Can you use ChatGPT in VS Code??

Visual Studio Code
30 Mar 202305:24

TLDRThe video introduces an upcoming ChatGPT-like feature in Visual Studio Code (VS Code) powered by the GitHub Copilot extension. Users can sign up for the waitlist to experience this new functionality. Once installed, a chat icon appears in the activity bar, opening a sidebar that interacts like ChatGPT but is aware of the user's code and open tabs. The chat can provide programming-related assistance, with more detailed queries yielding more precise responses. For example, it can generate code for an Express app using TypeScript and Vue. The feature aims to reduce context switching by integrating chat directly into the coding process, offering an inline chat experience within the code. It also understands VS Code commands, allowing users to attach a debugger or modify settings directly from the chat. The /explain command helps users understand unfamiliar code, while the /test and /debug commands assist with unit testing and debugging. The /fix command offers suggestions for code corrections. The video encourages viewers to join the waitlist to explore this AI-powered coding assistance.

Takeaways

  • 🤖 You can use an AI similar to ChatGPT in Visual Studio Code (VS Code) through the GitHub Copilot extension.
  • 📋 To start using it, you need to sign up for the waitlist for the GitHub Copilot extension.
  • 🖥️ After installation and GitHub Copilot sign in, a new chat icon appears in the VS Code activity bar.
  • 🗂️ The chat sidebar functions like ChatGPT but is aware of your code and open tabs, eliminating the need to copy and paste.
  • 💬 You can have detailed programming conversations with Copilot, receiving more accurate responses with more specific details.
  • 📝 Copilot can generate code and steps for creating applications when given detailed instructions.
  • 🔗 There are options to copy code directly or add it to the file at the cursor position.
  • 🤔 Copilot acts as a pair programmer, offering suggestions to improve your code structure.
  • 📖 The inline chat experience allows you to ask questions directly within your code, streamlining the process.
  • 🛠️ You can use special slash commands to scope the context of your chat, such as `/vscode` for VS Code specific queries.
  • 🔍 Copilot is also helpful in finding and adjusting VS Code settings, including obscure ones.
  • 🛑 The `/explain` command assists in understanding unfamiliar code, while the `/test` and `/debug` commands help with code testing and debugging.

Q & A

  • What is the new chat functionality in VS Code enabled by?

    -The new chat functionality in VS Code is enabled by the GitHub Copilot extension.

  • How do you access the new chat experience in VS Code?

    -Once the GitHub Copilot extension is installed and you've signed in, you can access the new chat experience through a new chat icon in the activity bar.

  • What is the key difference between the chat functionality in VS Code and a regular ChatGPT interaction?

    -The key difference is that GitHub Copilot knows about your code and the tabs you have open, eliminating the need to copy things in and out of a chat window.

  • How does providing more detail to Copilot affect the quality of the response?

    -The more detail you give Copilot, the better and more specific the answer you get back.

  • What happens when you click the 'copy' button in the chat?

    -When you click the 'copy' button, the provided code is copied to your clipboard.

  • What does the 'add to file at cursor' button do?

    -The 'add to file at cursor' button adds the provided code to the file at the current cursor position.

  • How does Copilot act as a pair programmer?

    -Copilot can recommend code structures and best practices, acting as a pair programmer by suggesting improvements and code patterns.

  • What is the inline chat experience in VS Code?

    -The inline chat experience allows you to open a chat directly within your code, facilitating a more seamless integration of the chat functionality into your coding flow.

  • How does the inline chat experience help with code iteration?

    -The inline chat experience makes it easy to iterate with Copilot by allowing you to quickly ask for different solutions or adjustments to the code.

  • What are the special slash commands in the chat and how can they be used?

    -Special slash commands, like /vscode, /explain, and /test, can be used to scope the context for your chat, get explanations for unfamiliar code, and create unit tests, respectively.

  • How does the /debug command assist in code troubleshooting?

    -The /debug command provides insights into why your code may not be working and offers suggestions on how to make your code more robust.

  • What does the /fix command do in the context of the chat?

    -The /fix command attempts to fix the selected text in your code, providing a potential solution or a starting point for further troubleshooting.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introduction to ChatGPT-like Experience in VS Code

The video introduces a new ChatGPT-like functionality coming to Visual Studio Code (VS Code), enabled by the GitHub Copilot extension. Viewers are encouraged to sign up for the waitlist to access this feature. Once installed, the extension adds a chat icon to the activity bar, opening a sidebar that allows for programming-related conversations, similar to ChatGPT but with the added benefit of being aware of the user's code and open tabs. The video demonstrates how to ask for programming advice, receive detailed code suggestions based on the level of detail provided, and how to integrate the suggested code into the user's project. It also highlights the ability to ask for structural advice on an existing project and the value of iterative questioning to refine the responses.

05:01

💡 Inline Chat and Special Commands in VS Code

The video continues by showcasing an inline chat feature that allows users to interact with Copilot directly within their code files. This feature is designed to reduce context switching and streamline the coding process. The host demonstrates how to ask for help with specific coding tasks, such as iterating over an array in HTML, and how to request alternative solutions if the initial response is not satisfactory. The video also introduces special slash commands that can be used to scope the context of the chat, such as attaching a debugger or finding specific VS Code settings. Additionally, the /explain command is highlighted for understanding unfamiliar code, and the /test command is shown being used to create unit tests. The video concludes with a reminder that Copilot is a tool to assist, not replace, the developer, emphasizing the importance of the developer's role in overseeing and verifying the code provided by Copilot.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) that is capable of answering questions, summarizing text, translating languages, and engaging in conversations with humans. In the context of the video, it is used as a comparison for the new chat functionality being introduced to Visual Studio Code (VS Code) through the GitHub Copilot extension. The AI's ability to interact with users and provide programming-related assistance is central to the video's theme of enhancing coding efficiency and collaboration.

💡Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

Visual Studio Code is a popular source code editor developed by Microsoft. It includes support for debugging, Git control, syntax highlighting, intelligent code completion, snippets, and code refactoring. The video discusses the integration of a new chat functionality within VS Code, which is powered by GitHub Copilot and designed to assist developers with their coding tasks.

💡GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is an extension for VS Code that brings AI-powered coding assistance to the editor. It enables developers to have a conversation with an AI that understands their code and the context of their open tabs. In the video, GitHub Copilot is highlighted as a tool that can provide code suggestions, help with debugging, and streamline the development process by reducing context switching.

💡Code Suggestions

Code suggestions refer to the AI-generated lines of code or programming advice that are provided to the developer based on their queries or the code they are working on. In the video, it is shown how GitHub Copilot can offer specific code suggestions, such as creating an Express app with TypeScript and Vue, which directly assists in the development process.

💡Inline Chat Experience

The inline chat experience is a feature that allows developers to interact with the AI directly within their code files. This feature is highlighted in the video as a way to streamline the coding process by allowing developers to ask questions or request assistance without leaving the code they are working on. It is an innovative approach to integrating AI assistance directly into the development environment.

💡Slash Commands

Slash commands in the context of the video refer to special commands that can be entered in the chat interface to perform specific actions or to scope the context of the conversation. For example, the '/vscode' command can be used to attach a debugger, and the '/explain' command can provide an explanation of unfamiliar code. These commands are designed to make the interaction with the AI more efficient and context-aware.

💡Context Switching

Context switching is the process of moving attention from one task to another, which can be disruptive and time-consuming, especially in software development. The video emphasizes the importance of reducing context switching by integrating the chat functionality directly into VS Code, allowing developers to stay focused on their coding tasks without the need to switch between different applications or windows.

💡Pair Programmer

In the video, GitHub Copilot is referred to as a 'pair programmer,' which means it acts as a virtual partner to the developer. It assists by providing insights, suggestions, and even taking on some of the coding tasks. This concept is central to the video's narrative of enhancing productivity and making the development process more collaborative, even when working alone.

💡Express

Express is a back-end web application framework for Node.js, which is widely used for building web applications and APIs. In the video, the AI is asked to create an Express app using TypeScript and Vue, demonstrating how the AI can generate specific code and steps for setting up a project with these technologies.

💡TypeScript

TypeScript is a statically typed, object-oriented programming language that is a superset of JavaScript. It is designed for large-scale applications and transcompiles to JavaScript. The video script mentions the creation of an Express app using TypeScript, indicating the AI's ability to generate code in different programming languages and frameworks.

💡Vue

Vue is an open-source model–view–viewmodel front-end JavaScript framework for building user interfaces and single-page applications. It is mentioned in the video as part of the technology stack for creating a front end for an Express app, showcasing the AI's capability to provide comprehensive solutions that span across both back-end and front-end development.

Highlights

ChatGPT-like experience is coming soon to Visual Studio Code (VS Code).

The new chat functionality is enabled by the GitHub Copilot extension.

To access the new experience, sign up for the wait list through the provided link.

Once installed, a new chat icon appears in the activity bar of VS Code.

GitHub Copilot understands your code and the tabs you have open, streamlining the chat experience.

Copilot can engage in programming-related conversations, providing tailored responses based on detail provided.

Detailed queries yield more specific and actionable code suggestions.

Copilot assists in creating apps with specific technologies, such as Express, TypeScript, and Vue.

Code snippets can be copied directly or added to the file at the cursor position.

Copilot acts as a pair programmer, offering structural recommendations for your app.

The sidebar chat is ideal for extended conversations and bootstrapping code.

An inline chat experience is introduced to integrate chat directly into your code.

Inline chat allows for quick iteration and refinement of code with Copilot's assistance.

Special slash commands can scope the context of your chat for more accurate responses.

Copilot's knowledge of VS Code helps in finding settings and configuring the IDE.

The /explain command assists in understanding unfamiliar code or components.

The /test command can generate unit tests for your code.

The /debug command provides insights into why your code may not be functioning as expected.

The /fix command attempts to correct issues in the selected text, offering a starting point for troubleshooting.

Join the wait list to try out the new chat experience integrated with VS Code and GitHub Copilot.

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