Accelerate development with GitHub Copilot coding agent
Intermediate
DevOps Engineer
Administrator
Developer
Solution Architect
GitHub
This module explains how to use Copilot coding agent to assign tasks, streamline development, and combine automation with your team's expertise for faster, higher-quality outcomes.
Learning objectives
By the end of this module, you'll be able to:
- Explain what the Copilot coding agent is, how it differs from IDE assistants, and how to enable and budget for it.
- Describe the agent's built-in protections, main risks, mitigations, and its workflow and compatibility limits.
- Assign issues to Copilot, track its pull-request sessions, iterate with @copilot comments, and troubleshoot problems.
- Preconfigure the agent's environment, extend its capabilities with MCP, and test and validate its output before merging.
- Apply responsible-use practices, scope tasks effectively, secure environments, and improve performance.
Prerequisites
- GitHub account with Copilot Pro, Copilot Pro+, Copilot Business, or Copilot Enterprise
- Repositories hosted on GitHub (agent does not work on non-GitHub hosts)
- Basic familiarity with issues, pull requests, Actions, and repository rulesets