Ask HN: Should I be using GitHub Copilot (and other AI Products)?
Nov 12, 2023 - news.ycombinator.com
The author discusses their experience with Copilot, acknowledging its usefulness in generating boilerplate code, simple functions, and aiding in unfamiliar programming languages. They also note that it has helped them learn more quickly and occasionally introduced them to new concepts. However, they also point out its limitations, such as its inability to write complex code, its tendency to produce incorrect or inefficient code, and its lack of full project context.
Despite these limitations, the author views Copilot as a powerful autocomplete tool and encourages others to try it out. They admit to initial skepticism but have found it beneficial enough to continue using it for several months.
Key takeaways:
The author finds copilot useful especially for boilerplate, simple functions, and repetitive tasks.
Copilot is also beneficial when writing in a language the author is not well-versed in, as it can write basic stuff and speed up the process.
Despite its usefulness, copilot has limitations such as writing complex code, producing inefficient code, and lacking full context of the project.
The author recommends trying copilot to see its benefits firsthand, describing it as a powerful autocomplete tool.
