GitHub Copilot Shortcuts #

Description #

GitHub Copilot provides developers with a set of keyboard shortcuts to accelerate the coding process. These shortcuts make the navigation and interaction with GitHub Copilot’s AI-driven suggestions more intuitive and efficient. In this pattern, we will explore the keyboard shortcuts that are essential for rapid code development with Copilot.

Example #

For example, to accept a suggestion from Copilot, you can simply press the TAB key. Here’s a list of some key shortcuts:

• Accept suggestion: TAB key
• Reject suggestion: Esc key
• Show combined suggestions: Ctrl + Enter key
• Accept at word level: Ctrl + Right Arrow key
• See next suggestion: Alt + ] key
• See previous suggestion: Alt + [ key
• Trigger inline suggestion: Alt + / key
• Show Labs feature list: Ctrl + Shift + Alt + e key
• Toggle sidebar: Ctrl + Shift+a key

Exercise #

• Exercise 1: Try using the TAB key to accept a Copilot suggestion in your current project. How does it feel?
• Exercise 2: Press Esc key to reject a suggestion. What happens?
• Exercise 3: Use Ctrl + Enter key to see combined suggestions. Explore them and identify a useful one.
• Exercise 4: Navigate through the suggestions using Alt + ] and Alt + [ keys. How does it affect your code selection process?
• Exercise 5: Experiment with the other shortcuts listed above and describe your experience with each of them.

Checklist for Further Learning #

• Have I internalized the shortcuts for accepting and rejecting Copilot suggestions?
• Am I comfortable using shortcuts to navigate through multiple suggestions?
• What other shortcuts within VSCode can enhance my coding experience with Copilot?
• How can I customize the shortcuts to suit my personal coding workflow?
• Could the use of these shortcuts help me in other coding environments or only in Visual Studio Code with Copilot?