What Our Developers Are Saying About the AI-Powered Tool
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
As a software critique, Velocity Tech has extensively used GitHub Copilot, and we are ready to share our review of this AI-powered code generation tool. GitHub Copilot has gained significant attention since its release, promising to assist developers in writing code more efficiently. In this review, we will explore the pros and cons of GitHub Copilot, its coverage for the top 10 key programming languages, and our overall experience with the tool.
The Good
Time-saving Efficiency: GitHub Copilot can generate code snippets and complete code blocks based on the context, significantly reducing development time, our developers reported that it helped them write code faster and with less effort.
Improved Code Quality: By leveraging machine learning algorithms, GitHub Copilot can suggest solutions that developers may not have thought of on their own, leading to better and more efficient code. This was echoed in the review, where developers mentioned that GitHub Copilot provided helpful suggestions and improved their code quality.
Language Coverage: GitHub Copilot supports a wide range of programming languages, including popular ones like JavaScript, Python, and Ruby. We at Velocity use a lot of VueJS and we found out that CoPilot supporting the library albeit only Vue3, indicating its versatility.
The Bad
Context Limitations: Copilot has a limited context and may not make use of functions defined elsewhere in the project, potentially affecting the accuracy of suggestions. We want to highlight the difficulty of integrating GitHub Copilot with IDEs other than Visual Studio Code, limiting its accessibility for some of our developers.
Deprecated Code Suggestions: GitHub Copilot may occasionally suggest outdated or deprecated code practices. It is important for developers to be cautious and verify the relevance and correctness of the suggested code….GitHub does have a disclaimer on deprecated code….”….use it at your own risk…”
The Ugly
Potential Code Quality Issues: While Copilot aims to generate high-quality code, there have been instances where the suggested code does not work or meet expectations, particularly in larger code files. Quality of code generated by Copilot became unacceptable in certain scenarios.
GitHub Copilot offers significant benefits in terms of time-saving efficiency and improved code quality in 40% of the cases. Its broad language coverage makes it accessible to developers working with different programming languages. However, developers should be aware of the limitations, such as context constraints and potential code quality issues. It is crucial to review and test the suggested code before incorporating it into projects. Overall, GitHub Copilot can be a valuable tool when used judiciously, but it should not replace the critical thinking and expertise of developers.
Disclaimer: This review is based on our experience and observations as a company using GitHub Copilot. Individual experiences may vary, and it is recommended to try the tool firsthand to assess its suitability for specific projects.
