GitHub Copilot is one of the most influential AI coding assistants available today. Its ability to reference public code is gaining more attention. Let’s take a deeper look at this recent enhancement.
What Is Code Referencing?
Code referencing allows Copilot to search public repositories for matching code snippets when you type a query. If it finds relevant code, Copilot surfaces this in a sidebar for reference instead of directly generating the code itself.
This new capability aims to give developers more visibility and control. By surfacing matches, programmers can review the referenced code and decide whether to incorporate, modify, or discard it based on factors like licensing.
Code referencing promotes collaboration and reuse of open source code. It helps Copilot avoid duplicating work that’s already been shared for public use. Let’s explore how this feature works and the discussions around balancing usefulness and compliance.
How Does Code Referencing Work In Practice?
When you type a query into Copilot, it instantly scans through petabytes of public code using a powerful search engine. Within milliseconds, it aims to find relevant code snippets and presents these in the sidebar for reference.
You can then choose to insert the code into your editor as-is or modify it first. Copilot avoids auto-populating matches to give developers full autonomy over the final work. Code is only referenced – not directly copied – for transparency.
The matching algorithm considers elements like functionality, syntax structure, and comments to find high-quality code connections. Results are filtered based on factors like programming language, license compatibility, and more.
Feedback And Discussions Around The Feature
Code referencing has been well-received overall for promoting open source best practices. However, some developers raised points that Microsoft is addressing through continued feedback:
- Filtering results to only include code under permissive licenses approved by companies/clients
- Allow sorting references by additional metadata like commit date, authors, etc
- Prevent unintended code duplication if reference code is directly copied
Microsoft aims to balance convenience, compliance, and proper attribution. As Copilot learns, it can better understand when code matches are too close to consider unique work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How accurate are Copilot’s code matches?
Matches often relate functionally but may require tuning to fit a specific context. Accuracy depends on training data volume/variety.
Q: Is Copilot checking all public code?
No, only code relevant to the query context is scanned for matches to provide timely results. Petabytes of data is thoroughly searched nonetheless.
Q: Can Copilot be limited to only reference certain licenses?
Not yet, but filtering matches by pre-approved permissive licenses is frequently requested and may be added.
Q: Is all referenced code properly attributed?
Copilot aims to provide transparent references, but developers must still attribute or license code appropriately if directly used from matches.
Q: How can I provide feedback to improve Copilot?
You’re welcome to join discussions on the Copilot feedback forums to share suggestions. Constructive feedback direct to Microsoft also helps guiding Copilot’s evolution.
Key Takeaways
- Code referencing promotes open source best practices within Copilot
- Matches are referenced transparently instead of auto-generated
- Feedback is shaping the feature to balance collaboration and compliance
- As an AI assistant, Copilot will continue refining its code understanding over time
In summary, code referencing shows promise as a tool for discovery, learning and proper reuse of public code resources. With ongoing feedback, it helps advance Copilot as a responsible productivity partner for developers.