I already talked about custom instructions in Github Copilot as a way to tweak Github Copilot. Today I want to show another way to extend the capabilities of your Copilot; Copilot Extensions, a set of third party tools, services, and data available (in preview) through the Copilot marketplace:
What are Copilot Extensions?
Copilot extensions are third-party tools, services, and data integrations that enhance the functionality of GitHub Copilot. They allow you to leverage additional features and capabilities directly within your coding environment. Whether you need help with code quality, security, documentation, or project management, there's likely a Copilot extension that can assist you.
At the moment of writing this post Copilot Extensions is still in preview and the list of available extension is still limited. Extension usage is not possible in every IDE. Here is the list of supported IDEs:
How to get started with Copilot Extensions
Getting started with Copilot extensions is easy. Follow these steps to enhance your Copilot experience:
-
Explore the Marketplace: Visit the GitHub Marketplace to browse and discover Copilot extensions. You can filter by type, creator, and popularity to find the extensions that best suit your needs.
-
Install the Extension: Once you've found an extension you like, click on it to view more details and follow the installation instructions. Most extensions can be installed directly from the Marketplace.
-
Configure and Use: After installation, configure the extension according to your preferences. Each extension may have its own setup process, so be sure to follow the provided documentation.
-
Integrate with Copilot: Start using the extension within your coding environment. Copilot extensions are designed to seamlessly integrate with GitHub Copilot, providing you with enhanced functionality and support.
Let’s give it a try…
Let’s apply the steps above with a concrete example. Yesterday I talked about how I generated a mermaid diagram using Copilot. Turns out that there is an extension exactly for that: Mermaid Chart · GitHub Marketplace.
On the extension detail page, click on Add.
This will bring you to the bottom of the page where you can select the account and organization:
We click on Install it for free to continue. We now arrive on the Review your order screen where you can click on Complete order and start installation.
As a last step, we need to set the user permissions for this extension. Click on Install.
Finally, the extension is installed and we can give it a try.
Remark: If you are using a Copilot Business/Enterprise subscription, you may need to ask an admin of your organization to install and activate the extension.
To use the extension, we need to execute the @Mermaid-Chart command when in the Copilot chat window. The first time you use it; you are asked to authorize the extension.
After authorizing, we finally get an answer to our question:
Let’s now try generating a diagram:
We can directly view the diagram in the Mermaid Chart playground:
Sweet!
Conclusion
Copilot extensions are a powerful way to extend the capabilities of GitHub Copilot and streamline your development workflow. By leveraging these third-party tools and services, you can improve code quality, enhance security, automate documentation, and much more.
So, explore the Marketplace, find the extensions that work for you, and unlock the full potential of GitHub Copilot.
More information
Extending the capabilities of GitHub Copilot in your organization - GitHub Docs