Copilot: Adjusting Suggestion Behavior

Why Adjust Copilot's Behavior?

• Control Suggestion Flow: Manage how and when inline suggestions (ghost text) appear to avoid distraction or to make them more readily available.
• Language-Specific Enablement: You might want Copilot active for some programming languages but not others (e.g., enable for Python/JavaScript, disable for Markdown).
• IDE Integration Preferences: Different IDEs offer various levels of control over extension behavior.
• Managing Distractions: For some, continuous suggestions can be overwhelming. Adjusting settings can lead to a more focused coding session.

Common Settings and Adjustments

GitHub Copilot's behavior is primarily managed through its extension settings within your IDE (VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Visual Studio, Neovim).

Key areas to look for in your IDE's Copilot settings:

• Enable/Disable Copilot:
  • Globally: Turn Copilot on or off for the entire IDE.
  • Per Workspace/Project: Enable or disable Copilot for the current project you're working on.
  • Per Language: Some IDEs (like VS Code) allow you to enable/disable Copilot suggestions for specific programming languages.

    // Example in VS Code settings.json to disable for Markdown
    "github.copilot.enable": {
      "*": true,           // Enable for all languages by default
      "markdown": false,   // Disable for Markdown files
      "plaintext": false   // Disable for plain text files
    }
                                    

• Inline Suggestions (Ghost Text):
  • While direct frequency control (like a slider for "aggressiveness") is less common, the primary way to manage this is by enabling/disabling Copilot for specific languages or globally.
  • The trigger for suggestions is usually automatic as you type or pause. If it feels too frequent, consider disabling it for languages where you want less assistance.
• Copilot Chat Behavior:
  • Settings related to Copilot Chat might include whether to automatically include selected code as context, or UI preferences for the chat panel.
• Keyboard Shortcuts:
  • Familiarize yourself with shortcuts to trigger suggestions (Alt+\\ or Option+\\ by default in some IDEs to show next/previous suggestions), accept suggestions (Tab), or open Copilot Chat. Customizing these might be possible through your IDE's keybinding settings.
• Telemetry and Data Usage:
  • Review GitHub Copilot's data usage and telemetry settings. GitHub provides options regarding the use of your code snippets for product improvement. Ensure these are configured according to your personal or organizational policies. (Usually managed via your GitHub account settings for Copilot).

Accessing Settings:

• VS Code: Go to File > Preferences > Settings (or Ctrl+,), then search for "GitHub Copilot". You can also manage language-specific enablement here. The Copilot icon in the status bar often provides quick access to enable/disable.
• JetBrains IDEs: Check Settings/Preferences > Plugins for GitHub Copilot, and also look under Tools or other relevant sections for Copilot-specific configurations. The Copilot status bar icon is also key.
• Visual Studio: Go to Extensions > Manage Extensions to find GitHub Copilot, and look for options there or under Tools > Options. The status bar icon provides quick controls.