How to Use GitHub Copilot for Learning Programming

Most programmers learn to code by bouncing between Stack Overflow, documentation sites, and tutorial videos—a workflow that fragments your attention and slows you down. Workers face interruptions every 2 minutes during core work hours, making focused learning nearly impossible.

GitHub Copilot changes that by embedding an AI coding assistant directly in your editor. It gives you instant explanations, debugging help, and code suggestions without ever leaving your workspace. This guide shows you how to configure and use it as a learning tool instead of just a code generator.

How to Use GitHub Copilot to Learn Programming

What Is GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered coding assistant, or AI pair programmer, that lives directly inside your code editor. Developed by GitHub and OpenAI, it’s designed to stop tab-juggling by bringing answers and code suggestions right to you. It’s built for everyone, from absolute beginners to seasoned pros picking up a new language.

The tool has two core parts. First are the inline suggestions, which act like an incredibly smart autocomplete for your code. Second is Copilot Chat, a conversational AI you can ask questions in natural language. Copilot analyzes the code in your current file and open tabs to give you context-aware help.

Copilot Chat on GitHub Copilot — via Microsoft

It works in the most popular coding environments and languages, including:

Editors: VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs (like PyCharm), and Neovim
Languages: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Ruby, Go, and dozens more

By keeping you in your editor, this AI code assistant helps you stay in a state of flow, turning frustrating searches into a seamless learning experience.

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Why Use GitHub Copilot for Learning Programming?

Every new programmer hits a wall. It might be a cryptic error message or a concept that just won’t click. With no one around to ask, you’re stuck. This leads to hours of searching, lost motivation, and sometimes giving up on a coding session entirely. The feedback loop is just too long.

A GitHub Copilot coding assistant shortens that feedback loop from hours to seconds, acting as your personal, on-demand tutor. Instead of getting stuck, you get instant clarity and can keep moving forward. This transforms learning from a frustrating battle into an engaging conversation.

Here’s how it helps you learn faster:

Instant explanations: You can ask Copilot to explain any piece of code in plain English. No more trying to decipher dense, technical documentation on your own
Learn by doing: As you type, you’ll get suggestions. You can then study those suggestions to understand the “why” behind a particular approach, turning every line of code into a mini-lesson
Reduced frustration: Debugging is one of the biggest hurdles for new programmers. Copilot helps you spot and understand errors 30-40% faster, so you can stay focused on learning core concepts instead of getting bogged down
Language exploration: You can safely experiment with new programming languages. Have Copilot translate code patterns you already know into a new language to see how they compare
Documentation on demand: If you forget a function’s syntax or want to know the best way to handle a task, you can ask Copilot directly in your editor. GitHub Copilot gives answers without breaking your concentration

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How to Set Up GitHub Copilot for Learning

Just installing an AI tool isn’t enough. The default settings are often designed for experienced developers who prioritize speed, which can become a crutch for learners. If you passively accept every suggestion, you risk learning very little, which runs counter to the principles of active learning.

Using the default setup can lead to you having working code without understanding it, creating knowledge gaps that will cause problems down the road.

But with a quick 10-minute configuration, you can transform GitHub Copilot from a simple code generator into a personalized learning tool. These adjustments help you control the pace and ensure you’re building real comprehension, not just a library of code you can’t explain.

Install the GitHub Copilot extension

First, you need to get the tool into your code editor. For most learners using VS Code, the process is straightforward.

Open VS Code and go to the Extensions marketplace on the sidebar
Search for “GitHub Copilot” and click install on the official extension from GitHub
Next, search for “GitHub Copilot Chat” and install it as well. This gives you the conversational AI tutor
You’ll be prompted to sign in with your GitHub account. Follow the on-screen instructions to authorize the extension
Once authorized, you’re ready to start configuring it for learning

If you use another editor like Visual Studio or a JetBrains IDE, the process is very similar. Just search for the Copilot extension in your editor’s marketplace and follow the authentication steps.

Configure Copilot settings for learning mode

Now let’s tweak the settings to encourage active learning instead of passive code generation. You can find these options by opening the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P), typing “Preferences: Open User Settings,” and then searching for “Copilot.”

Disable automatic inline suggestions: This is a powerful move for learners. It stops Copilot from automatically offering code as you type, forcing you to think for yourself first and actively ask for help when you need it
Keep the Copilot Chat panel visible: Pin the chat panel to your sidebar. This makes it easy to ask quick questions without needing to open a new window or command
Adjust the suggestion delay: If you keep inline suggestions on, you can add a slight delay. This gives your brain a moment to process the problem before the AI jumps in with a solution

GitHub Copilot coding agent — via GitHub

Add custom learning instructions

This is where you turn Copilot into your personal tutor. You can give it custom instructions about your skill level and how you want it to teach you. Add these instructions in the Copilot Chat settings or by creating a special file named .github/copilot-instructions.md in your project folder.

📌 Here are a few examples of great instructions for learners:

“If my code has an error, help me understand the mistake before you give me the corrected version.”
“I’m a complete beginner learning Python. Please explain all concepts in simple terms and avoid advanced features unless I ask for them.”
“When you suggest code, always include a comment explaining why it works and what each part does.”

These instructions stick around, so you don’t have to repeat yourself. You can even have different instructions for different projects, tailoring the AI’s teaching style to whatever language or framework you’re focused on.

📚 Also Read: How to Use Claude AI for Efficient and Accurate Coding

5 Ways to Use GitHub Copilot for Learning Programming

You’ve installed and configured Copilot, but now what? If you just use it for basic code completion, you’re missing out on its true power as a learning tool. Passively accepting every suggestion can lead to “Copilot dependency,” where you feel like you can’t code without it.

To avoid this, you need to use it actively. These five practical strategies will help you turn Copilot from a crutch into a powerful tutor, building deep understanding and confidence. 🛠️

1. Ask Copilot to explain code concepts

Found a confusing snippet of code online or in a tutorial? Don’t just copy and paste it. Instead, highlight the code, open Copilot Chat, and ask it to “Explain this code.”

Copilot will break down the logic line by line in plain English. This is perfect for understanding complex one-liners or unfamiliar syntax.

To get even more out of it, ask follow-up questions.

“Explain this code like I’m five”
“What does the map() function do in this example?”
“Is there a more efficient way to write this?”

After you read the explanation, try to rewrite the code from memory. This simple act of recall is one of the best ways to lock in a new concept.

📚 Also Read: Best AI Coding Tools and Assistants

2. Use Copilot Chat as your coding tutor

Think of Copilot Chat as an always-on, patient tutor who will never get tired of your questions. Because it remembers the context of your conversation, you can ask follow-up questions to dig deeper.

Start with broad questions and then get more specific.

Conceptual questions: “What is the difference between a list and a tuple in Python?”
Practical questions: “How do I make an API request in JavaScript?”
Debugging questions: “Why am I getting a ‘TypeError’ on this line?”
Best practice questions: “Is this the most idiomatic way to write a for-loop in Go?”

The key is to treat it like a real conversation. If you don’t understand an answer, just say, “Can you explain that differently?”

💡 You can also just ask ClickUp Brain, the AI integrated within ClickUp, to help you understand code. It will bring the added advantage of already knowing your role and your work.

ClickUp Brain can help explain any code or coding problems

3. Practice writing code with AI suggestions

This technique flips the script. Instead of letting Copilot write code for you, you tell it what you want to do and then study its solution as a worked example.

Start by writing a descriptive comment. For example: // Create a function that takes a list of numbers and returns only the even ones
Press Enter and wait for Copilot to generate the function
Now review the code it suggested. Do you understand every single line?
If not, highlight the confusing parts and ask Copilot Chat to explain them
Finally, delete the suggestion and try to write the function yourself from scratch. Compare your version to Copilot’s to see what you remembered correctly

This workflow turns GitHub Copilot code generation into an active learning exercise. Students using this approach finish tasks 35% faster while achieving better progress on solutions.

💡ClickUp Brain works as your coding partner within ClickUp.

ClickUp Brain interface showing AI-powered support for summarizing and organizing information

4. Debug and refactor code with Copilot feedback

Getting stuck on a bug is incredibly frustrating. Instead of staring at the screen for an hour, use Copilot to get a fresh perspective.

For debugging: Highlight the code that’s causing an error and ask, “Why isn’t this code working?” Copilot will often spot the issue and explain the mistake. Make sure you ask why the fix works, not just for the corrected code
For refactoring: Once you have code that works but feels messy, ask Copilot, “How can I make this code cleaner or more efficient?” It will suggest improvements, like using better variable names or more modern syntax. This is one of the best ways to learn the “right” way to write code in a new language

Keep a running list of your common mistakes in a doc. You’ll start to see patterns and fix them before they happen.

💡 Try Codegen, ClickUp’s autonomous coding agent that can help you with debugging, writing code, opening PRs, and more.

5. Convert code between programming languages

If you already know one programming language, you can use that knowledge to learn another one faster. For example, if you’re a Python developer learning JavaScript, you can use Copilot as a translator.

Paste a Python function into Copilot Chat and ask, “Convert this to JavaScript and explain the key differences.”

Copilot will not only provide the translated code but also point out important syntax changes and language-specific patterns.

For instance, it might show you how a Python list comprehension is similar to using map() and filter() in JavaScript. This helps you build a mental map between the concepts you already know and the new syntax you’re learning.

To see how AI agents are transforming the coding workflow, watch this demonstration that shows AI coding assistants in action and how they can accelerate your development process.

Best Practices for Learning Programming With GitHub Copilot

It’s easy to fall into bad habits with AI, like blindly trusting every suggestion or letting it do all the thinking for you. This leads to shallow knowledge and the inability to solve problems on your own.

To avoid this, you need some rules of the road. Think of these best practices as guardrails that ensure you’re using Copilot to get smarter, not to outsource your brain.

Verify before you trust: Copilot can and will make mistakes. It might suggest buggy, inefficient, or outdated code. Always test its suggestions and make sure you understand why they work before moving on
Write first, then check: Try to write the code yourself first. When you’re done or get stuck, ask Copilot to review your work or offer an alternative. This turns the tool into a code reviewer, not a crutch
Always ask “why”: Never accept a piece of code without understanding it. If Copilot gives you a solution, your next question should always be, “Why does this work?” or “Why is this better than my original approach?”
Set learning challenges: For your practice sessions, try turning off inline suggestions completely. Force yourself to rely only on Copilot Chat when you’re truly stuck. This builds mental resilience
Document what you learn: When Copilot teaches you a new concept, take a moment to write it down in your own words. Keeping a dedicated notes file helps with retention
Be specific with your prompts: Vague questions lead to vague answers. Instead of asking “How do I code?”, ask “I’m a beginner trying to learn how to create a class in Python. Can you show me a simple example with explanations?”

📚 Also Read: How AI Is Reshaping Programmers’ Roles Faster Than You Think

Limitations of Using GitHub Copilot for Learning Programming

Believing that an AI tool is a perfect, all-knowing tutor is a mistake. This misplaced trust can lead you to embed buggy code in your projects or fail a technical interview because you can’t explain the code the AI wrote for you.

To use it effectively, you have to be honest about its limitations. Here’s what to watch out for. 👀

It can produce incorrect code: Copilot is trained on a massive amount of public code from GitHub, and that code includes bugs. Don’t assume its suggestions are flawless. Always test them
Explanations can be shallow: Sometimes Copilot’s explanations are surface-level. It can tell you what a piece of code does, but it might not be able to explain the deep, foundational computer science principles behind it
There’s a risk of over-reliance: If you get used to having your code written for you, your own problem-solving muscles will weaken. You must actively engage with the tool to avoid this
It has limited context: Copilot can see the files you have open, but it doesn’t understand the architecture of your entire project. Its suggestions might make sense for one file, but cause problems elsewhere
Licensing can be tricky: Because it’s trained on public code, Copilot might occasionally suggest code that is very similar to code under a restrictive open-source license. This is something to be mindful of for projects you plan to publish. It’s important to note that GitHub Copilot is not open source itself; it’s a proprietary commercial product
It requires an internet connection: All your requests are processed in the cloud, so you can’t use it for learning if you’re offline

Here are some cool tools you can try if you want to explore vibe coding 👇

How to Track Your Programming Learning Progress in ClickUp

Learning to code often means drowning in a sea of browser tabs. You have a tutorial open in one, official documentation in another, and a dozen Stack Overflow threads trying to explain a single error message. This constant context-switching kills your focus and slows down your progress.

This is a classic case of context sprawl—when teams waste hours searching for information across disconnected apps, hunting down files, and repeating updates across multiple platforms—and it kills momentum. When your learning plan is scattered, it’s hard to see your progress or stick with it.

This is where you need a single, user-friendly platform to bring it all together. Stop the tool-juggling and build a single source of truth for your entire learning journey with ClickUp.

Here’s how ClickUp’s Converged AI Workspace helps you plan your learning, store your knowledge, and track your progress all in one place:

Centralize your knowledge base: Stop scattering your notes. Create a personal, searchable knowledge base with ClickUp Docs. You can store code snippets, save explanations from Copilot, and write down concepts in your own words. Because Docs can be linked directly to tasks, your knowledge is always connected to your work
Plan your study: A learning journey is a project. Break down your learning roadmap into actionable ClickUp Tasks. Create tasks for each module of a course or for each small project you want to build, and track their status from “To Do” to “Complete”
Document your to-dos: When you’re following a tutorial, it’s easy to lose your place. Use checklists in your ClickUp tasks to track your progress step by step. You can create checklists with up to 500 items and even save them as templates for recurring learning processes. To get started quickly, try the ClickUp Checklists Template
Track your progress: Motivation comes from seeing progress. Create a personal learning Dashboard in ClickUp to visualize your journey. Add widgets to track completed tasks, time spent on coding projects, and upcoming milestones
Get an AI study partner: Summarize your notes, generate quiz questions from your knowledge base, and get AI-suggested next steps in your learning plan with ClickUp Brain, ClickUp’s native AI feature

Here’s what step-by-step tutorial tracking looks like with ClickUp Task Checklists.

Tasks related to learning programming, added to a checklist in ClickUp

A Better Way to Learn Programming

GitHub Copilot can transform your code editor into an interactive learning playground. It provides instant explanations, helps you debug faster, and lets you explore new languages with confidence. But the real key is active engagement—using it as a tutor to understand concepts, not just as a code-generation machine.

Learning to code no longer has to mean getting lost for hours in documentation rabbit holes. AI-assisted learning dramatically shortens the feedback loop, so you can focus on building real, durable skills. The developers who thrive in the future will be the ones who master learning with these powerful tools.

Ready to organize your programming learning journey? Get started for free with ClickUp to track your progress, store your notes, and keep your learning roadmap all in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GitHub Copilot free for students learning to code?

Yes, GitHub Copilot is free for verified students, teachers, and maintainers of popular open-source projects. You’ll need to apply through the GitHub Student Developer Pack and verify your status.

Can beginners use GitHub Copilot without prior coding experience?

Beginners can absolutely use it, especially the Copilot Chat feature for asking questions. However, having some basic familiarity with your chosen language will help you better judge whether the AI’s suggestions are good or not.

How does GitHub Copilot compare to other AI coding assistants for learning?

Copilot’s biggest strengths for learning are its deep integration into popular editors like VS Code and its powerful Copilot Chat. While alternatives exist, Copilot’s training on the vast amount of code on GitHub often gives it an edge in understanding the context of common learning projects. Of course, if you are a ClickUp user, you can just use the integrated AI (ClickUp Brain) and Codegen autonomous coding assistant to learn as you work.

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