Microsoft Integrates a Free Version of Its 'Copilot' Coding AI Into GitHub, VS Code

Microsoft-owned GitHub has announced a free version of its Copilot code completion and AI pair programming tool, which will now be included by default with Microsoft's VS Code editor. Previously, most developers had to pay a monthly fee, but the free version is now available to occasional users, offering 2,000 code completions per month. Each code suggestion counts against this limit, and users are limited to Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet and OpenAI's GPT-4o models. The free plan also includes access to all Copilot Extensions and skills, with a limit of 50 chat messages for Copilot Chat. The service is compatible with various editors, including VS Code, Visual Studio, and JetBrains.

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke emphasized the company's return to its freemium roots and its vision of enabling a GitHub with one billion developers. Despite competition from services like Amazon Q Developer and companies like Tabnine and Qodo, GitHub aims to remove barriers to software creation. GitHub CEO Satya Nadella expressed enthusiasm for bringing the joy of coding to more people worldwide.

Key takeaways

GitHub has announced a free version of its Copilot code completion tool, which will be included by default in Microsoft's VS Code editor.
The free version is designed for occasional users, offering 2,000 code completions per month and limited access to certain AI models.
Copilot Free will be available in various editors, including VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, and on GitHub.com.
GitHub aims to expand its user base with this freemium model, aspiring to reach one billion developers worldwide.

Microsoft Integrates a Free Version of Its 'Copilot' Coding AI Into GitHub, VS Code - Slashdot

Key takeaways

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