How to Make the Most of GitHub Copilot: Practical AI Guide

If you’re a developer, you’ve probably heard of GitHub Copilot. Some love it because “it writes code for you,” others criticize it because “it’s not always accurate,” and many just install it but only use it as a fancy autocomplete. The truth is, Copilot can be much more than that: when used correctly, it becomes a real AI Copilot that accelerates repetitive tasks, suggests new approaches you may not know, and helps you level up your coding skills every day.

In this article, we’ll answer common questions like what is Copilot, what does Copilot mean, what is Copilot AI, and what is GitHub Copilot used for. And of course, we’ll go hands-on with prompts and practical tips that any junior or mid developer can apply right away.

What is GitHub Copilot and Why Does It Matter?

Many devs ask: what is Copilot and what is it for? In short, Copilot AI is a programming assistant created by GitHub and OpenAI that suggests lines of code, complete functions, and even unit tests.

So, Copilot AI, what is it? It’s an artificial intelligence trained to understand your programming context and help you write code faster and with less effort. It integrates with your editor (VS Code, Neovim, JetBrains) and learns from what you’re working on: your code, comments, and libraries.

In summary, what is Copilot and what is it for → it’s your coding partner in everyday development:

• For a junior dev, it means having a silent tutor that explains functions and speeds up the learning curve.
• For a mid-level dev, it becomes a tool for refactoring, documenting, and testing without wasting time.

Pain Point: What Most Developers Aren’t Taking Advantage Of

Here’s the truth:

• Many devs use it only as autocomplete.
• Others don’t write clear prompts and get frustrated when Copilot doesn’t understand.
• And some fall into the trap of blindly trusting whatever it suggests without validating the code.

The core issue is that Copilot doesn’t replace your logic as a developer. If you only use it “halfway,” you miss its true value: learning new ways to write code, saving time on mechanical tasks, and focusing on solving real problems.

Practical Prompts for GitHub Copilot

Here’s where Copilot shines, if you know how to ask properly.

For Junior Developers:

Basic code structures

# Prompt: "Generate a Python function that validates if a number is prime, with step-by-step explanation."  

Code explanations

# Prompt: "Explain what this block of code does with detailed comments."  

For Mid-Level Developers:

Refactoring

# Prompt: "Refactor this function to improve readability and reduce cyclomatic complexity."  

Unit tests

# Prompt: "Generate a unit test in Jest for this validation function."  

Clear documentation

# Prompt: "Create documentation for this class in JSDoc format."  

Complementary AI Tools for Developers

Copilot is amazing, but it’s not the only one in your stack. Here are a few AI tools that pair well with it:

• ChatGPT: perfect for debugging or brainstorming architectures.
• Amazon CodeWhisperer: similar to Copilot, optimized for AWS environments.
• Sourcery: automatic refactoring for Python.
• Phind: a technical search engine with fast, accurate explanations.

Tips to Get the Most Out of Copilot

The secret to making Copilot truly useful is in how you use it: write clear, contextual prompts so it understands what you want, combine it with your own pair programming process so it becomes support and not a replacement, and explore Copilot Labs for code explanations or auto-generated tests. 

That said, don’t just copy-paste blindly: always review its suggestions, understand the “why,” and treat them as learning opportunities. You’ll often discover patterns or solutions you hadn’t seen before—and that’s where Copilot stops being just autocomplete and starts becoming a silent mentor that levels you up as a developer.

The Next Level Is in How You Use Your Copilot

GitHub Copilot didn’t come to take our jobs away. It came to make them more interesting, freeing us from repetitive work so we can focus on what really matters: solving problems and creating valuable solutions.

If you’re a junior dev, think of it as a teammate explaining the path while you learn to walk on your own. If you’re mid-level, see it as a colleague giving you a second opinion and saving you time on tests or documentation. The difference isn’t just in installing it, but in changing how you interact with it: giving it context, validating, learning from its suggestions, and using it as a springboard to go further.

In the end, what Copilot means for developers is not simply “an AI that suggests code,” but a coding partner that pushes you to grow. It’s not “the future of development”—it’s already here. And devs who master it will have a clear edge over those who only see it as an autocomplete.

Do you want to know more about Rootstack? Check out this video.