How to get more suggestions from GitHub Copilot

Michelle Mannering - Aug 9 '23 - - Dev Community

Have you ever wanted more from GitHub Copilot? Has GitHub Copilot ever made a suggestion where you thought "I wish I had more options?" Good news, you can! GitHub Copilot can provide you with multiple suggestions for your code.

Here's how.

GitHub Copilot suggestions

When you normally use GitHub Copilot, you'll be provided with a suggestion. This is known as "ghost text". You can accept GitHub Copilot's response by pressing ENTER on your keyboard.

GitHub Copilot's ghost text:
GitHub Copilot suggestion

Accepting GitHub Copilot's output:
Accepted code

If you don't like GitHub Copilot's idea, then you can continue to type, or press DELETE on your keyboard.

Wouldn't it be great to be given a few options to chose from when working with GitHub Copilot? Here's how to get more than one idea when using GitHub Copilot.

Get multiple suggestions

    1. When using GitHub Copilot in your editor, instead of waiting for the ghost text to appear, press `CTRL` + `ENTER` on your keyboard (⌘ + `ENTER` on Mac).
    2. Instead of ghost text, you'll see a pop-up window appear. This is called the completions panel. The panel will provide you with up to ten different suggestions.

The completions panel pops up in the GitHub Copilot tab on VS Code:
Completions panel

Up to 10 code blocks will be provided:
GitHub Copilot suggestions

    3. Select the suggestion you like by hovering over the desired code and clicking "Accept Suggestion".

Accepting the suggestion:
Accept solution

Try it out

Open your editor of choice and try it out for yourself. Check out the video tutorial if you want to see GitHub Copilot suggestions in action:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .