Quick Q&A : A Technique for Fast Interaction with Copilot #
Description #
In the collaborative coding environment, quick interactions and clarifications are often key to efficient development. While GitHub has the “GitHub Copilot Chat” product for more structured and extensive conversations, the “Quick Q&A” technique serves as a lightweight alternative. It enables developers to rapidly engage with Copilot in the code editor for brief one-liner answers and insights. It’s not a distinct feature but a method that leverages commenting for quick interactions with Copilot, making it an agile and handy tool for on-the-spot guidance.
Example #
Using the Quick Chat technique, you can pose questions directly in your code and get brief responses from Copilot:
# me: What's the best way to optimize this loop?
# copilot:
Then GitHub Copilot will answer to the question
# me: What's the best way to optimize this loop?
# copilot: Consider using a vectorized approach or caching intermediate results.
It can be just “q:” and “a:”
// q: How do I get the current time in milliseconds?
// a:
For more context-based dialogue, roles can be defined:
# Roles: copilot
# Expert in Python with 15+ years of experience
# Role: me
# Mid-level engineer
#
# me: What's the best way to optimize this loop?
# copilot: Consider using a vectorized approach or caching intermediate results.
Exercise #
- Exercise 1: Compare Quick Chat with “copilot chat” by engaging with both and noting the differences.
- Exercise 2: Use Quick Chat to get one-liner answers to three different coding questions.
- Exercise 3: Define roles within Quick Chat and observe how contextual information affects Copilot’s responses.
Checklist for Further Learning #
- How does Quick Chat differ from the “copilot chat” product, and when might one be preferred over the other?
- How can the Quick Chat technique be integrated into various stages of the development process?
- What are the potential drawbacks or limitations of using Quick Chat, and how might they be mitigated?