GitHub Copilot’s chat functionality is being updated to provide developers guidance on how to reword their prompts so that they can get better responses.
Microsoft shared that user feedback on GitHub Copilot indicated that some developers struggle with creating prompts, including understanding phrasing and what context to include. “In some cases, the experience left users feeling like they were getting too much or too little from their interactions,” Microsoft wrote in a blog post.
In response to this, GitHub Copilot’s chat will now be a more conversational experience that can adapt to a developer’s specific context and needs.
For example, if a developer asks a question that is too vague, like “what is this?,” Copilot will now respond back saying that the “question is ambiguous because it lacks specific context or content” and will suggest some prompts that are more specific and will lead to better responses. In this example, the response included other sample prompts, like “What is the purpose of the code in #file:’BasketService.cs’?” or “Can you explain the errors in #file:’BasketService.cs’?”
Those suggested new prompts are clickable, so all a developer has to do is select one of the provided prompts, and GitHub Copilot will try again with the new prompt.
“Our guided chat experience takes Copilot beyond simple input-output exchanges, turning it into a collaborative assistant. When the context is clear, Copilot provides direct and relevant answers. When it isn’t, Copilot guides you by asking follow-up questions to ensure clarity and precision,” Microsoft wrote.
The new chat experience is available in Visual Studio 2022 17.12 Preview 3 and above, according to Microsoft.
