
Example:
Me: @workspace How is user authentication implemented in this project?
Copilot: [Scans codebase, explains auth flow with file references]
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)The @workspace feature (added in 2024) lets Copilot search your entire project, which was a huge improvement.
Key Features Breakdown
Autocomplete: Still the Best
Speed: Copilot is noticeably faster than Cursor or Windsurf at autocomplete. Suggestions appear almost instantly.
Accuracy: After training on billions of lines of public code, Copilot rarely suggests syntax errors. The code usually works on the first try.
Multi-line suggestions: Copilot often predicts 5-10 lines ahead, not just the next line. This is where it shines—generating entire functions from a comment.
Language support: Works with 40+ languages. JavaScript, Python, TypeScript, Go, Rust, Java—all excellent. Even works decently with less common languages like Haskell or Elixir.
My rating: 5/5 – This is what Copilot does best, and no competitor beats it yet.
Copilot Chat: Useful But Basic
GitHub added Chat in 2023, and it’s been improving steadily.
What works well:
– /explain command for understanding code
– /fix command for debugging
– /tests command for generating unit tests
– @workspace for project-wide questions
– @terminal for debugging command errors
What’s lacking:
– Can’t edit multiple files in one prompt (Cursor and Windsurf can)
– No “Composer mode” for large refactors
– Limited conversation memory (forgets context quickly)
– Can’t plan multi-step changes
Example of what Copilot Chat CAN’T do:
Me: "Add user authentication to this app with JWT tokens, update the routes, add middleware, and create tests"
Copilot Chat: [Gives you guidance, but you have to implement each file manually]
Code language: HTTP (http)What Cursor Composer WOULD do:
Cursor Composer: [Edits 6 files simultaneously - routes, middleware, auth service, tests, types]
Code language: CSS (css)My rating: 3.5/5 – Good for quick questions, not for complex multi-file tasks.
GitHub Integration: Unique Advantage
Copilot has one feature competitors can’t match: native GitHub integration.
Benefits:
– Learns from your GitHub repos (if you opt in)
– Understands your commit history and patterns
– Can reference issues and pull requests
– Free for verified open source maintainers
If you live in the GitHub ecosystem, this integration feels seamless.
My rating: 4.5/5 – No other tool offers this.
Editor Support: Works Everywhere
Unlike Cursor (VS Code fork only) or Windsurf (standalone IDE only), Copilot works in:
- VS Code (best experience)
- JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, etc.)
- Neovim (via plugin)
- Visual Studio (Windows)
- Azure Data Studio
If you switch between editors or use JetBrains, Copilot is the only AI tool that follows you everywhere.
My rating: 5/5 – Unmatched cross-editor support.
Pricing Breakdown
Individual Plan: $10/month
Includes:
– Unlimited code completions
– Copilot Chat (inline and sidebar)
– All editor support
– @workspace context search
Who it’s for: Solo developers, freelancers, hobbyists
My take: Best value in AI coding. $10/month for autocomplete that saves hours per week is a no-brainer.
Business Plan: $19/month per user
Adds:
– Admin controls and policies
– Organisation-wide licensing
– IP indemnification (legal protection)
– Data privacy guarantees
Who it’s for: Teams and companies
My take: Worth it for teams that need legal coverage and admin controls. The IP indemnification alone is valuable for enterprises.
Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing
Adds:
– On-premises deployment option
– Advanced security features
– SLA guarantees
– Dedicated support
Who it’s for: Large enterprises with strict security requirements
Free Access
Free for:
– Verified students (GitHub Student Developer Pack)
– Verified teachers
– Open source maintainers (popular projects)
How to get it: Verify your status at education.github.com
Real-World Performance: My Daily Workflow
Let me show you how I actually use Copilot every day.
Morning: Building a New Feature
Task: Add a “forgot password” feature to a Node.js app
Copilot’s role:
1. I write a comment: // POST /forgot-password endpoint
2. Copilot generates the entire endpoint (90% correct)
3. I use inline chat to add validation: “Add email validation”
4. I manually connect it to the email service (Copilot can’t know our email provider)
Time saved: ~15 minutes (would take 30 minutes to write manually)
What worked: Boilerplate generation, standard patterns
What didn’t: Copilot doesn’t know our specific email service config
Afternoon: Debugging Production Issue
Task: Fix a bug where users can’t upload large files
Copilot’s role:
1. I select the upload handler function
2. Inline chat: “Why would this fail for files > 10MB?”
3. Copilot points out missing maxFileSize config
4. Chat suggests: “Add file size validation and better error handling”
Time saved: ~20 minutes (would have taken longer to debug blind)
What worked: Identifying the root cause quickly
What didn’t: I still had to manually test the fix
Evening: Code Review
Task: Review a teammate’s pull request
Copilot’s role:
1. I select their code
2. Inline chat: “Review this for bugs and security issues”
3. Copilot catches a potential SQL injection vulnerability
4. I request changes to the PR
Time saved: ~10 minutes (caught an issue I might have missed)
Total time saved today: ~45 minutes for $0.33 (monthly cost / 30 days)
Pros and Cons: The Unfiltered Truth
Pros
✓ Best autocomplete speed – Faster than Cursor, Windsurf, or any competitor
✓ Works in every major editor – VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, Visual Studio
✓ $10/month is the cheapest option – Half the price of Cursor Pro
✓ Reliable and stable – Rarely crashes or has downtime
✓ GitHub integration – Seamless if you use GitHub
✓ Free for students/teachers – Great for learning
✓ Large language model – Trained on billions of lines of code
✓ Regular updates – Microsoft actively improves it
Cons
✕ No multi-file editing – Can’t refactor features spanning multiple files
✕ Limited context window – Only sees nearby files, not the entire codebase
✕ Locked to OpenAI models – Can’t use Claude, GPT-4, or others
✕ Basic chat interface – Not as powerful as Cursor Composer
✕ Suggestions can be repetitive – Sometimes too “generic”
✕ Privacy concerns – Code sent to Microsoft/OpenAI (unless using Business plan with privacy features)
✕ Can suggest outdated patterns – Trained on old code, sometimes suggests deprecated methods
Who Should Use GitHub Copilot?
Perfect for:
1. Developers who switch between editors
If you use both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs, Copilot is the only AI tool that works in both.
2. Teams already on GitHub
Native integration with repos, issues, and PRs makes workflows smoother.
3. Budget-conscious developers
At $10/month, it’s half the price of Cursor ($20) and still very capable.
4. Students and teachers
Free access makes it the best option for learning.
5. Developers who primarily want better autocomplete
If you don’t need multi-file editing, Copilot’s autocomplete is still best-in-class.
Not ideal for:
1. Developers who want AI to refactor entire features
Use Cursor’s Composer or Windsurf’s Cascade instead.
2. Privacy-sensitive projects
Code is sent to Microsoft/OpenAI. Use local AI tools if you can’t share code.
3. Developers who want to choose AI models
Copilot only uses OpenAI. Cursor lets you pick Claude, GPT-4, etc.
4. Users who need offline coding
Copilot requires the internet. Tabnine has an offline mode if you need it.
Copilot vs Competitors
vs Cursor AI
Copilot wins:
– Faster autocomplete
– Works in more editors
– Cheaper ($10 vs $20)
– More stable (fewer bugs)
Cursor wins:
– Multi-file editing (Composer mode)
– Better context awareness
– Choice of AI models
– More powerful chat interface
Verdict: Copilot for autocomplete, Cursor for complex refactors.
vs Windsurf IDE
Copilot wins:
– More mature and stable
– Works in existing editors (no new IDE needed)
– Better GitHub integration
Windsurf wins:
– Cascade mode for multi-file editing
– Cheaper Pro plan ($10 vs $10, but Windsurf has better free tier)
– Faster iteration on new features
Verdict: Copilot for reliability, Windsurf if you’re okay with a newer tool.
vs Tabnine
Copilot wins:
– Better code quality suggestions
– More advanced chat features
– Larger training dataset
Tabnine wins:
– Local/offline mode available
– Better privacy (code never leaves your machine in offline mode)
– Self-hosted enterprise option
Verdict: Copilot for features, Tabnine for privacy.
vs Codeium
Copilot wins:
– Higher quality suggestions
– Better chat interface
– More reliable
Codeium wins:
– Completely free tier (unlimited)
– Cheaper Pro plan ($10 Codeium vs $10 Copilot, but Codeium free is generous)
Verdict: Try Codeium free first, upgrade to Copilot if you want better quality.
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
Issue #1: Suggestions Are Slow or Not Appearing
Possible causes:
– Poor internet connection
– VS Code extension needs an update
– Copilot service outage
Fixes:
1. Check internet connection
2. Update GitHub Copilot extension
3. Restart VS Code
4. Check GitHub status page
Issue #2: Suggestions Are Low Quality
Possible causes:
– Not enough context in the current file
– Language not well-supported
– Need to be more explicit with comments
Fixes:
1. Write more descriptive comments
2. Add type hints (TypeScript, Python type annotations)
3. Open related files so Copilot sees more context
4. Try inline chat instead of autocomplete
Issue #3: Copilot Suggests Deprecated Code
Cause: Trained on old code from public repos
Fixes:
1. Use inline chat to ask for a modern approach: “Rewrite using modern ES6+ syntax”
2. Manually update deprecated code
3. Check documentation for current best practices
Issue #4: Privacy Concerns
Cause: Code snippets sent to Microsoft/OpenAI
Fixes:
1. Upgrade to Business plan (includes privacy features)
2. Use .copilotignore file to exclude sensitive files
3. Disable Copilot for specific repos (Settings → Excluded files)
4. Consider self-hosted alternatives like Tabnine or Codeium
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Copilot
Tip #1: Write Good Comments
Copilot responds to comments better than anything else.
Bad comment:
// validation
Code language: JSON / JSON with Comments (json)Good comment:
// Validate user email format, return true if valid, false otherwise
// Must have @ symbol and domain, reject disposable email providers
Code language: JSON / JSON with Comments (json)The better your comment, the better Copilot’s suggestion.
Tip #2: Use Inline Chat for Iterations
Instead of accepting the first suggestion, use inline chat to refine:
1. Copilot suggests basic function
2. Cmd+I → "Add error handling"
3. Cmd+I → "Add TypeScript types"
4. Cmd+I → "Add JSDoc comments"
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)Iterate until perfect.
Tip #3: Leverage Slash Commands in Chat
/explain– Understand what code does/fix– Debug errors/tests– Generate unit tests/doc– Add documentation
These are faster than typing full questions.
Tip #4: Open Related Files
Copilot sees open tabs. If you’re working on a component, open the related files:
– The component file
– Type definitions
– Test file
– Related components
More context = better suggestions.
Tip #5: Learn Keyboard Shortcuts
- Tab – Accept suggestion
- Escape – Reject suggestion
- Alt+] – Next suggestion
- Alt+[ – Previous suggestion
- Cmd+I – Inline chat
- Cmd+Alt+I – Sidebar chat
Muscle memory makes Copilot 10x more productive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GitHub Copilot worth it in 2025?
Yes, especially at $10/month. Even if newer tools have more features, Copilot’s autocomplete alone saves enough time to justify the cost. It’s still the most reliable and fastest AI autocomplete available.
Does GitHub Copilot work offline?
No, Copilot requires an internet connection. If you need offline AI coding, consider Tabnine’s local mode instead.
Can GitHub Copilot see my private code?
Yes, code snippets are sent to Microsoft/OpenAI for processing. However:
– Microsoft claims they don’t store your code or use it for training (on Business/Enterprise plans)
– You can exclude specific files with .copilotignore
– Business plan includes IP indemnification
For highly sensitive code, consider self-hosted alternatives.
Is GitHub Copilot free for students?
Yes! Students with a verified GitHub Student Developer Pack get Copilot for free. Same for verified teachers. Apply at education.github.com.
What languages does GitHub Copilot support?
Copilot works with 40+ languages, including:
– Excellent: JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Go, Ruby, Java, C#, C++
– Good: Rust, PHP, Swift, Kotlin, Scala
– Decent: Haskell, Elixir, Dart, R, SQL
Quality varies based on training data availability.
Can I use GitHub Copilot in JetBrains IDEs?
Yes! Copilot works in all JetBrains IDEs:
– IntelliJ IDEA
– PyCharm
– WebStorm
– PhpStorm
– GoLand
– Rider
Install the GitHub Copilot plugin from JetBrains Marketplace.
Does GitHub Copilot replace developers?
No. Copilot is a productivity tool, not a replacement. It’s excellent at:
– Writing boilerplate code
– Suggesting common patterns
– Catching simple errors
It’s bad at:
– Understanding business requirements
– Making architectural decisions
– Knowing your specific project constraints
Think of it as a very fast junior developer who needs supervision.
Can I cancel GitHub Copilot anytime?
Yes, you can cancel anytime. It’s a monthly subscription with no long-term commitment. Cancel in your GitHub billing settings.
Final Verdict: Should You Subscribe?
Yes, if:
– You code daily and want to save time on boilerplate
– You use multiple editors (VS Code + JetBrains)
– You’re a student (it’s free!)
– You primarily want better autocomplete, not multi-file refactoring
– $10/month fits your budget
Maybe, if:
– You already use Cursor or Windsurf (test if Copilot’s chat is enough)
– You only code occasionally (might not justify $10/month)
– You need AI for complex multi-file refactors (Cursor might be better)
No, if:
– You need complete code privacy (use Tabnine local mode)
– You want multi-file editing as a core feature (get Cursor instead)
– You can’t share code snippets with external services (company policy)
My personal setup: I use both Copilot and Cursor. Copilot in JetBrains for autocomplete, and Cursor for complex multi-file work. If I had to choose one, I’d pick Cursor for features, but Copilot for value.
Related Articles
- Cursor vs GitHub Copilot: Which AI Coding Assistant is Better?
- How to Use GitHub Copilot Chat: Complete Guide
- Best AI Code Editors and IDEs for 2025
- GitHub Copilot Tutorial: Complete Beginner’s Guide
Last updated: January 2025
